Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1886-07-11

4
must Of necessity be that OF the
Princess Graciosa; that the lime BIOS
SONS which fell in thick showers rom
the bouehs a. the COW disturbed them
| in her slow advance were thrown oy
the hand Of her fairy godmother from
the clouds; and that the daisies and
buttercups which bent beneath the
| msiden's feet were real pearls and TO-
| PAGES, spread on the path by the same
powerful protcctress.
II such were the impressions con-
veyed TO the brain Of the young caya-
lier. II is no wonder that he found him.
self suddenly transformed from Honore
do Bellegsrde into Prince Percinet, for
The sake of this beauteous, and no
doubt heavily oppressed and captive,
G,aciosa, held in durance vile by the
wicked arts of the Duchess of Grog-
mona.
Twas some time before he recovered
from the shock produced by the bright
vision which had thus suddenly burst
upon his sight, and there is no knowing
how much longer he might have re-
NAMED entranced had it not been that
the maiden. on finding the sunbeams
beginning 10 pierce the branches Of the
acacia trees beneath which she stood,
attempted to lead her charge toward
the thicker shade OF the cedar which
stood nj some little distance.
She started on perceiving the shadow
which lay on the path in the grass be-
fore her, and then, looking up aud be-
holding the young cavalier, gave such a
bound Of surprise that the rope by
which the cow was held slipped from
her grasp, the distsff dropped from her
hand, and she remained gazing as if
thrndeIstruck at the stranger, whose
head and shoulders were visible above
The wall, as, supported by the s,irrups,
he stood above his tall steed, while,
unable to bear that dazzling gaze, he
began to stammer out some excuse for
in,rudiDg thus upon her privacy.
Honore de Bellegarde was, for the
first time in his life, attacked with
timidity, and would have turned away
on the instant had not his hand just at
that moment unconsciously come in
contact with the little silver drinking
horn which was carried at every hunts
mans belt in that day. His brain sud-
denly cleared, and he framed ar ius-
prOmptu demand to give coloring to
the apparent impertinence of which he
had been guilty.
"Fair damsel, | have been out ever
since the dawn and have lost my way.
Can you spare me a drop Of milk to
assusge my thirst?
The perfect selfpossession and innate
good breeding of the maiden caused
him even more surprise than sught
which bad gone before. Without the
smallest embarrassment she answered
sweetly--one single word it is true, but
spoken audibly and with the most EN-.
chanting smile" VOLUNTEERS, Mon
sieur." Jumping upon a stone, she
raised her arm 10 take the drinking.
horn, and, without more ado, ran to the
corner Of the orchard, where stood the
pail wherein she had MIXED the COW a
short while before, but which old
Hubert, the sole domestic Of tue cha
teau, would never suffer her TO raise.
Having filed the dainty little vessel,
she ran back again and handed it to the
stranger, looking on in wonder while he
drank, little dreaming that whatever
had remained Of common sense OF pre-
sence Of mind had been completely
obliterated by the grace of her move
ment. The young man was fain to pro-
long the draught in order to regain suf-
ficient mastery over himself to make the
attempt be had meditated from the first
TO solve the my stery OF this strange ex-
istence behind the walls Of the Cha
teau de Talvere, which he had passed
scores Of times or ais hunting expedi-
tons, and had always deemed uninha-
bited. But when he came to make the
trial he felt that the task would have
been impossible had he not been aided
by the maiden herself, who, without
undue holiness, and yet without the
smallest geticence Of disguise, told him
every circumstance of her history,
while he remained completely dumb
founded with astonishment. She was
wondering all the while at the interest
which could make him thus listen with
such patience to the story of one who
was to him a perfect stranger.
Count Honore dc Bellegarde did not
Join the royal hunt that day, bat re-
turned to Luneyille at a slow and
thoughtful pace. He returned a wiser
man in the new sensations inspired in
his bosom by the love which had sprung
up thus without warning or preamble,
His mind was tossed TO and fro in a
complete tempest Of emotion. His in
stinct told him at once that this was nc
common adventure, no passing senti
nent to be thrown aside and soon for.
gotten. He knew that the fair girl had
spoken the truth, that she was indeed
Of noble blood and lofty lineage in spite
of her rustic surroundings, and he re.
solved to return next day to the Chateau
dc Talyere with view Of getting up {
petition to the King for restoration Of
the property of the Talyeres to the re-
naming members ofthe family.
But "rhomme propose, Ct Dtcn DIS
pose" On arriving at the palace he
found, TO his diSmay, that the King has
issued orders for the removal of tbs
court TO Nancy, according to the policy
be had adopted of dividing the benefits
conferred by the residence of Cour
by ar alternate sojourn in the two grea
cities Of his kingdom, Nancy and Lune
Vile possessing royal palace in each
and changing the seat of Government a
certain intervals.
Everybody noticed the alteration By
the temper Of Honore do Bellegardc
From the merriest youth about tn
Court he had grown taciturn and re
served, flying the company of those t
whom he had been most attached an
seeking the solitude he had formerly s
much detested. The courtiers rallie
him on the change, aud declared tia
he had been rafting the dice.box wit
I disastrous effect at Luneville; bu
j.. King S,anislas, although the wise:
. | ~. &C huA