The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1875-03-10
shall be happy to see you onco in the
afternoon or evening, as may be most
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afternoon or evening, as may be mos
convenient for you"
! | did not like TO be hard and eros
to the dear boy whom my hear
yearned over, but I felt as much boun'
to "make an effort" as if had been ;
veritable Dombey.
The call lasted afternoon and even
ing: it was only tho change of a par
ticle. [ could reproduce the innocen
talk, half gay, half sad, Of this long
Interview, but before he went ava,
the count drew me aside: "Will yol
give this to Miss St. Clair when l an
gomez"
l unfoldcd the package; it contain
ed a photograph Of himself and
small painting which ho had executed
of the Coliseum on the nj ght Of thl
illumination. ayes"
"And will you send mo her photo
graph from Paris? | will have il
copied by tho best miniature painter
in Rome and pnt in Il lockot set with
diamonds" said the boy enthusiastic
ally.
Il cannot promise"
ado you think l could be of any use
to her father? Not to win his favor
you understand, but [ should be sc
happy to do anything to serve her OF
friends. Can't you tell me now ?"
"No. Mr.. ST. Clair does not need
assistance in any way that I know
In spite Of the boys earnestness, the
idea Of his offering patronage to the
mature and independent American
struck me as irresistably ludicrous.
"But you will tell him all about ME. >
eyes"
II shall learn TO speak English-I
have begun already-and in year l
shall be in America. Will you write
your address for me on this card 2'
l did so.
"If you ever come to Spain. remem-
bcr that my house and all that is in
it are yours"
II shall never 90 to Spain"
"Pcrhaps you will orc day to sec
Miss St. Clair" looking up in my face
with o bright smile Of inextinguisha-
bic hope. "Good-bye for Il year."
A few more days in Florence, week
in Venice, day or two in Milan, and
we bade adieu TO Italy. Land of
beauty and mystery! when recall
thy many forms of lovelness, the glo-
rious shapes ofgods and heroes, serene
and passionless in their white majesty
of marble, the blessed sweetness of
saints and Madonnas shining down i'll
to my soul, seem to have been once
in heaven and afterwards shut out.
: We were once more at home. AL
most the first news that come to US
from abroad wds the terrible war be-
tween France and Germany. During
the protracted siege Of Paris we were
full of anxeties, but at it's close We
received long letters from Madame lie
Fort, giving many details Of the suf:
fcrings and privations of the seige,
sorrowful enough tor the, most part,
but enIivcncd here and there with
touches Of the gay French humor that
nothing can subdue. There was Il
lively sketch Of q Christmas dinner
ingcniously got up Of several courses
of a donkev.meal. At New Years the
choicest gift that gentleman could
make lady was piece Of wheaton
bread. Afterward there was nothing
in the house but rice and chocolate
bonbous, which they chewed spariug.
ly little ut time. But they kept
up their courage-thcy were even guy
Hardships were nothing, but that
Paris should be surrendered at last
that was Il humiliation which nothing
could compensate. Many of the gay
dancers whom we had known had
fallen in battle, among them. Rene
Vergniand. lie was shot in tho heart
in an engagement with the Prussians
in the cnvirons OF Paris.
l spent my next summer vacation
with Miss St. Clair in Detroit.
"When is MIR Denham coming
homer" | asked one evening when
We were alone together
Il do not know: he docs not speak
of ofcoming home am little puzzled
about Fred. He has written me
great deal lately about certain Frau
lcin Teresa, the daughter of one of bis
professors, who takes such excellent
care of her younger brothers and sis
ters, and who is such Il wonderfully
economical, housewiCely little Ucdy-
Just new edition of Werther's Char.
lstte. l do not think that he really
likes her." she continued after musing
little: 'hc just holds her mp as n
model for me to copy. shouldn't
wonder if ste was only imaginary, to
make me feel how far l come short Of
his ideal. Fred says that he worships
the very ground l tread on--slightly
hyperbolical and very original, you
perceive" with a satirical curve Of her
pretty Ii ps -"but he never seems half
satisfied with me. He ought to know
by this time that must be just my
own little self, and not secondhand
imitation Of somebody else"
The next day came letter with
German postmark, which was so elo.
Qucnt on the subject of Frnulcin Ter
csa that it elected the following reply:
DETROIT, August S, 1871.
DEAR FRED: I despair cmulating
Fraulein TereSa's many excelencies.
You know what q useless little thing
l am. Happily, it is not too late to
make another choice. Thinking it
may please you, l hereby release you
from all your promises to me. We
may never be anything more to each
other perhaps, but hope that wo shall
always be dear friends. | shall never
forget that we grew up together, and
l wish you all possible happiness.
Your little friend. HELEN"
In due time this answer came:
HEIDELBERG, August 81, 1871.
Miss Sr. CLAIR: Your somewhat
singular letter of August 9th was du.
Ily received. If I believed that you
had written it, or ever could or would
do anything, with proper deliberation
l should accept your decision at once.
But as l have good reasons to know
your habit of acting from sudden I'M.
pulses which you attcrward regret, l
give you three months to reconsider
this hasty step.
Il have the honor to be your obe-
dent servant. f. A. DENHAM.
Helen held to me the open sheet.
with kindling eyes and glowing checks
Three months / don't need three
minutes: wouldn't change in three
centuries. l am so glad to be free
she cried laughing at the same mo-
ment. "He has worried me 30 q poor
little thing like me!"
The next morning started on my