The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1909-01-25
THREE OUTSIDE SEATS.
By eLIzAsETA q. CUTTER.


When / took the omnibus for st.
German des Pres at the Place Clichy
and mounted to the imperiale there
were already seated there two priests,
a bareheaded working woman with a
filet Of marketing in her hands. two
schoolboys carrying the usual black
portfolios under their arms and an old
gentleman who was reading the Petit
Journal. Next to the latter found
place.
A moment later the omnibus stopped
again, and heard the voice Of one Of
my countrywomen exclaiming nervous
ly. II never can climb up that ladder
neverp
Then girl spoke. ION, do try, Aunt
Martial They say the outside seats
are so pleasant"
rs lido you think it's perfectly
safe, Mr.. HenleyT' asked the anxious
voice
Perfectly SAFE" same a reassuring
masculine echo, and there was a half
seconds pause, in which, suppose,
Aunt Martha tried to ascend and fail
ed, for the conductor broke In impa-
tieatly: EN- yoiturel En- yoiture! Uns
place en- has! Neuf places en- hautw
Take the seat inside, Miss Percy,
do" urged the mans voice. your
niece and can go on top
The omnibus started forward, and
two Americans came up ontslde-a
very pretty girl, elegantly dressed, fol.
lowed By tall. athletic looking man.
They seated themselves directly be-
bind me, and she exclaimed:
How delightful 1t Is UP here. And
what a shame that we've been In
Paris TIVE weeks without ever taking
the bust Isn't 1t too bad That Aunt
Martha stayed down below?"
ION the contrary" he replied. Il find
It extremely agreeable 10 be alone with
yotl for once. I've been trying for
days to have word with you by your
self, but your aunt Is perfect wonder
at keeping the party In strict triangu.
lar shape whenever go out with you.
Today purpesely urged her going In
side 30 that could talk with you in
peaee mp here on top"
''Now understand what is meant
by 'wickedAess In high places" re-
torted the girl piayfuily.
Don't try to put me of, Miss Ware,
for it's no use You know perfectly
we'll that love you and"
''Es-sh! What are You thinking of,
Mr. Henley You certainly aren't go
ing to make love to me here, on the
top of an omnibus. right before all
these peopIe?'
why not?" be persisted. They
don't any Of them understand Eng
iish. Look at that femme de menage
and those boys and the priest They're
all French. We are as safe here as if
we were In the parioT at home"
"But that girl behind us she low
cred her voice as she spoke do You |
think she looks HrenchE
IA Partisan Enthusiastically" he an |
swered "she doesn't understand q |
word we say"
Parisienne-I, who had been
away from New England only six I
months and who thought my national
fly as plain as If 1t were stamped upon
me In red white and biuei 1t was a
shock certainly, but the blow was sof-
tened somewhat by the compliment to
my clothes. Aren't the Parisiennes
the best dressed women in
the world?
But the mistake had touched my
Puritan conscience as well as my fem
mime pride. / was listening to con-
manifestly not intended for
my ears Ought / to get down from
the onnibusi That would be quixotic
surely. could not afford to be late to
my appointment for the sake Of two
perfect strangers who would never
know Of my delicate kindness TO them.
Ougt. to speak out frankly and say
Il b your pardon, but l understand
everything you are saying?' That
would be embarrassing for US all and
really cruel to Mr. Henley. who had
been trying for so long to propose
When a man is in such straits that he
has to make love on the top of an ON
nibus be ought not to be wuntonly in
It was plainly my duty to
Keep quiet
"But young French girls don't go
nut without a chaperon.' objected
Hiss Ware "She is all alone"
sNot at all" he answered. There's
ter father right beside her reading the
I trembled with fear. 1t seemed as
( my neighbor must have understood
hat. bat q glance showed him to be
isppily ignorant Of the American
laughter SO suddenly thrust upon him.
ze Was reading serial story in the