The morning call., 1890-11-09

most distinguished appearance, her beautiful
features being admirably set off by great
wealth Of snow-white hair fairly burst into
the room.
Mother" "My sonr' were the words
rapidly exchanged, and then, scarcely wait
ing until Count Charles had had chance TO
press a hasty kiss upon her forehead, the
Countess Dowager threw herself on her
knees beside the sleeping babe.
For an instant her eyes were riveted in
-breathless silence upon that little face, her
lips were parted and her gloyed hand
ciutrhed nervOusly at the embroidered
coverlet but almost as quickly the tears
filed her eyes aud smile of great sweet
ness spread over her placid. motherly face.
ION. my son, how beautiful he Isl she
murmured. 4" How very beautiful! How
like YOUR father. Thank heaven for that!
But l must have him in my arms. dear
Charles. l must have him on my BOSOM"
The poet was but too willing to have his
mother lift the babe from its nest, for he
felt quite confident that when its glorious
eyes, so full Of wOnderment, were liked
upon the Countess Dowager little Roberts
triumph would be complete. And so it hap
pened, only Count Charles, poet though he
was, was forced 10 admit that i'll its widest
exubrrance his fancy had not been able 10
string together One-half as many pet names,
poetic terms Of tndearmelt and expressions
OF tenderness as welled up from that grand
mother heart But after an hour spent in
tossing. coddling and cosseting the light
hearted little being. which reelprocated the
Countess attentions with an Apparently
ineXhaustibe supply Of smiles and gOugous,
the grandmother seemed suddenly to come
20 herself, and with few words OF adieu to
her son, Withdrew from his apartments.
Scarcely had the door closed behind the
Countess DGwager when female figure,
clad in a loose silk house robe, richly garni-
tured with lace, glided across the room as if
DARING II ask fpr Of the inter-
view, passed an arm in silence around the
poets neck
Just as l expected. my darling Irma,"
said Count Charles, mother Is delighted
with hin. How could it be otherwise,
dearest There never was anything quite
50 beautiful as our little Robert. By the
way, Irma, I've destroyed those verses
which | made yesterday and am going to
try again. Ny art never seemed so helpless
as it does now
"Wil your mother come again soon,
Charles ?" timidly inquired the young
woman addressed as Irma.
ION, bless your heart, yes" cried Count
Charles; every other day for the present.
and when the weather is fair I've promised
that Robert shall be carried to see her now
and then. These grandmothers Irma, are
very eXactng, and we must submit to their
whims. my dearest, with as good a grace as
possible"
4 troubled look oyerspread the strangely
beautiful face which was bent over Count
Charles and the faultlessly rounded arm
still encircling his neck frightened convul-
sively.
BE patient and trust in me, my darling, z"
were the words which fell from his lips.
In spite of the native dignity of the young
woman, and the rich and elegant gown
which she wore, she seemed to be out of
place as she stood there by the poets side.
Grace she had, but it was of a wild and
woodland quality, and her skin lacked the
delicacy Of the high-bred woman, and yet
there was such purity of outline about her
face and figure, and her shapely head WAS
Ioised SO eXquisitely upon her shoulders
that she seemed as Count Charles was wont
to say, like Greek goddess returning sun
burnt from summers outing" Certainly
there was that about her which seemed to
entitle her to the claim playfullv made in
her behalf by the poet that she was a
daughter of the East and that one Of her
ancestors was among the number OF Greek
c0lOnsS who settled at Marsellles in the
olden time. But in sober fact lrma Sale
was of the humblest origin, being daughter
OF a poacher who was still alive and whose
cottage stood Oh the edge of Rambouillet
Forest where Irma had been reared and
where, barefooted, bareheaded and bare
armed, she had ranged in shadow and sun
shine and had acquired the wild woodland
grace and delicious abandon of the true
child of nature, which had served her so
well in later life.
When scarcely arrived at womanhood
stories Of her beauty had been borne 10 Paris
by strolling artists, and it was not long be-
fore old Father Sale was moved by visions
OF a golden harvest to send his daughter to
the great city of the plain, where her eX-
qlisite Greek face s9on looked from the can
vases of the eminent painters OF the day, and
was eagerly sought after by the visitors Of
the various exhibitions.
Irma was oppressed by her sudden fame
hut u htlp If wed her II fascinated her and
she gave herself up to its full enjoyment as
if il were as harmless as mad chase through
RambOuillet Forest.
D'Athis' verses had more than once added
Verve and zest to Irma's bewitchng person.
atty, although her portrait had been his sole
inspiration. Now. however, the hour was
drawing near when their paths were to
cross.
Upon leaving the theater one night he had
lnterfeTed to save woman from insult, as
he thought, at the hands of two men, each
OF whom insisted that he was her chosen
escort. ID Athis had achieved greatness as
duelist even before he had acquired fame
as poet, and when, with the wisdom of
Solomon, he proposed to settle the dispute
by Offering himself as the lady's escort and
champion, all three accepted this happy
ending TO what promised to degenerate into
a brearh of the peace.
Thus Irna Sale entered the life of Count
Charles d'Athis. He found her ignorant,
willful and deceitful. he began by teach
ing her to read, and sho ended by teaching
him To love her, although time and again the
impetuous child OF nature broke away from
the gentler lessons of affection and respect,
yet such was the hold that d. Athis had upon
her better nature that she invariably re-
turned to him, and at last returned TO stay
and become his wife.
Count Charles happiness knew no bounds
when he saw that this fair garden. which
had so lately threatened to run to noisome
weeds and poisonous vines, was now in a
fair way TO gladden. his heart and enhance
his soul with its fragrance. He had in his
poets dreamings pictured such a woman,
and passages like the following seemed to
long for the coming of Irma:
Oh, TO be loved with love that is warm
AS the radiant isles OF Greece;
Oh 20 be loved wish love that Is true
As the tide to the moons increase
One day just as little Roberts toilet had
been completed for one Of his customary
visits to the Countess Dowager. theisun sud-
denly disappeared and the weather thick