Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1878-06-19
icilxwhita. but the brown eyes were
ikestars OF fire. E@ - {

III, E..F cSr~SS fS'N We oiY
II understand Virginie," safd he
slowly, they have sold you for gold.
You loved me, but you were weak.
God help you, my darling"
And SO Hugh Girard went his way, and
Virginie Dulnare fell on her knees,
weeping piteous tears in the twilight
dusk.
A strange sound aroused her.
They were calling her to her fathers
chamber.
Trembling, shivering and heartsick,
with q strange, portentOus dread heavy
upon her heart, she ut once obcyed the
summons.
Captain Dulnare sat as she had left
him, in his easy chair; but the FROST
white locks that struggled over the
crimson velvet, framed in a bloodless,
rigid face.
Captain Dulnare was dead.
There was mournful time-the
necessary inquest, the death-watch, and
the rather pompous funeral-but it
passed as all things of anguish and de-
light must pass in this world of
changes. err4..rHT rr IS
Then came the reading Of the dead
mans will, and the settlement of his
financial affairs. aol
| And with these gross matters Of bust
ness and lucre there came to the pale,
stricken Virgine terrible disclosure.
Capt. Dulnare's large liabilities, Sc
cured by heavy mortgages, and his
floating debts, swallowed up every
thing.
The heiress in prospective was utter
ly penniless.
But that was the smallest sorrow.
For by the papers of proof left,
| Virginie, was declared to be child of
adoption. She had been left, when a
baby, on the rich mans door step, and
had reared her as his own, c.|f
And after three weeks of grievous
embarrassment, Virginie was thrust out
into the world with no hope except
what she had fixed upon Sextus We'll
don. He only came once and his
tones were altered greatly.
No matter what he said.
But Firginie's sweet face flushed, and
she tore the bethrothal ring from her
shaking hand and gave it back to the
man who was not 10th to receive it.
Then she won't out into the world to
win her bread-not an easy task for
one luxuriously reared.
She thought she could do dress-mak-
ing nicely; but at every store and shop
to which she applid she was greeted
with the one answer:
Work is rather slack just nov, and
of course what we have to give is given
to the employees who have been with us
longest"
1t was from the doors of one of these
palatial places that she tottered one
day, weak from hunger, and on tho
marble steps sank down in a deathly
swOon. at
A lady in velvet and silk with plumes
OF gray sweeping over her silvery hair,
had just descended from her carriage
She saw the PROSTATE form, and looking
into the drawn, white face, started.
"Put this child into the carriage and
drive home," she said abruptly to the
liveried groom.
The man obeyed, thinking that of all
mad freaks of his honored mistress this
was the maddest. h
So, when Virginie awoke from her
long swoon, she found herself in a
quaint old-fashioned chamber, and not
alone. rL4...
"Where am l, and who arc YOU ?"
she asked family of the stately woman
who bent over the couch. NJ q
| -" You are with one who will never for
sake you," said the sweet faced woman,
Even if you had known sin and shame
before l found YOU"
81 have never sinned, but have been
shamed to the soul by the frowns ofpov-
erty," answered Virginie, while the hec-
tic flush grew hotter on her cheeks.
Be calm, dear, and listen to what l
have to tell you. When saw you first,
lying like one dead on the cold marble
steps, l loved you. You looked, Vir--
ginie, as my husband looked when he
lay in his coffin. found your name
marked on your clothing. 1t was the
name of little child who was stolen
from me years and years ago. While
you have been lying here i'll, have
made a happy discovery. Can you guess
what it is 2"
Virginie could not mistake the express
; sion of the fond, sweet, handsome face
bent so close to her own.
"You are my mother" she said.
81 am your mother my darling" an
swered the lady; "and henceforth, for
Virginie Champney there shall be no
more toll or trouble, if l can help it,"
And only for the memory of Hugh
/ C;rord tho 0ir would no va hoor o,,;to
happy. t.l
AS the daughter of one of the wealth.
est and most aristocratic ladies of the