Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1889-06-14

I'D utu Oh UAlobOhSS W
renity. Again IN thought he saw
the old terrace from which one
could see the distant horizon, the
garden which descended to the
bank of a stream, in which he used
to angle for trout, the beech trees
of the forest, whose shade he used
to seek on summer days. At the
turning OF a walk he saw the sweet
and smiling face of a beautiful girl,
whose voice seemed to him to pos
sess a wondrOus charm he saw
her blush when his mother made
discreet illusions to her hopes for
their future. That dream wac
broken, and the young man, re-
loicing in his independence, bade
adieu to the tranquil lite Of the old
manor. Then came the feverish
passions of youth, dissipation fol-
loving dissipation, and nights
without sleep. AT last he ex'
elaine d:
Oh, il l could begin my life
again "
Sorrow and regret had overcome
him, not the cowardly discourage
ment which renders defeat IRE
trievable. He was one of those
who knew how to accept the re.
spOnsibilty OF their errors and who
find 10 themselves the strength
with which to regain their lost
ground. One thing, however, sur
prlsed him and that was his old
servants easy acquiescenoe in all
his caprices. Pierre bad been for
years in the service of his father,
to whom he had shown answering
devotion. Why then, thought the
young baron, had he made no
effort to arrest him in his fatal
course ?
In answer TO second summons
Pierre presented himself before his
master.
"Pierre," said Paul de Brantel,
"you know my situation I"
eyes, monster, you are ruined.
1t was, unhappily, easy TO see that
such would be the end.p
"lf you foresaw 1t why did you
make no effort to oppose my
tollies :"
"At my first suggestion you gave
me to understand that it was your
affair. If had insisted you would
have sent me away. I gave your
father a solemn promise never to
leave you / have kept It,"
"The baron knew that he had
only himself to blame for the pO.
sitlOn in which he found himself
At last he said
81 was ignorant of business mat
ters as II child. When l needed
money 1t was you intrusted to
procure it for me. Why have you,
who had the experience which
lacked, accepted the usurious con.
ditions which have been imposed
on me 7"
81 knew, iudoed, that the -on.
ditiOns we're exorbitant, but | also
knew that young nOblemen who
we're not willing to regulate their
wants according to their resources
are forced to submit to the terms
of the usurers. IL was necessary
for you to have money at any
cost /; l procured it for you"
"And you have delivered me
into the clutches of these pitiless
Shylocks simply because you did
not wish to be separated from mei"
eyes, monsieur"
"And has not your intelligence
seen that a ruined master is not
able to keep a servant 7"
"Thst view of the case may ap.
ply to others, not to you aud me-
am bound by the promise l made
to yOur father"
~ see that you are obstinate,
and that yOu have ready answer
for all my questions. There is,
however, one thing of which you
have not thought, the possibility
of my taking a fancy to put a
bullet into my brain" tAJ .iI'a.
81 have never feared that ex.
tremity." ...
"You PROBABLY think l have not
the courage to do it,"
"On the contrary, 1 have thought
that if you were tempted to commit
such cOwardly act all that would
be necessary to turn you from 1t
with horror would be to make you
look upon these two portraits"
Pierre pointed to two pictures
which hung above the msntlepiece.
One represented the baron'e father,
dressed in the uniform o: a colonel.
his face wearing the calm aud
viriIe expression Of man who
knew no fear. The other was the
image of a woman whose features
reflected that serenity of soul and
that goodness of heart which made
all who knew her love and admire
her.
The young man stood spellbound
before the two pictures. Deep
emotion showed itself in his eyes.
"Durlng the last war;" said the
old servant, 81 stood near yOur
father when he was struck by a
piece of q bursting shell. lie
suffered the pains Of martyrdom
and vet the resnlt of the battle