The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1889-05-15
FORTUNES FAVORITE.

He was a happy-go-lucky fellow, my
uncle, Colonel Edouard Griffard. He
was ever ready to risk his life, to take
any chance, and chance seemed always to
favor him. Among his comrades he was
known as Fortunes favorite.
At the age of forty he was Colonel of
regiment of Hussars, and an officer of
the Legion of Honor. He had an in
come of six thousand francs, enough to
enable him to live well and maintain his
position, but not enough TO tempt him to
relinquish his military career. He was
high-spirited, brave as a lion, and we'll
educated. He was at once gay and
philosophical, accepting without muir
mur the fatigues and privations of a cam
paign, and enjoying to their full the
pleasures and advantages of life in garri-
son. He had fought in the Crimea, in
Africa, Italy and Mexico escaping with
only two insignificant scratches. He had
an iron constitution, that enabled him to
endure suffering that would have killed
an ordinary man.
Such was my uncle Edouard when, in
1859, it was our fortune to be in camp
p together at Chalons, where his regiment,
which had been decimated by yellow
fever, had been ordered.
He was not more than six years my
senior, and he loved me as though l was
younger brother.
One day was dining at his mess, and
while we were over our coffee the Sergeant
entered and handed him a letter. lie
lpol-al OF tho e,,po,,scr;rt;,,, on1 l-,;tt,l
his brows, and shadow seemed to fit
over his handsome face.
"Excuse me, he said.
He tore open the envelope, from which
fell the photograph of a young woman.
With quick movement he picked up the
photograph, and gazed at it a moment
with look of admiration. Then, hand
ing it to me, he said;
at is Suzanne. She is right, poor girl.
ought to have informed her OF my ar
rival
Then he handed me the letter, saying
'What progress she has made"
"Why, of course!n l replied, ''she is
seventeen years old; you forget that
read the letter, which was as follows:
my DEAR GUARDIAN--Is it right for YOU
TO act thus toward poor little prisoner who
has only You in the world and who loves you
so muchy Only one paltry letter since your
departure for Mexico! And | have had 10 re-
ceive from one of the Sisters of the Convent
the news of your return 10 France. For the
past eight days every time have heard the
bell announcing the arrival of a visitor have
thought II was you who had come 10 see me |
But was always mistaken. The visit was |
always for some of the other girls sisters of /
the officers who have made this campaign |
with you-this campaign during which !
have wearied heaven with prayers for your |
protection. Fortunately / shall pass a part |
of my vacation with your sister Come and |
see me at her house, and sacrifice little of /
your time TO your little SUZANNA.'
From that time my uncle was not the
jovial man he had formerly been.
Whe he received that letter it was |
nearly time for the summer vacation, and |
his sister, my aunt, had invited Mile. Su-
zanne to spend it with her and her
daughters.
"Ah! yes, they make rapid progress,
these young girls The little girl who |
was lank and awkward in short skirts,
whose complexion was dingy and whose |
hands were red, becomes a beautiful Sc
ductive creature, with golden hair and a
sylph-like form, like that of Psyche, an
incarnation Of the spirit of spring time.
We both obtained leave of absence in
order that we might visit my aunt, who
had beautiful estate in the valley of
Chevreuse.
Soon after our arrival at my aunt's
home | noticed that whenever my uncle /
was in the presence of Suzanne he was
cold and reserved. At times he would
pass his hand over his forehead, as though |
his thoughts troubled him. Every morn
ing by 8 o'clock he was on horseback,
and it was often 10 before he returned,
his horse always showing signs of having
been ridden hard
Suzanne's position was well known in
the family, An old friend of my uncle, a
Captain in the Third Cuirassiers, had, ON
his death-bed, named him in his will as
the guardian of his daughter Suzanne,
then a girl Of eight years, pupil in con-
vent.