West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1889-04-25
FORTUNES FAVORITE.

He was a happy y-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 we'll aud maintain his
position, but not enough to tempt him tn
relinquish his military career. He was
high-spirited, brave as a lion. and we'll
educated. He was at once pay and
philosophical, accepting without a 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
1869, 1t was our fortune to be in camp
together at Chalons, where his regiment.
which had been decimated by yellow
fever, had been ordered.
He was not more than six wears my
senior, and he loved me as though / was
younger brother.
One day i was dining at his mess, and
while we were over our coffee the Sergeant
entered and handed him letter. He
looked at the superscription and knitted
his brows, and shadow seemed to fit
over his handsome face.
Excuse me, he said
lie tore open the envelope, from which
fell the photograph of young woman
With quick movement he picked up the
photograph, and gazed at it moment
with look Of admiration Then. hand
ing it to me, he said:
"lt 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!' ! replied, she is
seventeen years old; you forget that"
read the letter, which was as follows
my DEAR GUARDfAN-Is II right fot. vo,,
70 act thus toward poor little prisoner who
mas only You IN the world and who loves Won
hh"Nhs Ouil puc palifN letter since EOUr
departure for Mexicol And have had 10 re
ceive from one Of the Sisters of the Convent
bhe news of your return 10 France For. the
past eight days every time / have heard the
zen announcing the arrival Of n visitor / have
Inought it was you who had come 20 see me
bnt was always mistaken The visit was
always for some Of the other girls sisters ~
the officers who Lave made this campaigr,
WITH yon-this campaign during which
have wesTied heaven with prnyers fo,. ,,o,,,.
protection. Fortunately shall pass n uarf
OF my vacation with your sister Come and
see me at her house, and sacrifice n little 81
your time to your little SUzAwVh
From that time my uncle was not the
jovial man he had formerly been.
Whe he received that letter IL vvas
nearly time for the summer vacation. and
his sister. my aunt, had invited Mile. s,f.
zanne to spend it with her and her
daughterg
An yes, they make rapid progress
these young girls The little girl who
was lauk and awkward in short skirts
whose complexion was dirQv and whose
hands were red, becomes n beautiful e..
duntive creature, with golden hair and a
sylPh-iik form, like that Of Psyche, an
incarnation Of the spirit Of spring time.
We both obtained leave Of absence in
OIuef tnaJ we might visit my aunt, who
had beautiful estate in the valley Of
Chevrcuso.
Soon after our arrival at my aunts
home I noticed that whenever my uuclc
was IN the presence of Suzanne he voas
cold and reserved At times he would
pass his hand over his forehead. as though
his thoughts troubled him. Every morn
ing by > o'clock he was on horsebnck
and H. 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. n
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 10 con.
vent.