El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1911-09-01
A LOVE STORY
BY George Dubonnet-

I'D osE MIREUILt' Paul vigne
X exclaimed, with a touch of
- sadness in his voice. ARE you
sure that is the lady's name? l should
never have known her again, but of
course it is more than 10 years since
/ saw her last"
Rose Mireuil had been the undisputed
queen of the all-night restaurants 10
years ago. She was tall and fair, had
big blue eyes and a shrill voice and,
when one of the men-about-town pres
ent put an orange on the back of his
hand, she kicked it to the ceiling with
her golden slipper, never failing 10
hit 1t.
Imagine a frail, slender little midi
nette from one of the great dress
makers workrooms in Rue de Ia Paix
suddenly spreading her wings and hur-
rying along the glittering asphalt
where the old viveurs wink at her
with their monocles squeezed tight in
the other eye.
Rose was one of the little midi
nettes who at two minutes past II
came rushing out like lightning with
Fernando, C1ementine, Marguerite and
the whole gay crowd, flirting smiling
and chatting, throwing themselves
down on one of the lawns of the
Tuilleries garden to eat their thick
slices of bread and ham, which was all
they had for luncheon.
l was just 20 years old then, very
awkward and bashful, so 1 dared not
tell Rose how much I admired her.
Then 1 quite unexpectedly Inherited
10000 francs from an old aunt and
this suddenly gave me the needed cour-
age. 1t was no easy matter, anyway,
and Rose at first turned a deaf ear TO
my entreaties, and 1t took more than
three weeks before she finally surren-
dered
But at last the eventrul evening
came, when arm in arm we walked
along the quays, while the setting sun
was Illuminating the gay city with its
last golden rays.
One evening my little friend with
blushing cheeks and sparkling eyes
stood as fascinated in front of one Of
the round poster columns which was
covered with glowing, advertisements
describing the charms of the towns
along the riviera, where aristocracy
spends a few months and squanders
money recklessly.
Rose stood and looked at them in ST.
lence for several moments, but at last
it came from her lips YES, that is
fireplace where should like to live
and her dark eyes shot fire.
Would you like to go to Italy, dar-
ling? Nothing is easier. We will take
trip down there
ooh. NONSENSE"
But she soon saw that 1 was in earn
est, and I shall never forget the won
derful trip. The rain was pouring
down when we left Paris, but as soon
as we were seated in a compartment
in the train de luxe our hands and lips
soon found each other, and how she
cried with Joy at the sight of the
and the blue sky, which
greeted us on the other side of the
Simplon pass, the fragrance of the
flowers and the sight of the rows Of
beautiful little cottages along the
swiftly rushing rivers.
Then followed a series of wonderful
days. during which we thought of
neither past or future. but simply
gloried in our youth and happiness.
] had figured that, as we were living,
my money would last for about three !
weeks, but what did 1 care. three
weeks seemed a very long time then
when looking ahead, and what was to |
come afterwards did not worry me in |
The least.
Opposite us at the dinner table ev- |
cry evening sat an old English major. |
who was evidently enormously rich. He |
was ugly as sin, and the walters said !
he was not quite right in his mind and !
soon noticed that he began trying |
% flirt with Rose She noticed 1t, too, |
so We changed our seats, only to be /
to the other table by the ma
or. I was only 90 hot headed and i'm
oulsive. and the next time I caught !
linn making eyes at Rose again,
struck him squarely in the face.
A challenge followed and the next |
lay we met in an orchard outside the
ity. I fired the first shot and calmly
waited for the majors. He hit we'll.
felt a singing blow in the chest.
verifying turned black in front of nv
yes and I tainted away.
My awakening to life can never for