Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1878-08-29


the street lamps I saw your face, and
its evely feature became impressed up
on my mind. You had saved my life
perhaps even my honor-and l had
reason to remember YOU"
ITO remember me?"
Indeed, yes. You little thought that
woman to whom you gave aims and
protection would become lady Melville,
and was your future wife"
"This does indeed seem like Il
dream, said de Ia Tour.
"To you; but to me it is a reality"
And you-so beautiful, so truly
lovely, begged in the open street,"
"Once, and once onl y"
II did not see your face"
"No, for it was covered by heavy
veil On the following day-one, in
fact, that regard as among the hap
piest in my life-an old lady in whom
| had fortunately inspired confidence
and some interest, engaged me as her
seamstress. My gayety returned. From
the seryiceI have named was raised
to the position Of companion and con-
fidential friend. One day ] was pre-
scented to a friend of my patroness-
Lord Melville. He was man ofabout
sixty, tall, thin, but of dignifed bear
ing.
'Mademoiselle,' he said to me, [
know your history; will you marry
me-"
"'Marry you ?" l questioned with
much surprise.
"'Yes. [ have an immense estate,
which do not wish my nephew to in
herit Ny health is indelicate and my
life lonely. If L can credit all [ have
been told, you are good and pure. Win
you be Lady MelviIie?'
II loved you, Frederick, who knew
not of my existence. [ loved you, al
though | had seen you but once. /
could not forget, and there was some
thing in my heart and soul that told me
we would meet again, that our lives
would run in the selfsame current;
how, knew not, and yet | felt sure.
When [ looked at Lord Melville, and
saw the resolute expression of his
face, [ feared that he wished to mar
ry me simply to carry out his re-
venge."
His DersuasiOns were redoub led. |
knew his years were many and that my
fortune would be great I thought of
you, and how | could benefit you, did |
but possess wealth, and at length |
yielded corsent-I became Lady Mel
Vile"
Chow strange it all seems" replied
de Ia Tour
eyes, dear love as you have said, like
some fairy tale. [ poor friendless or
phan, became the heir of one Of Eng
lands richest peers"
Happy Lord Melville!" exclaimed
Frederic, he had the power to enrich
you"
He was hap ~" replied Madame de
/ la Tour, "and never regretted his choice.
He knew that had seen you before our
marriage"
you told him?"
eyes, all. 1t was not until after our
marriage, Frederic, that [ again saw
you, and although we soon learned to
read each others hearts, our lips were
silent. Lord Melville was wealthy be-
You'd my widest expectations. He could
not spend his income, and with that
wisdom peculiar to him he realized that
while the difference in our ages render
| ed love impossible, gratitude would at
| tach me to him. Three months after
our marriage Lord Melville died, leav-
ing me all he possessed, and resolved
never to marry again, unless | could es-
pOuse the one man who had always held
my heart"
And you won the love of that
man?"
Without his knowing me to be the
beggar woman his kindness had pro
tected,' reioined Louise de Ia Tour. ex-
tending her hand. "You remember, "
continued the speaker, that / refused
the purse?"
eyes, you accepted but one coin"
only one, and 1T the time | was al
most starving"
But it procured you fOOd?"
No." replied Madame de Ia Tour,
unclasping a ruby necklace that encir-
cled h er white throat To this Lecklacc
hung an exquisite medallion.
See, dear Frederic, | did not part
with my treasure"
As she spoke she touched the spring
and disclosed the coin.
g 1t is the one | gave your exclaimed
de Ia Tour.
! g Yes"
'And you retained it?'
q would sooner have parted with
life I showed it to baker, and asked
him to trust me. He did so, and on
the following day L was able to pay for
the food his kindness permitted me to
eat"
"DC YOU remember the day | met
Lady MelviIle?"
eyes, my dear, it was the happiest OF
my life. [ knew you, it was the happi.
est Of my life. | knew you, but you did
not recognize me-"
Surely there has been Il fairy il
my life, replied de Ia Tour thought
fully.
Why do you say so?"
Because when you FIRST saw me
was only a poor struggling painter, but
from the time of our meeting the
tide changed and prosperity visited
me-"
: Would you know the name of the
fairy?"
at was you. Louise!" exclaimed
FREDERIC, joyfully. "You bought my
picture?"
Many of them, and have won yom
love?"
Eyes, my heart, my very soul"
Frederic de Ia Tour took the gold
piece and pressed it to his lips. To thai
same bit of gold he owed happiness and
fortune.
"While | am the fairy" contin
ued Louise, 20 it is you, my deal
love, who gave me the precious tails
man."
1t Is Worth q TrinI