The Lake County star. [volume] (Chase, Mich.) 1873-current, 1874-08-06

the best riding-horse to be found in Paris,
and have made up my mind that it
shall be cream-colOred, and shall know
how to dance at the sound of soft music,
like the horse that saw at the Hippo
drome the other day.
In less than an hour | was out at the
BOis, with Antoine following after me.
1t wasa lovely day, and the pony pranced
along beautifully, for it was more than a
week since she had been used. trotted
and galloped, and every now and then
Antoine would bring his horse up beside
me and say, "Gently, Master Louis,
gently; hold the reins so---your hand
lighter, if you please" We went twice
round the lake, and then we struck off
into side path which was quieter, and
where there were fewer riders, for
wanted to take one more good gallOp be-
fore going home. Suddenly through the
trees l saw splendid open carriage,
drawn by two dapple-gray horses, and in
that carriage was a woman that | recog-
nized right away; it was Madame Rose
TOpaze, and leaning over the carriage
door, talking to her, was my guardian,
the Marquis dc Langeac. Iknew him as
we'll as did the woman, and said Oh |!
and was going to ride forward to speak to
him, when Antoine caught the bride of
my pony and turned him round
"That is my guardian !" l cried. 81
am sure it was my guardian"
You are right, Master Louis" said
Antoine. at ,cas monsieur le marquis.
But if you do not want to make madame
feel very unhappy, you will say nothing
to her about having seen him."
"And why not ?" l asked. "Why
must not say l have seen him, and what
ails my godmamma? She used to be so
merry, and so pretty, and now she is so
sad and pale, and she sits alone and
cries."
You see, Antoine was very old SER
want in my gOdmother's family, and had
come with her all the way from Brittany
when she married my guardian; so I
could talk to him as | could not do to
any other servant. "And now," said to
myself 81 shall find out what is trOub-
ling my godmother."
But Antoine only shook his head and
sighed deeply. "Ah! Master Louis" he
said, "the Holy Virgin grant that we
may not lose madame altogether, for she
is not strong, and she frets sadly, which
is bad for her health"
"But what is it! why does she fret ?"
Ipersisted.
Antoine made no answer at first, but
at last he said, "Well, monsieur lie mar
quis is young and handsome and rich,
and there are wicked women i'm the
world. I'll say no more about that"
But it was enough. I avail at flash.
1t is astonishing how quickly one under
stands sometimes, even if one is only
little bOy-I means man not quite grown
up. My godmother's tears, the absence
of my guardian, all were explained. And
it was that woman-that horrible woman!
Not content with calling us reptiles, she
was making my godmOther cry! She
should see! / had gone out i'm the morn
ing with the fixed intention of not going
near her house, but what had seen and
heard had made me change my mind.
Off l set as fast as Mousse's legs could
carry me, and Antoine galloped after me,
crying, "Not so fast, Master Louis, not
so fast! you'll kill the ponyr But l
never listened. On flew through the
gates, down the Avenue Uhrich, along
the Champs Elysees, and so home. !
sprang off my horse, tore up stairs seized
the twenty-seven francs and a half, which
were in little bag i'm which used to
keep my marbles, and down the stairs
again flew and out into the street.
thought heard some one calling behind
me, but never stopped to listen. On /
went, running as fast as ] could, pushing
past the promenaders, slipping between
carriages, being twenty times OH the
verge of being run over, and ut last
reached the Avenue Montespan and the
house of Madame Rose TOpaze.
Half the school were waiting for me on
the sidewalk they had come to hear the
news. AS soon as they saw me they
rushed toward me, Hurry" they cried
"hurry; she has just come home from
drive" They pushed me toward the
door, rang as loud as they could the
door opened, entered, it closed behind
me, and there was. did not stop to
speak to the concierge, but went straight
toward a staircase ofwhite marble, which
was i'm front of the entrance, and at the
top ofwhich servant in livery was stand
ing.
Madame Rose Topaze ?" I asked.
"She lives here" answered the servant.
81 want to speak to her." / said, clutch
ing my little bag very tight.
The man touched bell, and a waiting
maid came down stairs went up to
her, "Please tell your mistress that l
want to speak to her." said and then
l jingled the twenty-seven francs and q.
half little, just to keep my courage up.
The girl looked at me and seemed sur
prised, and then she opened door and
said:
"Walk in here, young gentleman, and
I will 60 tell madame"
So / went in, and found myself i'm the
most beautiful room had ever seen. 1t
was all hung with blue satin; and there
were mirrors reaching from the floor to
the ceiling and chairs, and great arm
chairs, some worked with flowers on col
ored silks, and some embroidered all over
with gold and there was clock on the
mantle-piece all over roses and lilies and
Cupids in china; and great vases of
painted china full Of flowers, and more
flowers in jardinieres in the windows;
and altogether / never saw such place.
/ went to one of the windows, and
parted the curtains of satin and lace and
looked down into the courtyard, and
there | saw the grooms washing the car
riage and rubbing down the horses, and
began to calculate how far twenty
francs and half would go toward pay
ing for all that
In the midst of my calculation the
door opened and the waiting-maid came
i'm, and said that madame would see me.
So / followed her across the hall, and she
showed me into another drawing-room,
smaller than the first, but just as pretty,
and hung with pink silk and lace instead
of light blue satin. There was an arch
way, and a room beyond with pictures on
the walls, and piano at one side, and
great tapestry arm-chairs, and a statue
holding a lamp; but ! could not see In
there, because one of the pink curtains
was down. All ] could see was that it