Audubon County Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Audubon Co., Iowa) 1885-1894, 1886-06-24
Young GIRL onnosite him reearded himp

| lIon-like head with its crown OF thick,
silky hair; his black eyes, the fire Of
which no age would ever dim; his ma
jestic, erect figure: his air noble, at
once imperial and winningp
What pleasant dinner it was. The
great engineer thought it was the pleas
ATTEST hour he had ever spent, and
said so afterward. The scent of or
anges was in the air, and in the cool
shade of the colonnades Narcissa's IA
| vorite flowers spread their silken leaves
and shed odors of jasmine and roses.
Then in the latter evening, when the
stars were out and the
Crescent moon, a silver boat,
Hung dim behind the trees"
the music from the military band on the
plaza coming, to them mellowed by
the distance, they sat and spoke OF
France.
II have longed to go to France"
said Narcissa to Saint-Cyr But papa
says he will never return to his coun-
try; and no wonder, since Lorraine is no
longer French province; but" drop
ping her voice for his ear alone, IAN
old Mexican woman, a fortune teller,
says shall live in France some day"
"She is a wise woman" said Saint
Cyr, smiling. II can tell fortunes,
too"
Papa, do you hear what the Count
says? He can tell fortunes"
"He has certainly spent them, and
made them, so I've no doubt he can tell
them, too. Does he foretell the fu-
turo of the canal?"
"Cela va sans dira," retorted Mar
cissa; "besides, monsieur is not ex-
pending his millions upon our canal.
America is able to provide for her
own"
"She does not provide in this case,
mademoiselle; but if l were obliged
to expend my money upon my VEN
lures, / would do it without hesita-
| ton"
Even upon the great canalP"
''Most certainly. hope you do not
doubt my success?'
Monsieur" she returned, reproach-
fully, sit is the grandest undertaking
since the building of the pyramids.
They laughed at her enthusiasm.
But tell me of France" she con-
tinued.
MY child" said De Chalausse.
things are sadly changed since ~.
Look at Lorraine"
Papa" she said gravely. "you
should not complain. Before ~ you
had lost the battle of Waterloo; now,
you have won it"
That is a consolation that never oc-
cured to me-" said her father, amused;
"but just at present l happen to be ar
American.
shall be the happiest woman in the
world" said Narcissa, .'when l can go
to France. look about me and say, so
this is my country; here my fathers
family for centuries past have lived and
died, loyal subjects of the soil"
Subjects of the SOIL" repeated
Saint-Cyr. after all, Elmonde, the
feelings of the highest class and of the
lowest, even the adscripti gleba, find
the same expression. 1t is the love OF
country that is the great want of the
middle-classes.
The conversation drifted to the dis
cussion of the great social problem.
The engineer had his own views of the
subject, and gave them eloquent ex,
preston. Narcissa sat beside her
father and listened, as Desdemona sat
beside Brabantio and listened TO the
Moor.
Saint-Cyr thought of the fair Vene,
tian, and wondered if she were fairer
than his country-woman.
The next morning he rose before the
sun and stepped upon the stone bal.
cony adjoining his room. A figure in
white moving among flowers in the
courtyard caught his eye. 1t wa;
Narcissa with watering pot IN hel
hand. She looked very lovely in he,
cool garments of some thin white
stuff, her favorite flower-poor Jo
sephine's Souvenir de Malmasion''-
in the loops of her heavy, dark hair
She looked up presently and caught
sight of him, smiled, and with "bon
;o,, ,,,o,e;o,r ;ny;,oJ liz, 90 do
scend. She showed him her collection
of rare plants and flowers, and wher
he paused before the gem of all, sht
offered him the single bloom it bore
and bent to cut it off.
Many thanks, mademoiselle, bu
believe would rather not have tina
one"
She paused and turned her splendiC
eyes upon him, disappointed.
why, monsieur, it is the rares
flower have"
Pardon, mademoiselle, the choic
est one you have you have not Offered
me-"
She looked seriously at him.
as it possible' Where is it? Shnv
it to me, monsieur"
"And if ! do"
at is yours if you want it."
He put out his hand and touched tn,
rose in her hair She smiled brightly
as the souvenir your favorite ros,
, also, monsieur? 1t is mine. as you see
, but you are no botanist. 1t is by n,
} means the choicest flower l have. vii
you have this?-or this?" indicatin!
the buds on the bush.
1T is the rose in your hair, mazda
moiselle, that ask for"
She unpinned it and loosened her hal
at the same time; it fell upon her shoul
ders in thick curls.
"Oh, how awkward ami" she ex
claimed, laughing; "see what you hav
made me do, monsieur. You don't de
: serve the rose"
l "But YOU promised it to me-"