Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1889-06-07
FORTUNES FAVORITE.

.'''PPS ItllOW, my
"ncle. Colonel Edomrd Griffard. IT,
was cvcr'rtsdy to risk his Lie TO take
any chance, and ci.Isi:aas seemed ALWAYS to
iavor him. Among his comrades he was
known MS Fortunes favoritc
At the age of forty he was Colonel or
regiment Of lI,lssars, and an officer nr
The Legion of Honor lie had an in
come OF six thousand francs, enough to
enable him to live well and maintain his
position, but not enough 10 tempt him To
rclInqulsl his military career. He WAS
gh-spiritcd, brave MS Il lion, and we'll
educated. lie was at once cav and
philosophical, accepting without n muir
muir the iati"ucs and privations of a cam.
paigh, and enjoying 10 their full the
pleasures and advantages of life in uarri-
son: lie had fought in the Crimca. in
Africa, Italy and Mexico, escaping with
only two insignificant scratches. lie Ind
an iron constitution, that enabled him 10
endure suffering that would have killed
an ordinary man,
such was my uncle Elouurd when. in
lo09, 1t was our fortune to be in camp
together nj Chalons, where his regiment
which had been dccimated bv vcllow
fever, had been ordered.
lie was not more than six wears NV
senior, and he loved me MS though 7 was
Il younger brother
One day was dining nj his mess, and
while we were over our coffee the Sergeant
entered and handed him letter. lie
looked at the supcrscription and knitted
his brows, and IL 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
WIN lmck movement he picked. UP the
photograph, and gazed ut it moment
with look of admiration. Then, hand
ing it to me, he said
1T 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 counsel" replied, "shc is
seventeen years old you forget that"
read the letter, which was ms follows:
MY DEAR GuAnplAY-Is it right for vo,
70 act thus toward n poor little prisoner who
mas only You III the world and who I1vcs Won
SO much! Only one paltry letter ST. co your
departure for MeXicol And have had To re-
ceive from one of the Sisters of the Convent
the news of your return to Frame, Roy tho
past eight days every time have heard the
nell announcing the arrival of visitor have
tnought IL was you who had come to see nr
But was always mistaken The visit was
n"ays ior some of the other girls, sisters of
1le oincers VINO have mndo this campaign
with you-this campaign during which /
unVe wesiried heaven with prayers for your
protection. Fortunately shall Dass n mart
OF my vacation with your sister. Come and
SEQ me Mt her house. and sacrifice n little of
your time to your little SUzANNh.n
from that time my uncle was not the
]ovial 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. SUI
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
ssylph-likc 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
Chevreusc.
Boon after our arrival ut my aunt's
home noticed that whenever nv uncle
was In the presence of Suzanne he was
cold and reserved. AT times he would
pass ms hand over his forehead Ms though
his thoughts troubled him. Every morn
ing by 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 ms
the guardian of his daughter Suzanne.
then girl of eight years, pupil in con-
vent.
one morning my uncle aroused me early.
Two saddled horses were waiting for us,
and accompanied him in lis daily ride.
we were riding side by side when, sud.
oeniy turning toward me, he said:
why do you not marry2"
laughed and replied
because have not cared to do so
And you2
"Ah, II am too old. What do vo,
think of Suzanne2
She is one Of the most beautiful an6
fascinating girls have ever metz
every we'll, wish YOU to marry her
l looked him full in the eyes. He wa.
sEftfs