The commercial. (Union City, Tenn.) 190?-193?, 1907-05-10
MADAMOISELLE PARCHESI---By Gelett Burgess

the town The Casino closed So after Willing away
ont for the beach and walked along the sands below the
Boulevard A half-mile beyond the deserted bathing
machines he sat down the Single and abstractedly
watched the gus ciTcing about huge rock which
from the water between the limits of ehb and food tide
trppers from England and the whole reach of shore
deserted save for an occasional hs-wite shrmping
kree-deep in the water framed in gitterng perspective
of sea, Sand, and sunshine
His wandering eve was arrested after time BY patch
Of red that appeared ard disappeared in the breakers which
waded int the retrieve this bit OF folsom
1t red silk parasol CAUGHT by the rising tide filled
with sand ard laced with the foam Of the pillows.
He opened it, set It upright in the to dry buryng
its ivory hardc in the pebbles and then walked curiousy
down the beach -insoeetrg the sands. itte beyond
where he had been sitting he encountered double lin.
of footprints leaGinr and from confused impression in
the beach There small hole scoopcd by hand
half-hed with water and from this abandoned resting
place the footprints led down to the foamy seaweed
If the owner had escaped by Of the open As the
tide was rising Jrstn surrised that the owner Of the
paraso Rad been there time before and would prob
ably return to seek her lost property and he saw in this
time nearly noon ard the thought Of luncheon constrained
him to hide ms discovery ard return as soon as possible
made his way bac'; to his hotel
He found the sale monger occrpied BY party
who taking their dejc,rey at table not far from
in black ard her manner and conversation BETRAYED the
patient chaperon Of whimsical ward Justins
slipped her face and figure aziy. and passed
the young girl opposite her Only her back was visible
unfortunately but from its lines, the of her cheek
and coil OF Wel-dressed hair he formed Interested
estimate of her charms, which justified by the
reflection of her face in Conveniently placed mirror 1t
was not long before the young lady who had not been
tween also, and she sent swift parce occasionally into
the glass, not of which shots missed its mark. Her
face and expression gave her ischeyous original sort OF
beauty so much her own to preclude hints to
her nationality The two women were spanking French,
where the young, man sat.
Never did Justin Stirgs painfully recret his ig-
norance OF the French language for he could not read
sounds remarkably like English word of similar sgrif
canoe It not long then, before he made that
and he himself that it would be redeemed only
at the price of the girls acquaintance.
As he had made that she had left the
hotel Justin set himself, and. making d.tour at
rapid pace reached the shore and recovered the parao
Then opening it he stretched himself full lengh under
its shade and pretended to fall asleep. In few
he heard the crunchng Of pebbles and turning cautiously
he the young lady from the hotel picking her way
among the boulders BY the time he had composed his
features she had come tip to him
Pardon. monsieur she said in excellent French but
perceive that YOU have my parasoi" a rs >s@8
The words Of course incomprehesible to Justin
He was, moreover, supposed to be asleep He ehtered
him internally.
Monsieur" the girl exclaimed ;ripatienty--and that
was as much Justin understood though there followed
number of sentences violently spoken and emphasized
with stamp Of the little foot whose shoe-prnts he had
Justin rose made her elaborate bow and handed
her the suishade These signs however seemed to hin,
50 Inadequate that he spoc in Enrish the CHARGE Of
her understanding him II beg your parior uodspoisee
for rather poor ac but have ony inst found your
property. voting If YOU would have the cour-
age 70 chin IT. Do YOU speak Engiish2
The pis eyebrows had risen for second ard she bit
her lp Her brown eyes gave him swift look-oveY,
rom his ssoe, Which were pointed to bis hair which
smile pae@ vs. ~ sar ba, Fpdncss s'a swallowing
Mo- Justin answered in ris trim and at this Iumina-
ton Of The situation they both broke forth rto aurhter
than which perhaps there could be better Introduction
Now, some premonion had warned Justin, as he de-
scended the hill to stop at the eiiscrie ard by
of he t,;b
70 the shore So at loss for words, in the hopes of
OBTAINING her as long as possible he Offered her the
invitation The girl accented frankly, and spreading
tiny handkerchief she arranged the gaeaax upon it. for
There were coffee cellars. suffering a little fro the
torment of the rapid trip and bts dGmoa whose shal
aylcties of whose boatload Of strawberry nas
scngcrs had capsized and couple of babos little
lection Of the American girl in Paris She relieved the
agony OF the fclairs. staunchng their creamy wounds
cakes into shap and waved her hand erv oSe p se
spread with gesture ct approval She then signed to
Justin that all ready ard helped herself bdba
light Il enough for Justin to sit and watch her
iegerdenan, but she forced a cake upon him. that he
might share her delight
When they had finished eating the Young man set him
self the rather difficult task Of amusing her with an
irpromptu conversation without speech He pointed to
the ard sky with gcsticuatons OF admration and
the girl evidently approved Of the Landscape seascape
BY pointing to the euls expressing wish fly BY wav-
ing her arms vertically and her ability swim BY hori-
zontai motions She called his attention to the fishing
snacks. and, sailing in magarv boat of which she
seemed to hold sheet and ier she made success
full VOYAGE across the Channel Justin himself preferred
riding and he mtncScd horses gallop and tro till the
girl with laughter ard they responded in kind
following the ether She proved herself clcer act
wiling to we'll be amused BY the drolery
OF their ridiculous, pastme
he acquaintance, well under way by the adoption
% rlis language OF SIGNS progressed gayly The young
LADY evidently mistress OF her own time and the
whim pleased her. Il was net long before the two