Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1890-01-22

acknowledged belle at court.
lone morning the ling gave asuperb break
fast in her honor, and this service, used only
on the praudest occasions, was called INTO
requisition. Just as you have admired 1t
here. SO she was struck with its beauty then,
and commented upon it to his majesty, at
whose right hand she sat. He never did any
thing by halves, did that gracious odd king.
That very evening, while my ancestor, proud
and happy at tho honor bestowed upon her
that morning, sat in her boudoir receiving
the congratulations of her friends, mes
seuger arrived from the king, bearing the
Identical service used at the mornings feast,
and begging that, as she had SO much adj
mired it, she would, as a favor from the
king, accept it in memory Of that day"
.'Ahl it is indeed something Of which to be
proudl" remarked a lady who sat near.
1--WE seldom use It," continued madame;
"when we DO servant is never allowed to
touch it. 1t has been the pride Of the ladies
If nv house thst they alone have handled it.
and n this manner, Notwithstanding its great
age, each piece has been preserved intact"
sit was used last on our wedding day."
said monsieur in a deep voice, as he looked
with pride upon his beautiful wife.
''Ohi yes, answered madame, blushing and
laughing, land it viii be used again when our
daughter here will choose as wise as her
mother has done Today" she said, while a
tear glistened in her eye, 81 have brought it
out because as it was given by royalty itself,
so those who act in a royal manner should be
the ones to use it, Each southern soldier who
rises to defend his country is a king in his own
right"
To this day she has never forgotten how
that band of creole volunteers rose to their
feet and bowed as to a queen; never forgot
ten how the blood rushed to their cheeks, how
their hearts seemed to throb with emotion,
and the gallant commander, speaking for all,
touched his sword with his lips, and vowed
they would never betray the confidence
which a woman of the south, speaking for
her sex, had that day reposed in them.
But all this was long ago; of the war, its
SORROWS and disasters, this sketch deals not;
but of that old home in the rue Rampant, of
which madame's fair daughter is now the
mistress. Around her have grown up her
own beautiful girls, graceful, accomplished,
surrounded by all the luxuries which genera
tions of wealth bestow, and clinging more
than ever, like graceful tendrils, to the dear
historic place now when all are about to
leave it forever. For unforeseen sorrows have
come upon them, an unfortunate business
venture of monsieur's has ended most dis
astrously: thousands of dollars were involved,
creditors were clamorous, plantations, houses,
stocks, bonds, all have been sacrificed, and
still more Is demanded Monsieur's voice is
hoarse with emotion he knows his name is
on every tongue in New Orleans; he, the
honored and flattered merchant of yesterday,
the ruin man Of today
Madame, seated in the old home which has
been her Inheritance in her own right, but
which she has sacrificed to save her husbands
honor, hears his story, and rising with the
heroism born of the noble principles she in
herits, goes out and presently returns with a
casket containing all her own and her daugh
ter's jewels, and pausing a moment before
her mirror she takes the diamonds from her
own ears and, placing them among the heap,
begs her husband to dispose of all.
He protests, but she and her daughters are
insistent; what are diamonds, what are rubies
compared to a fathers honor2 And then
madame remembers there is one thing more
of value, one thing from which she had never
intended to part, and going out again, while
the girls hook on affrighted and her husband
stands specifies in anazement, she brings in
piece by piece the service of royal Dresden.
She points to it, her husband grasps her
meaning; but he takes her in his arms and
kisses her, and tells her '|Never! he has no
right to allow her to sacrifice this;s he knows
how proud she has been Of it, how she has
treasured it above all her possessions, and the
resolution it required for her to part from it;
and he, touched beyond measure, firmly re-
fuses and bids her restore it to its place again.
But she proudly draws herself to her full
height and says: mol will not listen; /
have given up all my property, have parted
from my diamonds; this, too, shall go! the
world shall never be able to say that re-
tanned a single article of value while my hus-
band owed debit"
The next day well known auctioneer of
the rue Royale was sent for He is accus-
toned to such calls, is this old auctioneer, for
every day witnesses the breaking up of happy
and elegant homes. Madame shows him the
service; his eyes CLEAN with a satisfaction he
can scarce suppress, for he knows its value;
still he pretends that it is not worth much;
one must be business like, you know. In a
cool, calculating way he examines it. and in
differently begins to count the pieces; he
seems disturbed; he goes over them again;
slowly, carefully and still third time, with
the same result. "Madame!' he exclaims,
1.-The set is incomplete; there are two plates
missing, where are theyF"
Madame turns pale. 'eThey are broke"
she replies in her imperfect English, rolling
her RS most emphatically.
'Ah," says the auctioneer, incredulously,
noting her change of countenanoe; 'the set
loses half its value. II you can find those
two plates it win be to your interest TODD so"
"They are broke" she repeats, her eyes
flashing fire, her words coming with difficulty,
they are broke, | sayt And her daughters,
standing near, wonder at her emotion and
still more at the temerity of the individual
who had dared to profane by touch, much
less to break, two pieces Of that precious heir
loom.
There are such realities as true friends;
hearts whom the smiles nor the frowns Of
fortune can change. The proposed sale of
the famous service became noised about the
faubourg and two survivors of the old regi
ment of soldiers, two of the few who had re-
turned bearing the remnants of the battered
flag, remembering the gracious trust that
madame had reposed in their command and
her pride on shat memorable morning when
she recouuted the history of her beautiful
service, determined if possible thatshe should
not part from it. They accordingly devised
a little scheme by which they would bay it
in, and when the talk of the failure and sale
of property had all subsidized to quietly pre-
sent it to madame as a mark of esteem from
precious in her eyes.
y