Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1886-06-17

fathers stately presence and her mothers
beautiful hands and her graceful bear
ing.
Her smile was exquisite, her voice rich
and sweet, her glance direct and brilliant
yet modest.
Saint Cyr was charmed. He drew a
gentle sigh of regret for his long past
youth. Did he know how the young girl
opposite him regarded him? How could
he know her thoughts of his Iion-like
head, with its crown of thick, silky hair:
his black eyes, the fire of which no age
would ever dim; his ajestie, erect figure;
his air noble, at once imperial and win
ming?
What a pleasant dinner it was The
great engineer thought it was the pleas
ATTEST hour he had ever spent, and said so
afterward.
Tha scent of oranges was in the air,
and in the cool shades of the colonnades
Narcissa's fayorite flowers spread their
silken leaves and shed odors of jasmine
and roses.
Then in the later 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.
Il have longed to go to France" said
Narcissa to ST. Cry. 'But papa says he
will never return to his country; and no
wonder, since Lorraine is no longer a
French province; but" dropping her
voice for his ear alone, "an old Mexican
woman, a fortune-teller, says I shall live
in France some day"
''She is a wise woman" said st. Cry,
smiling. Il 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 have no doubt he can tell them,
too. Does he fOreteIl the nature of the
canal?"
"Cela va sans dira," retOrted Narcissa:
"besides monsieur is not spending his mil
lions upon our canal. America Is able to
provide for her own"
She does not provide in this case, ma
demoiselle; but if [ were obliged to spend
my money upon my ventures [ would do
so without hesitation"
Gwen upon the great canal?"
''Most certainly. I hope you do not
doubt my SUGGEST"
Monsieur" she returned reprOachfully,
sit is the grandest undertaking since the
building of the pyramids"
They laughed at her enthusiasm.
"But tell me about France" she cOntin-
ued.
"My child" said De Chaluse, ''things
are sadly changed since '72. Look at Lor-
raine.'
Papa" she said gravely, you should
not complain. Before 10 you had lost
the battle of Waterloo; now you have won
it,"
"That Is a consolation that never occur
red to me-" said her father, amused; ''but
just at present [ happen to be an Amer
lean"
Il shall be the happiest woman in the
world" said Narcissa, when can go to
France, look about me, and say: so this
is my country; here my fathers family
for centuries pa st have lived and died
loyal subjects of the soil.'
"Subject of the soil?" repeated Saint
Cyr. "After all, Edmonde, the feelings
of the highest class and of the lowest,
adscripti glebae, find the same express
ion. 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 sub
ject, and gave them eloquent expression.
Narcissa sat beside her father and listen
ed as Desdemonia sat beside BrabantiO
and listened to the Moor.
Saint-Cyr thought of the fair Venetian,
and wondered if she were fairer than his
cOuntrywoman.
The next morning he rose before the
sun, and slept upon the stone balcony
adjoining his room. A figure in white
moving among the flowers in the court
yard caught his eye. 1t was Narcissa
with a wateringpot in her hand. She
looked very lovely in her cool garments
of thin white stuff, her favorite flower
poor Josophine's Souvenir de Malmai-
son"-in the loops of her heavy, dark
hair. She looked up presently and caught
sight of him, smiled, and with ''bOn-
jour, monsieur" invited him to descend.
She showed him her collection of rare
plants and flowers, and when he paused
before the gem of them all she offered
him the single bloom it bore, and bent to
cut it off.
"Many thanks, mademOiselle, but be-
lieve I would great deal rather have that
one"
She paused and turned her splendid eyes
upon him, disappointed.
''Why, monsieur, it is the rarest flower I
have"
Pardon me, mademoiselle, the choic-
est one you have you have not yet offered
me-"
She looked seriously at him.
SIS it possible? Where is it? Show it
to me-"
"And if I do"
st is yours if you want it,
He put out his hand and touched the
rose in her hair.
She smiled brightly.
rs the Souvenir your fayorite rose al
so, monsieur? 1t is mine, as you see; but
you are no botanist. It is by no means
the choicest flower [ have. VIII you have
this-or this?" indicating the buds on the
bush.
ut is the rose in your hair that [ ask
for, mademOiselle."
She unpinned it and loosened her hair
at the same time. 1t fell upon her shout
ders in thick curls.
"Oh, how awkward | amH she exclaim-
ed, laughing. ''See what you have made
me do, monsieur. You don't deserve the
rose"