Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1881-05-19
THE HEAD OF APOLLO.

| I6IlClG ItIlCl6 DI6NdIu come
here directly"
The soft French name had queer
sound. coming from Mrs. Monson's thin
lips, and acid voice. Felicie came
slowly up the stairs to where Mrs. Mon
son stood talking volubly with her
! ledger, Mr.. Thornton.
"Feicie, walk little faster" said
Mrs. Monson, sharply. Here is Mr..
Thornton, that has missed his finest
cameo. You were in his room busting,
yesterday"
''It was head of Apollo" said Mr..
Thornton. 81 bought it in Naples.
Could you have swept it behind the
| furnitureW
At the first mention of the cameo,
Felicie put her hand in her pocket,
she turned deathly pale, and a half cry
escaped her.
Have you got ito" cried Mrs. Mon
son, shrilly. "If you have, out of these
doors you shall pack. Trouble enough
| have had with you already-and all
of your relations"
She seized her by the shoulders, and
attempted to put her hand into her
pocket Felicie resisted desperately.
She was as white as d ghost.
"COme, come, Mrs. MOnsOn The
cameo is not worth all that" said Mr.
Thornton.
Itwas really worth enough to have
made Felicie open her innocent eyes
wider than they had ever opened be-
fore.
Mr.. Thornton had often noticed Fe-
licie. He believed her to be honest, and
saw that she was terrified at Mrs. Mon
sons violence.
But | mean to get at the bottom of
it," said Mrs Monsoon.
Thornton caught her by the wrist and
forced her to unloOse Feicie. He gave
her look before which the shrewish-
ness vanished like smoke.
You had better go down stairs, said
he quietly. II will settle this with Fee
licie"
Mrs. Monson walked submissively
down stairs, and left Thornton and the
frightened girl alone.
Now" said Thornton, kindly, but
with determination in his voice, tell
me how all this happened"
Felicie put her hand i'll her pocket
ana handed out the cameo.
81 know you won't believe me-" she
said, bursting INTO tears; "but i did not
steal it.
Il believe you" said Thornton, ego
on"
81 was busting in your room. [ put
When | took it up did not notice that
[ took anything with it. When [ got
down stairs felt in my pocket. [ was
hurrying to put it back when | found
you and Mrs. Monson here"
She was very pretty when she cried.
She had a delicate beauty very differ
ent from Mrs. MOnson's buxOm daugh-
tiers. He wondered how two types so
different could be produced in the same
family.
Are you Mrs Monson's niece?" he
asked.
mo" she answered, with a ring of
Indignation. MY mother was Mr..
Monson's sister, and a lady. My faith
er was French
"And how came you here?'
My father and mother died, and /
had nowhere else to CO."
She began to cry again.
Thornton never felt so sorry for any
human being in his life.
And have you never been educated?
he inquired after pause.
GA little. | can read and write, and
| can speak French. My father was a
French teacher, and he used to saw to
me, when | was a little thing, 'Felicie,
4.
days, and you must learn to play and
sing but | cannot play, and | have
not the heart to sing"
Thornton looked at her in silence for
some time.
Il have never benefited others much,
but this is chance l will not let slip.
Felicie, how would you like to go to
school, and then learn some business
that would make you independent
such as hower-making?"
"Or dress-making," responded the
practical Felicie.
Every we'll" said Thornton, 81 know
of respectable place where you can
live. Let me see-you are about fif-
teen"
Nearly eighteen" said Feicie.
Thornton stared.
She was, then, quite Il woman, and
and an uncommonly pretty one, too, he
said to himself.
"You are sure you viii not repent?
But perhaps [ am wrong in taking you
away from your natural guardians in
this manner"
You may take me away or not, !"
said Felicie, coolly. ''But if some one
does not take me away shall take my
self away. [ am going now to get ev-
erything L have, and nothing will induce
me to sleep another night under this
roof "
That settled it. Thornton took a
card and wrote an address on it, and in
less than an hour Felicie presented her
self at her new friends, with a basket
containing all of her worldly posses
siNns.
Mrs Monson came home to find
Filicie gone, and no clue to her, while