The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1886-07-17

the realm OF fancy, must tu1nDle Uack
to the common place consideration OF
an unknown child with yellow hair.
"Hang i'll" he says Indignantly.
"What is the matter with me tonight.
Isn't a dead genius of more conse-
quence to him than live acrobat
Apparently not. He springs to his
feet, thrnsts the notebook in his
pocket, filings the candle over the cliff,
and turns to go, looking wistfully ut
tho tomb 1t is so peaceful, lying there
with the waves sparkling up ut It. He
is 10th to go. but he acknowledges to
the impulse; he feels that the sympathy
for the living is stronger upon him to-
night than his interest in the dead, even
Chateaubriand. The stains of music
that are now and then waited to his
ears from the Casino sound very entic-
ing. He is nervous; he wants to be
where there is life and dancing. So he
turns from the tomb and moves away.
AS he does so his eyes rest suddenly
on childish form standing upon the
top of the flight of stone steps. The
moonlight is full upon her and he sees
it is Annette. He is not much surprised;
she has been in his thoughts all day, but
he is irritated at sight of her. 1t looks
so theatrical for her to appear before
him in this fantastic style. He wonders
how long she has been standing up there
like ghost, gazing down upon him.
Small wonder, however, that his brain
was ntractable. Before he can act she
has tripped down the steps and fearless
ly approached him.
"Whose grave is that?" she asks in q
low, awe-struck voice.
"Chateaubriand's.
"a manp"
"Yes."
"Did you love him?"
81 never saw him.
"Why do you stay here so long,
thenp" How can he answer the chldp
He does not try, but follows the Socratic
method.
"Why are you hereP"
ooh, =" she says. ingenuously, "Ididn't
know there was man buried up there.
l just followed YOU"
"WhyP"
He asks it so coldly, almost angrily,
that her confidence in him and in her.
self is plainly weakened She stands
upon one foot twisting her 1.-the body
uneasily about.
II thought because you caught me
you'd help me-"
Her voice trembles: the paper parcel
slips from her fingers; he can see her
little chin working convulsively, and
then she drops on the granite rock and
hides her face in her hands.
John is touched. He kneels, and,
taking one of her willing hands in his,
says. soothingly:
"How could help youP"
She looks at him very earnestly, as he
can see with the moonlight on her face,
and eagerly tells him:
why, please don't let them get me
again"
"Let whomp That ugly man and the
woman on horseback"
"Yes."
"Who are they?"
"Madame de Leonelle ct Monsieur
Georges Picot-that is what they tell the
people they are; but she's my aunt, and
l don't know who he is. only hate
him."
John smiles. She looks angelic with
the moonbeams playing in her yellow
hair; but she can hate.
"Are they very cross to youp"
"Awful. just look what he did tc
me to-day for falling off the wire. Sh(
bares her left arm that he may see {
thick red welt crossing the flesh abov,
, the elbow.
"The bruter' cries John angrily An
nette is evidently delighted to hear him
say so.
''That's nothing" she boastingly
says, Ito the cut size gave me with hel
rtI linz IN I lr
it was at Jersey, st. Heliers, and
caught me-"
"She's dead"
"Your father?"
"He's dead, too"
Were they Americans?"
"Mamma wasn't. She used to live a
Orleans; but papa painted pictures il
Paris, and when he died VIC were awfu
poor. Was you ever in Parisp Was you
ever IN the Rue Mazetp Oh, il was very
funny little street. Papa used to tak'
, me and mamma to St. Cloud and tn,
Bois de Boulogne on Sundays. Tha
, was the best fun of all. Mamma teased
papa about his French and made him say
, 'c,lsilleuse and ,femlet,' and words like
J that, and then papa teaseu mamma an(
/ made her try to say things in Englisl
, like three hundred anu thirty-thre,
thousand chestnuts," and then she calle(
! him a 'Yahn-kee.'
John, now reclining upon the rocl
with his head resting in his right hand
! looks calmly up at her, quite forgetfu
, of the grave of the great man behint
! him. There is faint French accent il
!. Annette's talk that is charming. Sh
, sits cross-legged. with her face turne,
! full toward him and sideways to tn
} moon. At times strain of music float
| across the water, and Annette alway
> pauses to listen.
. "Then your mother died, too," say
, John. abruptly.
) "Yes," she repeats, in low tone
+ "then she died, too"
{ "And then?"-
; "Then my aunt came and took m
away to Poissy. 1t was awful nice a
Q first. used to go out in boat on tn
river all by myself and get on tn
island and play Paul and Virginia."
who played Paulp"
9 didn't have any; he wanted to, bu
Q ! wouldn't let him." She emphasize
5 tho personal pronoun with great dis
: dain.
8 "Who is 'hep'
t "Why, the boy who was walking tn
5 other wire-my cousin. l hate him!
And vet she has silky yellow hair an