, 1881-08-05
ANDRES QUEST.
BY MARY z. MoFFAT.

Andre Perrinot was the only son of q
widowed mother, and the object of hel
fondest and most solicitous care, not
withstanding there was a peculiarly
about the boy which caused the neigh
bors to say, pityingly:
''How sad that the lad is deficient in
sense when he is SO sturdy and hand
some that he might make his way in the
world on the strength of his good looks
alone, had he been better balanced. But
now" and usually a deprecating
shake of the head supplemented the un-
finished sentence.
He was cast in a large yet graceful
mold, and had finely shaped head, COW
cred with masses of dark curls. His
straight nose, with its thin, dialated
nostrils, and his curving red lips, his
large, stag like eyes, the rich coloring of
his complexion, formed ''tout ensem-
BILE" which invariably attracted a
strangers admiring notice. But upon
addressing this ''rara avis" of natures
handiwork, as surely would feeling of
disappointment follow. Vague, unsatis-
factory answers would fall from the
curved lips and vacant, unintelligent
glances from the great, dark eyes. He
was like an exquisite statute endowed
with life, but without spark of Prone
thean fire which was to enkindle the
soul. A veil seemed drawn over his
mental faculties. But whatever else was
undeveloped in the boys nature, one
thing existed in full force-a passionate
love of the beautiful.
His large eyes would kindle into ami
nation at the sight of a delicately tinted
flower, or of handsome face and he
would watch with keen delight those
sunsets where masses of crimson and
gold canopy the glowing west.
Thus it was that after he grew to mans
estate a new emotion was evoked within
the heart hitherto so quiet. One day the
daughter of rich landed proprietor
came athwart his vision. She had just
returned from her 'pensionaire" for a
short vacation. As mounted on her white
Arabian, and attended by an aged SER
want, she flew past Andre, he caught his
breath in astonished ecstacy.
He was in the midst of O group of
young men. Turning to the one nearest
at hand, he asked stammering
''Tell me, Henri Leclerc, is it an angel
from the skies, who fitted past? All,
was she not beautiful
The youth addressed was of a humor-
GUS turn, and seeing a chance of sport,
answered Andre in way which was 10
transform his whole life. So it often
chances that the scales of destiny are
made to incline in direction hitherto
unthought of.
''The young miss is no angel, Andre;
she is flesh and blood like you and me.
Knowest thou not Pierre Lemoine. who
lives in the great house op the hill? it is
his daughter. A thought strikes me! She
is Just the wife for you, Andre, and it is
time that you should marry"
Addressed to a different person, these
words would have been taken as they
were meant, and laughed at. The very
idea of one of Andres class looking up
30 high as to an alliance with the heiress
of the most important man in the village
would have been so preposterous as not
to occasion even a second thought. But
falling upon the ears of one of Andres
peculiar temperament, they had far
reaching effect. He went slowly home
pondering upon the meaning of Henri's
laughing remark.
Mother, he asked, "what is it to have
q wife?"
Now, Andres mother had much the
same nature as her son, with the excep.
tion that there was no cloud over her
mental faculties. She looked with pity
ing tenderness at her only son, who had
come to her few months after her young
husband had been brought home to her
killed by kick from vicious young
colt he had been training. 1t was owing
to the shock she had then received that
her poor Andre was so different from
other boys.
It was with startled feeling that she
heard him now ask this question. What
had such as he to do with love or mar
riage?
She put her arms about him with
motherly affection and gazed into his
velvety dark eyes. There was troubled
wistfulness in them. The angel had de-
scended into the depths of the pool to
stir the troubled waters SO that health
might come with the healing presence.
my boy" she said. "a wife is to her
husband q fountain of rest and peace.
She soothes his cares and hghtens his