, 1874-05-24

| forgotten me- aiready-and IL loyo him." The
she sank on her knees before her little ctucia1
and p1ayed IS cnly hearts in such sor1ou ca
pinched, worn face. and, rising, she Raid, hum
bly,: d" II WAS wrong; should, not have hoped
But tho Baron had not fortrtteu her, thoug
often ho Was tempted to wisb he might do 80
Her face had 2 trick Of rising hsforo him end
denly In the theatre, in the Brilliant .aton, no
rs he once knew lt,-f1csh and h1oonlng.-bu
faded and haggard, as he saw it in the Champ
Elysees. and than he returned absont Answers t
his friends, or-if he WAS aJoae-he drank rathc
more than was quite good for him. He wrote tt
her once, to the address abe had giyen long ago
asking hcr to lot him help her, offering her, {:
delcately AB might be, an incloaed draft " TO-
the sake Of ths days that are past"
thank you, for the sake Of the days that ar.
past; : it is impossible, Monsieur le Barop."
The Baron shrugged his shoulders, and wished
that women we're not 80 difficult to manage.
'.vHAT WOULD SHE HAvE2"
| he said, inpatiently. He knew voTy well what
shs would hare. and the thought tro1blod him.
Ono evening In summon tho Baron had head
ache. and, refusing all inri.ations, told Hansel
to dony him to any chance visitors. The house
was quite still, and Celeste. thinking that, as
usual, he would bo absent, left her door open to
! catch the faint breeze that whispered through
! the corridor, and, as she eat at hor embroidery,
sang softly to herself. She had had an Ak
/ quiRite voice once, aud It wns still true and
music and, the first notes fell On his ear, he
! opened hin door wider to listen. It was hymn
to the Virg7n,-one which in days gone by Ce-
1este was fond of singing. He remembered it
like some freed spirit exultins in its flight. aud
] then SINK into plaintiye minor, as'if the soul
grow suddenly conscious OF its earthly chains,
the tears started to his eyes. "Hansel!" he
calls softly, and Celeste, hearing l,lm, hastily
| barred her door, and dropped, trembling and
anxious. into bHr chair,
The noxt evening Picot stopped her Rs abo
| fitted past him in the early dusk.
II had !. hard time to keep your secret, last
| night, Madenoiselle Celeste; but promise,
aYs., yos, good: Picot, tell me quickly. for
"wei1 the Baron sent for me, and he said,
Good Master Picot,'- is always good P4cot
when one UEnts auytkiuG-ha! hS!-'T will you
tell nc who is hero
. THAT s1Sos go sWERTLY?'
knew at once that it was you, MademoIscle.
for you have sung for my wife, 30 l ttought-
We'll, ,1onzieur,' answered, 1T may be tho
English lady or her aunt; they haGo the nezt
door.'
No. Il vas the door above thai, t,-quite mp
the roof answered the Baron.
"tAh! 1t may have boen the artist who-pa,I-
ere diabte-aells no plctures.'
= '"Then he would scarcely feel like singing,
said Monsieur besides. 1t was woraan's
voice.
"' Well, well, 1t must hare been the other
ledger, theu who ets &nd aeEs au night some
tilues.'
81 Saws nil night = said the Baron, she must
be worry poor. What is her nano =
Then, Mademoisells, was frightened. but
pretended there was soule cnlllng NO. and
excused myself. : Wait, Pioot, you have not
told me the nnme, calIod the Baron. '0h, the
name, Monsieur. have forgotten And ran
down the stair aa fast as my feet could carry me-
or $fHh frAf1
So yon will not tell me- the name Of the bird
that sings under the roof, Pioot 2
-. p IL mol, Moneiear!' taid, reproachfnlly.
It Is that I cannot
I will not disturb your little mystery but you
GIVE nj THANKS to THE uSKEouS
for tho vozy great pleasure shs has given Ee.'
'There Mademoiselle, yon must give ne
no more seereta to keep, or will tell them al to
the Baron"
:, Celeste smiled brightly. thanking him for his
discretion then hurried up tho stairs that Bho
might enjoy her happnesa alone, for it was hap
piness to this faithful heart to know that from
out the shadows Of her oTu dull life she had
been able to send en- added ray Of brightness in
to tho sunshine Of his.
After that when the vesper bells TcEo ring
ing, Celeste alwaIa sat in hex attic room ard
might hear and to him tho song Of :: the bird
under the roof" Is he still called tcr, grew
daily more dear. The Earon's character was
changed; he thought oftcner OF Celeste than
was 1t uu pleasant; be r1ots to her again, but
the letter was returned after some time with ths
Hords '' not called for" in pencil, en- the back.
Whcre could she be-? Dead, perlaps, Of star
vatiou; lie had heard Of such thugs. With an
esserness tha. surprised himself he plunged
v:,;rls in tne yaJ Capital. There he foua1 fos-
ge:fuluc~, Still, wen ho heard thct clear
voice singing,
TENDER rroUH7s woCIo coaE.
and, strangely enoush, he cno1s.shel them |
When Cslesie stoad bs fora i.im onl, waiting for
his love, thai lore it seensd Impossible to give,
anil the probabilities ere. tlAt 3h-1id she 80 |
e!aud again, he wou.d agaia turn from her.
Many people wish that they might II live their |
livos over agnin; in nino CASES ouk Of ten they
would only repeat them.
But now Cclssto Wns gone,-1oroyer, It ap-
11aazs,-la yearUcd after her }ovo, and his
heart stirred strangely 1T tic old rcmslnbrances.
His NEW f1ion3s urged more fasfIoc@abla 1esi-
dence, but the Baron shook his head. He could
not tell them that the vespcr hymn, associated
as 1t was with Colesta's momory, kept him
where he 6as.
Once there was gay party at dinner. The
bark! above ths clatter Of tongues aud the click
Of the glasses, came the sound OF Toncn'5
voice singing q hymn to the Virgin. H. ceased
speaking, and tho guesta looked at one another.
/
"No, nol, and he lsughed lightly. II What
was it You were saving. mi. fnsnd2 Htu-
sci, moro rine." But ever and anon his voice
raitercd little, and hawis1=d to himself th.t
his good friends would not talk quite 80 loud /;
he could not bear & note- Ilen tho Gong ended, |
md the Baron breathed moro freely, but he was |
dstrait, aud unlike himself, and h.s guests loft
early. The next day Was his birthday: No one
know it. He scarceiy remembered it himself
I'LL old Picot cane stumbling along the colrii2or
NTH some flowers in his hand d.-beautifui vio-
ets, white and hsuc,
TIE BAno:;'s FAvoHr1E FLOWERS. :
''They were loft Ct the gato. It is Nonsiour's
birthday, is it not"
:. Who left thona. good Picot 2"
The old man chucklod SOFTLY,
"There waa no nams, Monsieur"
''strnnge!" murmured tho Baron, and ptcot
n8de hasta to retiro before more questions
hould be naked. But few dsyB later he
topped Celeste es 6ho passed him.
II will haye no moro secrets, Madeznoisell.,"
- said, pettiahly- "Monsieur has done Moth
ng but poster mo with questions all these days.
will do nothing more for you. No. no, do not
slk you will good Picot' me into moro trou>
l1e." And he turnod his back on her with m cir
i great resolution
Celeste laughed little. She Was much hap |
r. o}otrn n}a nf}1 hen I'm Lor,, !