The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1909-12-04

Two on TIct" think that's fun
ny name for a bicycle story. Uncle
said to call it Two on a Tire" but
you know how stupid Elfrida is, and
so she said. "Oh. but it's not q tan
dem" They we're going to Couliboeuf. |
too, but we couldn't go together be-
cause they we're travelling third-class. |
Elfrida says they are seeing Europe |
nicely on less than dollar day, and !
uncle said Great Scott!"
While we were on the train It be- |
gan to rain and then it poured. Uncle |
became very gloomy and said that is
just what we might have expected.
didn't expect rain. and / didn't see
why should have expected 1t, so /
only nodded. Uncle didn't like my
nodding, and said shouldn't take such
a pessimistic view of life at my age.
While he was talking / suddenly re-
membered the umbrella and asked
him where it was. and he had left it in
Argentani Then there was no more
conversation.
We had to change cars at Couli-
boeuf, and we reached Falaise about
noon. Elfrida and her sister got right
on to the wheels AMI bumped gayly
away over the cobblestones at once.
The rain was over and the sun was
shining, but uncle said he had lost all
faith in France and wanted to buy an
other umbrella the the very first thing.
We went to a store, and he said TO
buy q cheap one, as would be sure to
lose 1t. asked for cheap one, but
the woman was quite indignant and
said that she did not keep any
cheap umbrellas-that the lowest she
had was two frances-40 cents. had
to translate it to uncle, and he was so
amused that he bought one for three
francs and gave a franc to her baby
that was tied in q high chair by the
window.
Then we took a cab to the castle
and paid the man at the entrance and
let him go. There Is lovely sloping
road that follows the curve Of the
outer wall up to the summit Of the
hill. and we forgot how tired we were
in thinking how pretty it was. These
old castle Enclosures are all so big.
This one contains q college at one
end, and then there IL quite q wood
which you must walk through before
you come to the castle itself At the
other end.
The castle is wonderful. 1t Is splen-
did and big and old and strong and
Norman. 1t Is built out Of the red
rock, and 1t has oubliettes and wells
and pits and towers and everything OF
the kind that heart could wish to see.
We saw the room where Prince Ar.
thur was imprisoned for seven years
and the room where William the Con.
queror was born.
Uncle enjoyed the castle immense.
ly; he took the deepest interest in
every inch of 1t, and when the con
cierge showed us the window from
which Robert the Devil first saw Ar
lette, he planted himself firmly inside
In and / almost thought he was goine
to stay there forever. My feet ached
SO that I was glad enough to lean W
anywhere for a minute. and honestly
believe that 1t was ten before be
moved. Then he gave himself little
shake and said: We'll, to think ol
owning this place, and being able te
stand in q window as high up as that
one, and then to look down as far al
, that well is, and then only to need Il
say, Bring her up!' and to know
she'd got to come! Great Scott! Nc
wonder their son conquered England
, I'm only surprised that he didn't wipe
| Europe on the face of the continent
: Then he shook his head for a quite q
, little while, and we got under way
again and went to Talbot's Tower.
!, It's high, and uncle wanted to climb
, It. I didn't mind his climbing It, but
: he wanted me to climb 1t, too, and
I some one was ringing the bell, SO the
concierge had to leave US and go bach
. before anything was settled. Uncle
l said 1t was rather hard when he Wal
) doing so much to try and finish me
!, up Che meant finish me on" think)
{ for me to be so lukewarm about being
!, | finished so / started In to climb, al
) though my knees felt like crumplet
|, tissue-paper. The steps were so worr
, that 1t was awful work and uncle
3 would go up as far as any one could
: He had the umbrella and I had thu
: candle and often we had to step tws
r and even three steps at once. WheI
. we came to the place where the steps
ended, he stood and peeked out Of I
!. window Imagining himself Lord Tai
+ bot, reckon and then we started
e back. The coming down was awful
8 / was honestly frightened. Uncle wen
!. first and / stepped on his coat twic'
{ and split candle-grease on his hat
I Uncle found it easier coming dowI
e than going up. and 1t wasn't until w
/ reached the bottom that we discover
- l.