Bristol news. [volume] (Bristol, Va. & Tenn.) 1867-189?, 1873-02-18

|. years, and her young husband. Hel
two infants were playing about the
room. The curate was there, too, anC
two of the Counts nieces and hus
bands had also come to spend the
Christmas holidays at the chateau.
How fierce the storm is" said the
Countess. 30, Eugene, Eugene, per:
haps in such a storm. Thousand
leagues from home, didst thou perish =
and she burst into tears.
calm yourself. my DEAR" said the
Count almost bursting into tears him.
self, and he imploringly looked at the
priest.
Noble daughter" said the priest,
acquiesce In the will of Heaven
your sorrows are great, but are there
none greater? Your son died in the
service of his country, but how did
Louis XVII. die? That child-king,
his father and mother murdered, and
he himself starved, beaten to death in
! the temple. Murmur not, praise God
for his mercy"
Thanks, father,h said the Countess.
piously, and turning TO her husband
she said, had strange dream last
night, which | only recollect now. ]
| Il saw tIlC kNp SJ LklC
Neckar, in Germany, and she held
my diamOnd-ring before my eyes.
Hush, what noise is that?"
The younger gentleman left the room
to make inquiries, and returned with
the news that a gentleman and lady,
travelling towards Rheims, were over
taken in the snOw-storm, and with
great difficulty had come as far as the
1 hat laf L..
seemed an invalid, was brought in an
that they were trying to restore him
before the large kitchen fire.
| must go down myself" said the
Countess. firmly.
" So will L, and l." said all the
| young ladies.
The Count led his wife down stairs
On sort of settee before the kitchen
fire lay the invalid, Katinka bending
over him rubbing his hands, and look
ing wildly round her.
Calm yourself, dear madam" said
| the priest. who felt the mans pulse
and listened to his breathing. II ain
physician enough to tell you that there
is 10 danger"
Thanks, thanks May heaven
bless you for your Kindness" said Ka-
| tinka.
Is your husband an invalid ?"
| asked the Countess: you seem to
have escaped exhaustion from this
fearful storm pretty bravely."
YES" answered Katinka. "this
gentleman is confirmed invalid, but
he is not my husband"
She spoke in French, with strong
accent. The Invalid just then open
ing his eyes for the first time since his
exhaustion, His faithful, friend was
the first TO see it, and speaking in
German to him. as she always did, she
exclaimed, weeping, =" look at Katin-
ka, dear Demetrius."
These names, enthusiastically Russian,
went like shudder through the
Countess, aud she said, "a Are you
Russians? ?"
Yes, lady," answered Katinka,"
am. But this gentleman is French
officer of hussars, who saved my life
and honor in 1911 in Wilma and whose
misfortu es during the retreat depriv-
ed him of reason. | have, with the
help of friends, cared for him for near
ly seven years, and am now wandering
in this own native land to- find his
SISiClSg vi II AiC has
any. o! Demetrius, my friend, my
brother, do not die now"
The Countess, as if impelled by
some electric instinct, knelt down be-
fore the settee. and no sooner beheld
the invalid's face than she gave one
piercing shrek and fell in a swoon to
the ground The whole place was
now in great commUtiOn. The Count
ynstfln hnl,, raicad hic rvifa inf
before their anxiety could take shape
pernatural strength freeing herself
the sick mans neck, covering his face
with kisses, and crying, Eugene,
my beloved son, child restored from
darling, my long lost one"
The Count now examined the fea-
tnres of Eugene and SO did the priest.
and of course, altered as he was, they
soon recognized the long lost one.
The Countess was the first to discov-
er the ring on his finger, and she held
up the dear hand, saying, :" My dream
is true, here is the very ring / put on
Eugene's finger the day he left Us. how
il gladdens my eyes TO see it once more |
Oh my sons hand"
Eugene with his eyes wide open took |
not the least notice of all the emotion |
round him.
"Speak to me, Eugene" said the |
Countess with anguish. Speak, my
darling"
1t was now the turn of Katinka |
who had been entirely forgotten du-
ring this wild scene, to explain the |
peculiar mental state of Eugene; and |
she wound up her sad narrative with:
I" Praised be God, that my oath has |
been kept and accomplished; l have |
now restored thee, Demetrius-a name |
so dear to me-to your parents. katin-
ka's mission is al an end"
But as by a common impulse both |
the Count and Countess caught her in
their arms.
Faithful and heroic woman" said |
the Count, "be thy station high or
low, to me thou art as dear as daugh-
ter"
=" And whether thou hast mother
alive or not said the Countess, kiss
ing her wildly" shall for the re-
maindeI of my life be fond, loving
neither to thee"
"Thefl the FIRST favor ] will ask from
me not from my Demertrims.
Great were the rejoicings in the
Chateau de Banville, and the Christ
mas Eve of 1918 was the happiest, if
not the merriest in all France at that
ancient seat of nobility. A
year passed round; what seemed inn
possible In Russia became possible in
France. Eugene's mind was eompar
atively restored He well remember
ed the first scene in wilma and the
Katinka, and his mind was
a blank only from the day when. cut
off from his corps, I've wandered for
weeks in the snow during the mef10r-
able retreat. He slowly realized his
restored condition in the home of his
OF course his mind did
not become strong enough to fit him
for a prime minister. yet, considering
the imbecility of the Prime Ministers
under the restoration, this assertion
LOOKS very much lIke q SANDER on