Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1890-12-04

from the ice fields of the boreal pole.
Yegor, who spoke English with tolerable
fuency, acted as spokesman and interpreter
He explained as best he could to his COM
panions, as they went along, the wonders OF
the strange city in which they found them
selves.
Captain Andreyef took leave of them at
the railroad depot, promising to visit them
in France as soon as he could return his
vessel to its owners in Trieste. The fare
well was affecting in the extreme Nadege
and Ladislas wept outright; Yegor and NJ.
Lafeur silently wrung the captains hand,
and tears stood in their eyes, too. AS to
Wab, the intelligent animal, which had &C
companied its master on board the Francis
Joseph and been his companion during the
voyage, licked the tips of Boris fingers as
if in token Of adieu.
Once rafting over the Pacific railroad, the
enthusiastic NJ. Lafeur could no longer con-
tain himself.
''Vive la iberte!" he almost shouted sew
eral times: he was with difficulty prevented
from producing his pocket violin and tri-
umphantly playing the Marseilles Hymn be-
DO be calm, Monsieur Laf1eur!" said
Nadege, at last, trif1e impatiently
'Impossible!" cried the excited French
man. The atmosphere of the United
States is so full of Freedom that it intoxi-
Gates mel"
New York was reached in due time and,
after few days rest at a quiet hotel, the
party sailed for France.
Joyous chimes were pealing in the town
Of Chateau-Thierry, and the streets of La
Fontaine's birthplace were alive with merry
throngs. The peasants were chatting to-
gether with charming French viyacity: the
gentle folks watched the progress of the
fete with evident relish. Garlands Of white
roses hung everywhere, and some munif
cent hand had provided a repast in the
public square to which everybody had free
access.
What was the cause of the joyous chimes
and this festivity? Whose was the hand
that had spread the feast2
Two peasant girls were talking earnestly
at street corner.
"What did you say the brides name was,
Marie?" asked one Of them.
Il can't pronouce til" replied the other.
but it sounds heathenish and they say she
is Russian escaped from Siberia!"
"And the bridegroom, Marie-what is his
name?"
'Worse than the other! I could never
master it if I tried all my life!"
SIS he Russian, too?"
"Oh yes! And Pauline told me last night
| that he was exiled to Siberia for trying to
murder the Gar! He looks as if he could
murder anybodyl"
Goodness gracious But hush, Marie,
! they are coming from the church-the civil
marriage was performed at the mayors Of
fee yesterday, was it not?"
eyes, Rerthe-but will you never stop
talking?"
The two peasant girls relapsed into sill
ence; at that moment, emerging from the
church, the bridal procession advanced up
the street.
Nadege and Yegor came first. Nadege,
in white satin dress and with wreath of
orange blossoms browning her fiaxen hair,
was the very incarnation of beauty; Yegor,
clad in the usual attire of bridegroom, had
quite a Partisan look.
NJ Lafeur followed, holding little Lads
las by the hand
Then came host of the dancing masters
relatives.
! The procession was greeted with loud and
! joyous shouts from the men, while the wo-
| men and girls waved their handkerchiefs
| and scattered flowers along it's path.
At last, a small but very picturesque cot
tage was reached. 1t was M. Lafleurs
property. Every door in it was open, and
every window admitted the fragrant sum-
| mer air which seemed anxious to kiss the
cheek of the fair bride as she stood in her
new home.
M. Lafeur had thoroughly reitted his
cottage on his return to Chateau hierry.
1t glistened with glossy paint, the furniture
was all new and in the parlor, spread out
| upon several tables, was the dancing-mas-
ter's famous collection of Siberian curiosi-
ties that was to gain him honorable mention
from all the Swans in France.
When Nadege and Yegor had entered the
parlor, number Of invited guests gathered
about them to wish them joy. When they
stood aside, Ladislas came shyly up and
took his adopted sisters hand. Nadege
bent down and kissed him, and as she did
so the remembrance of his devotion to her
and of their mutual peril amid the polar ice
| flashed over her like a dream. Tears glis-
tened in her eyes. YegOr instinctively COM
pretended what was taking place within
her, and he TOO, bent down and kissed the
little Pole
Then NJ. La1eur came forward; he took
the bride and groom each by the hand, at
the same time CALAMITY impressing a kiss on
| Nadege's finger tips.
''Yegor and Nadege," said he, ''this is, in
deed, happy day! [ congratulate you both
with all my soul. Of course, you under
stand that you are to live with me. The
late Madame Lafieur must have a successor
in Nadege, and you and she, Yegor, must be
the comfort of my declining years-thougb
to be sure, am not yet very old"
'You should get married, too, Monsieur
Lafeur!" said Nadege, slyly
'Oh, no! The shade Of the lamented Mad
anne Lafleur forbid! Vive la libertc.n
The wedding dinner was announced, and
the bridal party and guests went into tn
dining-room where a sumptuous repast was
| spread.
When all were seated Nj. Lafeur, the
| incorrigible M. Lafeur. said to the guests
! MY friends, 1 regret exceedingly that
upon this happy occasion l cannot offer you
roasted elk's head, boiled seal fat, smoked
reindeer tongues or any of the far-famed
delicacies with which the Siberian festive
| board is so literally stocked; but you must
try to exist without them, and devote your
attention to such commonplace viands as the
local larder affords. l must also ask YOU tC
accept this champagne-upon my honor as q
Frenchman did not manufacture it myself
in lieu of fermented mares milk, the
koumis of the Yakoutes"
A hearty laugh went round the table, and