San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1886-05-13
M ONSIEUR MAX.

The little country town of F-w was, in
the opinion of all his friends too small to
give full scope to the talents of Monsieur
Max. A surname. in our present advanced
stage of civilization. is usually considered an
Indispensable adjunct to every man above
the condition of savage. but monsieur had
apparently been sent into this world to dis
prove this, among other fallacies, since,
whatever had been his original condition as
regards family name, he was now to all in
tents and purposes simply Monsieur Max.
Monsieur was not an old man. In fact he
was but %, though public opinion, influenced
perhaps, by his great learning, perhaps by
his hair. "a sabe-silvered' by nobody knew
what bitter experience, gave him credit for
at least another score: nor was he beauty,
except in the eyes of Bertha CLAYTON, to
whom the stopping shoulders. the brown face
in its frame of irOn-gray, the kind, dark eyes,
and the patient, tender smile were farer
than would have been Apollo himself had he
visited her in person.
Bertha was an orphan, possessed of wealth
which the people of F. vaguely desig-
mated as ''milliUnS' the care of which so en-
tirely engrOSsed her guardian and half-brOth-
er, New York merchant that his little sis
ter was left to the Supprl iSi0n of Aunt Lett
tia. Bertha ibid not get on well with her
gOveneSSeS,' said the people of F. In
her own opinion she got on much better with
out them; each new installation was follow
ed by rebellion, revolution, expulsion, and
anarchy with the precision of a geOmetrical
series, until Aunt Letitia in despair had re-
course to Monsieur Max, during whose reign
there was peace.
He had at first been engaged to teach only
his native language, but he soon proved him
self fully capable of inStructng his pupil in
more important matters than could be found
iii textbooks; for when once. and once alone,
she presented herself fresh from chasing the
pigs, with torn frOck, muddy boots dishevel-
ed locks, and a great apparent need of soap
and water, Monsieur quietly remarked:
This Max so useless and unfortunate, has
presented himself too early this morning
Permit him to look over the paper while
mademOiSelle repairs the haste of her toilet"
MOnSieurs influence over the spoiled and
willful heireSs was truly marvellous and vet
his most severe TeprOOf was no worse than
Zone does not do so in Paris, mademOSelle."
All day they were together, studying, work
ing in the garden, or absent upon long ex-
petitions after what monsieur called ''speci-
Mines" while Aunt Letitia dozed over her
knitting and rocked by the parlor fire or up
on the wide, cool piazza. Surely, If mon
sieur had been ambitious or villain the field
for his energies was sufficiently broad.
Years passed away in this manner. and
Bertha grew up into beauty and grace
which might have tempted any man to win
her for his own, even had she been penni-
less; vet still Aunt Letitia dOZed and knit.
quite unconscious of any possible peril to
anybody. Bertha's 18th birthday was how
approaching upon Which she was TO make
llel uep1' III sucIl socle'S as uie couhtry-Slue
a anu Dut lllousIl entering 'ie world,
sne was y! no means W part lloil Monsieur
naA. ne Iau proniseu 10 90 WIN them
aproau, anu tileIe coiuuct HIS pupll thiough
d IouISe vi OPERAS nluSeuiiiS' anu picture
s",i.i re- ,,..,,.,...... ,... .----,-
~ une pilt,ius p'ity' noWeNer' monsieur
oDS'lii"'eis le'"ISu " pe present. tloush ne
CANT ou' ',oIi oii purpose 10 DehOld
lei III nei p"il roS'ulne' M''n It's prouuly als-
PiaSeu ti'a'ieu HNi'' anu ne Drought WIN
I,,, a., a., e',t Mii'enS DC
'' W I,1 ,',s, T m a'u'o !" Jeuie l'lie.
iie 'u l'' "l,A'"uSiA' ior ureS' was
W i''oiioieul a. " ',I,S rlellcii,' very
IL UNI ,'a'tei: penoiu toiiet perfect
~ opnio n i"u'' NV o"I', Mi'i," h'lu siiiie.
'S .,,G 1Se' an" vi ''ioiiSieur
"e are Ioy ", 'I' cil'I Is
D.i :, "iso pouIu'' VI ''.Sle Iruiy ex-
I pnI lvPieu i''i''''' II VIII oe my Soie
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