The Canton advocate. [volume] (Canton, D.T. [S.D.]) 1877-1897, 1881-11-10

oeuniue vi poor Oh cripple, ner eS
pecial portege, and was hurrying home
ward, when she saw the young man ap
preaching. With the Difference usually
accorded to the rank in those days
she drew to one side of the road ant
dropped a courtesy as he passed. HI
was not epaIed for so hasty dis
mlssal, and, turning abruptly, said:
Have you been on your rounds al
ready, Madeline?"
eyes, sir. have seen poor Jear
comfortable for the night, and soor
must hasten home"
"Then we travel the same route, for
60 to bid old Nanone farewell"
"You are leaving us, monsieur p
asked Madeline with an eagerness she
would have willingly recalled.
Madeline, have you ever heard tina
noblesse obliges"
j. eyes, sir" replied Madeline demure
ly.
But you cannot understand all it i'm
plies, Madeline; and can only tel
you that it is that phrase that drives
J me hence.
"Surely, monsieure has done nothing
to sully his fair famey" questioned
Madeleine. My worst crime is in low.
ing a peasant girl, good and beautiful
! but-'nabLesse obige'-she may not be
my wife,"
Does the girl know this, monsieur I?
asked Madiline, timidly.
No, Madeline; honorable love l can
not offer, and though TO win and wear
for an hour were no blot on my escu-
tcheon in the eyes OF those who would
condemn such marriage, love too
truly to allow word she might blush
to hear escape my lips. would sooner
forget all else and boldly claim her as
my wife,"
"Then why hesitate, monsieur?
Surely woman who conld win such a
devotion cannot be 80 far below you but
you might raise her to your own level"
cried Madeline, forgetting her own po-
sition in her desire to comfort her own
companion.
ooh! Madeline! you know not what
you ask? Do not tempt me! Can you
notsee that it is you alone who hold
my heart and my destiny? Think Of
the conflict that at this moment tears
my heart, and have mercy?" cried the
young man passionately, as he sought
to clasp his young girls hand in his
own.
Frightened beyond measure, Made
line turned from him hastily, but re-
membering that he was leaving his
home for her sake, she returned to the
spot where she had left him, not dar-
ing to follow her, and said:
"Monsieur, forgive me, but 1 came to
bid you stay, if it is as you tell me, for
love of me that you were going to the
great capital. Remain, for i leave
tomorrow, ere the break of day."
"You, Madeline! going?"
eyes, monsieur. My congo expires
today, and Nina and l must return to
the service of Mademoiselle D'Iber-
van"
"My fathers ward?"
eyes. monsieur. Good by, and may
you forget me-" she added and before
the young man could detain her she
was gone.
In the early summer months Made
moiselle DIbervan was startled by the
announcement that the Count de la
Roche would visit his ward. Prepara-
tions had been accordingly made and
the young hostess awaited the arrival of
her guest in the room where my story
first found her. She had not waited
long when q step resounded through
the hall, and the door opened to admit,
not the old man she had expected, but
George, Chevalier de la Roche.
Madeline he cried, as he recogniz.
ed the face despite the altered dress.
Madeline, what means this? Where
is Mademoiselle D'Ibervan!'
"She stands before you, ,nonsieur!"
replied Madeline, with far more hest
tation than she had felt when in the
little hamlet they had parted.
'Then all my heartburnings, my
struggles, my sacrifices for had come
to claim my peasant girl, my very love
have been in vain. Oh, Madeline, it
is hard to relinquish the best hope Of
life?o
"Then, pray, why relinquish it, mon.
sieur?".. asked Madeline, blushing as
| she spoke.
"Nay' you cannot mean that my love
is not entirely worthless! No, it can
| not be; for surely you would never
have let me leave you, as you did, UNI
discovered!"
might not hope for the psescnt de-
nouncement, monsieur" and Madeline
laughed in spite of herself. "You
tshOuld not blame mo fao aevnrolv tho :
] choose to test my power. Where is
, your father?"
"Too unwell to keep his engagement
which he sent me to fill, little dreaming
with what intentions came. 1t has
at least spared him some sorrow that
in seeking my woodland blossom
J have found it transformed into brill.
ant flower, and that the love I bore
Madeline, the peasant girl, had been
merged into the devotion due Made.
moiselle D'Ibervan."
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