The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1886-08-19
FELIClE BREVARD.

The soft French name had quee
sound, coming from Mrs. Monsoon
thin lips and acrid voice.
Fclicio came slowly up tho stairs t,
where Mrs. Monson stood talking vol,l
bly, with her lodger, Mr.. Thornton.
''Fclicie, walk little faster,'' sal,
Mrs. Monsop, sharply. ''Here is Mr.
Thornton, that has missed his fines
cameo. You were in his room busting
yesterday
1T was a head of Apollo,' said MIR
Thornton. Il bought it in Naples
Could you have swept it behind tn,
furniturc?'
At tho first mention of the cameo
Felicie put her hand in her pocket, sh,
turned deadly pale and half cry es
capped her.
Have you got it?'' cried Mrs. Mon
son shrilly, IF you have, out of thcs,
doors you shall pack. Trouble enough
have had with you already-and al
your relations"
She seized her by the shoulders, ani
attempted to put her hand into he1
pocket. Felicie resisted desperately
She was white as a ghost.
"Come, come, Mrs. Monson! Thu
cameo is not worth all that" said Mr.
Thornton.
1t was nearly worth enough to have
made Felicie open her innocent ewes
wider than they had ever opened be-
fore.
Mr.. Thornton had often noticed Fe.
licie. He believed her to be honest
| ard he saw that she was much terri
fed by Mrs Monson's violence.
''But l mean TO get to the bottom Of
it, said Mrs. Monson.
Thornton caught her by the wrist
and forced her to unloose Felicie. He
gave her look before which the
shrewdness vanished like smoke.
You had better go down stairs. -
said he. quietly. Il will settle this
with Felicie."
Mrs. Monson walked submissively
down stairs, and left Thornton and the
frightened girl alone.
"NOw.' said Thornton, kindly, but
with determination in his voice, ''tell
me how this happened.
Felicie put her hand in her pocket
and took out the cameo.
81 suppose you won't believe me-
she said, bursting into tears, ''but
did not steal it.
II do believe you,'' said MIR. Thorn.
ton, Ego on
Il was busting your room. 1 put
my handkerchief on the mantle. piece.
When took it up did not notice that
took anything with it. When I got
down stairs felt it in my pocket. ]
was hurfying to put it back when
found you and Mrs. Monson here.''
She was very pretty when she cried.
She had a delicate beauty very differ
ent from Mrs. Monson's buxom daugh.
ghters. He wondered how two types
so different could be produced in the
Same family.
care you Mrs. Monson's niece 20 he
asked her.
mo" she answered with a ring OF
Indignation. MY mother was Mr..
Monson's sister, and lady. My
mother was French"
''And how came you here %
! t:Ny father and mother died, and
had nowhere else to co.
She began to cry again.
! Thornton had never felt so bad fol
any human being in his life.
''And you have never been oduca'
ted ?" he inquired, after a pause.
"A little. can read and write, and
l can speak French. My father was q
French teacher, and he used to say to
me when l was little thing. 'Felicie
you must study hard some of these
days, and you must learn to play and
sing:' but 1 cannot play, and have
not the heart to sing"
Thornton looked at her in silence fol
some time.
Il have never benefited others much
but this is chance will not let slip
Felicie, how would you like to 90 t.
school, and then learn some business
that would make you independent
such as flower-making?"
"Or dress-making," responded tn
practical Felicie.
Every WE'LL" said Thornton. g
know of respectable place where 20,
can live. Let me see-you are abou
15?'
"Nearly 49," sud Felicie.
Thornton stared.
She was, then, quite woman, ant
uncommonly pretty one, too, h
aid to himself.
You are quite sure you will not re
pent? But perhaps l am dong wronf
in taking you away from your natura
guardians in this manner
You may take me away or not,
said Felitie. cody. But If some on
does not take me away shall take my
self away. l am going now to re
everything have, and nothing will in
duce me to sleep another night unde
this roof"
That settled it. Thornton took
card and wrote an address upon it
and in less than an hour Felicie pro
sented herself to her new friend with .
basket containing AL her worldly
possessions.
Mrs. Monsoon came home to find Fe
licie gone, and no clue to her, Will,
Felicie was being snugly ensconsed il
a sunny little room at Miss Shepard's
Miss Shepard had been an humbl.
friend and dependent of Russell Thorn
tons mother, and was only too glad tt
have it in her power to do anything fol
''Mr. RUSSELL
Thornton appeared in the evening
and fixed upon plan for Felicie's flu
ture arrangements.
''You shall have certain amount 8
month" said he, ''above your board
With that you may do as you please
You may 60 to school, or learn dress
making, or anything else you like
leave for New York tomorrow eve