Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-11-01


| Irma fell upon her knees and wrapped the
child in her arms as if she'd press it bacb
into the very bosom from which it had drawn it,
| life.
Robert, oh. Robert, oh. my angel. whn. dc
| you think they want to buy you from me! Your
| grandma comes with gold to buy you away
| from me forever, forever"
| buy ms?" repeated little Robert, breaking
| loose from his mothers arms; "buy me.
grandma? Go buy Grandpa Sales pigs and
fowls II you will; but am not for sale. am
| mamma? For I'm not like everyday children.
I'm Baby Viscount Robert dAths-Mons. and
my fathers poet, too. You can't buy me
| grandma"
With a wild shrek Of Joy tina. echoed through
| RamDouillet forest, where Irma's brown m kcd
feet had SO often trod, she pitched headonc
! to the ground SO nearly dead that the old
| peasant whispered as he stopped 10 lift her up:
"Merciful heaven. madame the countess, you
have killed her, fear!"
With confused mind and uncertain step Nine.
| dAthis made her way back to the villa, where
| she fastened to seek the privacy of her apart
ment, denying admittauce even to Madeul-
/ oiselle de Seychelles. While true it was that
| success had crowned the countess dowaser's
I efforts to influence Irma Sale TO reinquish her
hold upon Count Charles, yet the victory
| lacked that completeness which would have
| carried such sweet satisfaction with it. To her
| lneXpresslble amazement Nine. dAthis had
been oppressed, weighted down, Inundated
where she had expected to carry everything
with high hand. Irms's beauty, grace. Dig
nifty and air OF untutored loftiness OF character
had astounded the countess dowager. For the
| first time in her life this ladg of noble lineage
must needs confess that nature had in some
| mysterious way created beng and endowed
! her with qualities which As the world reasons
| can only be called into existence by the refin-
| ing influences of long lines of noble ancestry
/ and centuries OF mental and spiritual cu.tiya-
| ton.
The PEASANTS daughter, with the exception
| Of book knowledge. had all that Aurele de
| Seychelles possessed. This fact cut the
| countess dowager to tho quick. 1t weakened
| her case. 1t almost made her tremble wher
she thought of facing her son-As soon she
| must-wlth the report of her interview witt
| Irma Sale, and with the announcement thai
there was nothing now to prevent an immedi
| ate solemnization of the uuptas of Coun
| Charles and Aurele de Seychelles.
| At any rate, the countess dowager realized
| the necessity of speedy action in the matter
| Accompanied by Mademoiselle de Seycl elle
| she at once returned to Paris and had the salts
/ faction of learning that Count Charles Wal
once more at his desk, apparently repossessed
/ Of that physical calmness and mental equani,n
ity SO characteristic of him. After a consulta-
| ton with Aurelie, Mime. dAthis resolved 10
| leave the poet to himself for day or so. con-
| tenting herself with few delicate attention,
| and taking good care that Aurelie's hand should
be apparent in everything that was done.
| Count Charles was the FIST to act A note
| from him to his mother carried Joy to tina.
| anxious heart. Hastily summoning Aurelie,
Mime. d'Athis handed her the poets epistle
| which read as follows:
| Dear Mother: Pardon me that ask you and
Mademoissile de seychelles to come TO me. Ny
| physician has forbidden me to leave the house
| Yours in all love and respect, Charles"
| "Aurelie, my darling" cried the countess
| dowager, throwing her arms around the young
| girls neck and kissing her tenderly, there are
| glad tidings. He surrenders at last. Oh, my
| daughter, how long and how eagerly have
! yearned for this happy moment
| And yet, some way or other, Nine. d'Athis
heart made painful halt as she crossed the
| threshold of her sons apartments. But the
poets sunshinr smile dissipated all her appre-
hension for after Count Charles had spoken a
few tender words to her he turned and greeted
| Mademoiselle de Seychelles with frank cordial
ity.
Mother" he began in q low, almost solemn
tone of voice, Il have always striven to keep
steadily in mind the debt which / owe You, q
debt unpaysble at best, but a debt to which
your inexhausuble tenderness has made such
| drought mere gratitude to have no wish, nc
| thought in conflict with yours"
Nine. dAthis' lips parted.
| But mother. the time has come when our
wills must part company, ay more, perhaps our
| hands must fall apart, TOO. L do not love,
never have loved this fair and accomplished
| maideu-"
"Merciful heaven, my son." calculated Nine.
L 4 l..