The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1883-05-09
FLEURETTE.
CHAPTER 1.

rough and ready folks. The novelty
of the strange scenes and free ano
easy life had at last worn of, and
found myself signing for the respect
ability of broadcloth and a settled
position in my profession. Aided
somewhat by thrift, and more by 8
fortunate land speculation, l haG
money enough to supply my wants
for a few years to come; SO | return
ed to England, resolved to beat out
a practice somewhere.
OF course the first person went
to see was John. He was my broth.
er-my only brother-indeed, the
one tie l had to England. We were
a couple of orphans, but pretty stur-
dy ones withal, and well able to
wrestle with the world. Fortunately,
our father lived until his eldest son
was of an age to carry on his snug
country practice; so John still occu.
pied the old red brick house in the
Main street of the little town Of
Dalebury, the same brass plate on
the door doing duty for him as for
his father before him.
l found old John-so his closest
friends ever called him-little chang
ed; rather graver in mien, perhaps,
but with the same honest eyes and
kindly smile, winning at once the
confidence, and soon the love, OF men
and women.
AS we clasped hands and looked
in each others faces We knew that
the years which had made men of
us had only deepened our boyish
love.
1t was pleasant, very pleasant, for
a wanderer like myself to find such
n welcome awaiting him. 1t was
good to sit once more in that cozy
old room and talk to John late into
the night, discussing all that had
since last we sat there. |
had many questions to ask. Dale
bury is only a little town. Having
been born and bred there, / knew
all the inhabitants. had not been
abroad long enough to forget old
acquaintance, so / piled John with
many inquiries as to the fate of one
or another, ] asked:
"Who lives in the old house at the
the tanners lived
once ?"
"a widow lady and her daughter,
named Dorvaux.
French, l suppose, from the
''No, / believe not. Her late hus-
band was French, but as far as /
have learned, Mrs. Dorvaux is an
English woman"
New corners They must be quite
an acquisition to Dalebury. Are
they pleasant people?"
81 don't know-at least, l only
know the daughter. She is very
added John, with some
thing very much like a sigh.
My quick ears caught the suspi-
cious sound. Could be on the eve
Of an interesting discovery?
Every beautiful is she? And what
may her christian name be ?"
"Fleurette = Fleurette," replied
John, repeating the soft, French
name, and lingering upon it as
though it were sweet to his lips, like
wine.
Then he changed the conversation
and far away we drifted from beau.
.iful maidens and musical names as
recounted some of my colonial ex-
ploits-how / had treated strange
out of the way diseases,
chastity gunshot wounds-till our
ak became purely professional and
cheerfulness of interest for
he laity.
| spent the next day in looking
up old friends and neiehbors. had
brought money back with me-not
very much, it is true, but rumor had
been kind enough to magnify the
every one was glad to
zee me. Mind, ! don't say this Gym
cally; only mean that, leaving the
nuisance of appeals to the pocket,
for old sake's sake, ont of the ques-
ion, all must feel greater pleasure at
seeing a rolling stone come back
fairly coated with moss than scraped
bare. So all my old friends made
much of me, and l wondered why
the world in general should be ac-
cused of forgetfulness.
While was at one house, anoth-
er visitor entered, and | was intro
duced to Miss Dorvaux. As heard
her name, the recollection of my
grave brothers midnight sigh made
me look at her intently and curious
ignore so, | fear, than politeness
allowed.
Now YOU must decide for yourself
as to whether Fleurette Dorvaux
was beautiful. When l say, candid
ly, only one person in the world ad-
mires her more than | do, only one
person is her more devoted slave
than / am, confess myself a par
tial witness whose testimony carries
light weight. But to my eyes that
day Fleurette appeared this. About
twenty years of age; scarcely mid
die height, but with dainty, round
ed figure, brunette, with dark brown
eyes, long, black lashes, making
those ewes look darker-such dark
eyebrows and such black hair nose,
mouth and chin as perfect as they
could be; such a bright, bonny,
lively little woman! Not, decided
at first, the wife for hard working,
sober doctor like John Penn.
Stays the girl SO bright, SC
lively, after all On her entry she
had greeted my friends with a gay
laugh and merry words, emphasized
With vivacious little French gestures,
and for "a few minutes she was all
life and sunshine. She seemed in.
terested when she heard my name
and with easy grace began talking
to me thouehtfully and sensibly. Al
she talked, something in her man.
ner told me that life was not al
sweetness 20 her. At times hel
bright brown eyes looked even grave
and serious, and the smile, even or
her lips as she spoke, softened to .