Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1863-12-03
ACROSS THE SANDS.
1 From mOnce a Week.pl

ynaJ L ldu, Will SOLlG ODtdiASN :"
srief leave of absence. Emma was my sister,
and she and l were alone in the world, with
no nearer relation than the kind old aunt with
whom Emma had lived since our mother died.
This aunt's name was Pearson, and she was
one of the English residents at Avranches,
whom economical living had aIlured to the
coast of Normandy. At Avranches, then,
Emma had lived for two years, and IN that
bleak air the early delicacy OF her health grew
more and more perceptible, until aunt Pear
son became alarmed, and consulted physi-
cian The physician looked grave, and talk
ed of the seeds of consumption, OF prudence,
and of warmer climate. 1t was one OF
those prescriptions easier to give than to fol
low.
For Aunt Pearson was poor-Emma had
nothing, or next to nothing and |, her bro
Their. a Second Lieutenant of Marines, pos
sessed little more than my pay. We were
the children of clergyman, who had been
too good parish priest to die rich, and the
kind aunt herself had but Oldest annuity
wherein to maintain her niece and herself,
while a migration to the south would have
overtasked her slender purse. Under these
circumstances, | was rejoiced to hear that
Emma's long engagement to Henry Hilton
was at last to be brought to happy close.
Harry, who had been a school frien" u. mine,
and visited at the Vicarage who. we were all
children together, was a good fellow and a
clever one, though a little fiery of temper
and stubborn of will. He loved Emma very
fondly and faithfully, and they had been long
troth- plighted conditionally on the young
mans getting his fathers consent. And, by
degrees, old Mr.. Hilton, rich merchant at
Bordeaux, senior partner in the great house
of Hilton and Valiant, had been won over
to receive as his daughter-in-law girl who
had no portion but sweet nature and fair
face The young folks were to be married at
once and to set up house at Bordeaux, with
Mr.. Hilton, was a widOWer, with no other
child than Henry, already junior partner in
the firm.
DR.. Briggs, the English physician who played
the part of Galen to the little British colony,
and who accommodated himself with pretty
good grace to the fVe-franc fees that in that
needy community were the substitutes for
guineas, congratulated me on my sisters pros
poets.
"Miss Lethbridge," said the worthy old
man, has a good constitution, apart from
the hereditary predisposition to phthisis, and
she has youth on her side. In the mild air of
the southern coast, she may recover her
strength, and live long and happily. But an
other winter in this cold and rainy climate
would-Well, never mind that now. have
said enough, at any rate, to assure you that
my congratulations on your sisters marriage
are not mere compliment"
My leave OF absence, as | have said, was
Short since Ill. NJ. S. -, on board Of which
L was Junior marine officer, to sail very
soon for the West Indies, and | had only OBJ
tanned permission to attend my sisters we'd
ding, as an especial favor; and even my
brother-in-law elect was anxious to get back
to Bordeaux, and his desk, as early as possible.
His father and his senior partner were more
than commonly deep III business details; the
young man had a good head for accounts and
considerable abilities, and he was DESTROYS of
proving to his father that he was not migrate
tul for the latter's compliance with his wishes
as related TO the marriage itself Therefore
1t had been arranged that after a brief tour
among the Pyrenees, the newly married pair
were to proceed to Bordeaux, and that Harry
was to make up for lost time by redoubled
assldlty in serving the interests of the firm
of Hilton & Valiant.
The wedding was fixed for Wednesday, and
my place was bespoken in the mdlc-poSt for
the evening OF that very day-an arrange
ment which gave me time to sleep a night in
Paris, and to see a few of the wonders of the
French capital before L scampered back to
Portsmouth. And on the Saturday preceding
It, we planned an excursion to kervaen, a
small town on the Breton side of the river
Couesnon, and formerly a frontier post be-
longing to the old Celtic duchy
Our party was rather a large one. Mrs. |
Pearson had many friends in Avranches, and
as soon as 1t was mentioned that we designed
an excursion to the Breton borders, several of
the English residents had expressed wish to
accompany us. There were, therefore, four
pr Hvp a.,
who were home for their holidays, and were
wild with excitement as they galloped on
their shaggy and sure -footed ponies. Hilton
rode fine English horse, a new purchase
which he had made in Paris, and which he
intended to take down with them to the
south. And | drove Emma in Il queer little
Janghng pony-chalse of native construction;
while Aunt Pearson shared a ooit,ue de lota,tc
with three friends.
The day was beautiful one We spent
some hours pleasantly enough at Kervaen,
and dined among the ruins of the fort The
beauty of the day had faded, though very
gradually. Clouds, like huge skeins Of un-
travelled wool, that covered the violet sky,
were not unwelcome rs screening of the sun.
We had started early, for, though the evening
was fine, the road long one, winding
among the curves and undulations of the bav
Are those Norman fellows never coming
back with the carriages ?" said Hilton, looking
at his watch, impatiently. Il have letters to
write that must go to England by to-night's
post"
But nobody else was in any particular hurry
to start, and we continued to lounge about
the ruins. Even Emma did not seem, for
once, to sympathiSe with Hilton's wish to be
moving, and she scolded him playfnlly for his
Impotence.
But Hilton was seriously bent on getting
back to the town. He had received that
morning, two letters, bearing the London
postmark, and it was absolutely necessary
that the young merchant should write by re-
turn to his correspondents.
bare-legged boy was induced, by the
promise of a ten-sous piece, to run to the
other end of the village and summon the lag
ging characters, who had put up their horses
at an auberge OF tolerable size, rejoicing IN
der the title of Solid Legua. But this ms
senger did not return, and when Hilton and |
went together to the roadside inn we heard
the sound of the rustic music which are the
invarlabe Accomplishments of Breton testi-
val, and found that christening feast was in
progress. This sufficiently accounted for the
truancy of our coachmen, who were in the
thick of the merry-making, having recognised
old friends among the company.
But there was something contagious in
Harry's uneasiness at the delay which this in
opportune banquet had helped to occasion, and
| saw, with some annoyance, that our Jehus
had not failed to do justice to the contents of
the huge pitchers of cider that were passed
necessarily from hand to hand, and that their
faces were red and their eyes dull from the
o4}ooto Of thar potatioOS With a GOOD do Il