The Tiffin tribune. (Tiffin, Ohio) 1868-1887, 1876-01-06
The Little TrOubadOIIr.

All readers are travellers! More
over, they are vOysgeurs by the cas-
lest locOmotiOn in the world, for the
pen of the writer bears them without
exertion from land to land, from sea
to sea-.
We two, my reader and I, are now
in Northern France, in lovely "sea'
coast, noOk-full Normandy !" (FOr.
give me, o best great poet, Robert
Browning, for borrowing your happy
words.) We will loiter for awhile and
sketch the scene. The fair deep or
chard-land of st. Lo lies still, so still
and picturesque, under the rain oi
streaming sunshine Little children
with brown bare legs, and keen-eyed
men and women in white cotton
caps, are picking up the fruitage OF
rich apples, shaken from the branch
ing boughs overhead. The presses
grOan all day long, and the cider
clear like the sunshine, drips, drips,
drips The driver of the patient,
shaggy horse, drawing round and
round. swears at times Justify, or
drowsily chants the refrain of some
old Norman love ditty.
1t is now with US, but it seems TO be
very long ago
When was long ago, in truth
Here we are in a room with cur
tanned balcony, overlooking the es-
tates pertaining to an old chateau
with Norman tower. Two persons
besides ourselves are lettering here-a
lady and her attendant cavalier. The
LADY is French, but the gentleman j:
English. They are playing at the
world-old game of "Hearts," and
they both have youth, and beauty
and wealth, together with gay tenn
per and proud will, to back them in
the audacity with which they "make
their play"
Lieutenant Bertram had to-day, il
his visit, appeared i'll at ease this
disturbance at length grew so appar
ent in his distraite manner and wan
dering speech that it drew upon him
a glance of reproof from the sweetest
violet eve that ever charmed lover
He coIored. "PardOn my brus
duerie.n he said 'but the truth is
am Unexpectedly bade to return
to England tonight. an
trying to find the courage TO say
tAdieu p but on my soul it is hard y
HWhat!u cried Middle. NinOn
Hyou are going TO England tonight p?
| She felt that q treaeherOus quiverinG
ing of her mouth was betraying her
She caught up cluster fresh-gather
ed violets and held them to her lips
zone does not like saying adieu to 9
| friend.D She smiled with her darE
purple eyes over the violets, so likt
them below.
"But this shall not be adieu, Made
moiselle Ninon 7" He caught he
hand, flowers and ali, and held them
in his. az shall return to Normandy
Why, what beautiful ring you wear
mademoiselIe! !" he cried suddenly
in q changed voice. "And what ,
singular motto Hatred Your rinl
ought to have a history, Made
moiselle NinOn."
iIt is an heirloom, and was giveI
me by my cousin CASTOR, when ht
went away with his regiment into
Algeria, ,"returned mademoiselle. 81
was worn by the Huguenot d'Etoile!
through all those dreadful wars, anC
has more than once been drenched in
brave blood"
There was a pause 8 bell in The
old Norman tower struck the hour il
fine great loud metallic strokes.
"I have often" pursued the maideI
refieetively, thought what if my
cousin CASTOR ''should Unexpectedly
come back some day. Then I shoulC
not be Madame la Marquise any NOR
among my people. You know hi
body was found after that dreadful ex
pedition of MacMahon's into tn
mountains and-and if-n
With pretty malice she left her sen
tence suggestively unfinished. Sh
knew very we'll that her speculation
regarding her Cousins possible return
were utterly wild. She knew that
CASTOR d'EtOi'e's body was neve
seen by his comrades who accom-
panied him on that terrible march in
to Algeria, it was because the brav
young French soldier had, in th
hands of the Kabyles, under tha
scorehing sky where his monumen
was now glittering, suffered fate to
horrible for words to tell, but on
written in many OF the annals {
bloody barbarian warfare. Made
moiselIe knew all this very well bU
Lieutenant Bertram had announce
his intention of a speedy return {
England too suddenly not to hurt hE
vanity, and she meant to make this
evenings journey uncomfortable f
him, if she could.
HAh! il he should RETURN" sh
sighed. Then she smiled coquettishly
| "a h.
hand. He did not even ask her Il
one OF the violets. She began to fas
en- them in her dress.
"Your cousin CASTOR could not
otherwise than generous when /
looked in your face" said the Liel
tenant, sharply. HE could not q
less than share his riches with you
fDo YOU have violets in Englant
Monsieur Henri ?" asked the youu
girl. She brushed back her brow
hair and looked up at him. She WI
smiling, and her face was like one
the roses in her garden, softly hushi
and fair, with little tremble throug
il some quick emotion was fashiI
past with its bird-Iike wings.
Lieutenant Bertram stalked To q
window, looked out, and then return'
( to her.
!, HPardon, Mademoiselle," he sa
I gravely, "but the steamer leaves &
dock at G o'clock, and 1 find by n
; watch that have just half an no
J. left me. Will you sing me one Sol
before 60 ?7'
"Oh with pleasure, Monsieur He
> ri. Only you must tell me what
, shall be-"
I Mademoiselle Ninon took up b
guitar and drew the broad band
g scarlet ribbon about her neck. Hen