Lewiston teller. [volume] (Lewiston, North Idaho) 1878-1900, 1891-01-29
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A THRILLING STORY OF THE
FRANCO-PRUSSIAN WAR.
BY MAURICE LEGRAND.
CHAPTER II.
A WEDDING GIFT.

~ Tho family OF LerOux had Occu-
pied it for generations past. 1t
had come down from father to son sue
cessive!y, each new owner accepting it
as his birth-right, and bringing TO it
tho toll and care, and THRIFT which
slowly and surrey brought riches and
comforts in their train.
Pierre Lerouz. tho present possessor,
had succeeded to its ownership while
still young. Unlike most of his race
who had been keen, sharp witted. un-
learned, hard working men, he was
fonder of book-lOre than of the market
place and the corn-fields, less sharp in
bargaining than generous in giving,
shy and reserved, but of stric'est vir ue
and truest charity, a man whom many
misjudged and bu few loved.
"A good son and kind MASTER" so
the people sa d, "but too much of
dreamer, and easily outwilted; with no
eye for Il girls merry smile. and no
care for the passage Of the wine-cup ut
the village tavern" Up to 80 years
| of age he had never seemed to gi
! thong hit or chances to woman, but then
suddenly and unexpectedly he had
taken the fever OF love in its worst and
| most dangerous form. Ninetta Dax
was the lOveliest girl, the archest CO.
| quette and the worst match in the viii
lage. She certainly was also no very
last woman in the world any ono could
expect to subjugate the quiet reserved
Pierre Leroux. Nevertheless she had
done SO with scarce ap effort. lie
loved her at first sight, and with no
thought of question as to who she
might be.
The glory OF her beauty dazzed and
intoxicated him, till his sight grew
blind and his brain reeled, and from
that hour he had but ono thought, one
resolve left-to win her.
A life once launched on the temptu-
GUS sea OF passion. is not one to be en-
We'd. No more was Pierre Leroux's.
He passed through fcvers OF jealousy.
through fires OF intoxica,ion, through
thorns OF dclirious joy. and rest ess
Pain and sweet idolatry. His very
GOODNESS and Indifference hithel to only
made him an easier and surer captive
his whole lie was filed with but
one memory--and dead 10 all else.
Ninettc at first coluetted with-then
feared-then loved this devoted and
yet timid wooer His eyes spoke,
even though his lips were dumb-he
scarce knew himself how much they
betrayed, how p ainly their pathetic
entreaties told of the love consum nS
him of the Madness and tumult III 1t
wee at one G SO mingled and SO me-
less to his own bewilde ed brain. In
his strong young manhood, with the
loyal faith. the daunilcss courage. the
honesty and truth that made his ma
ture at once so noble nd SO great, he
lay at this ii Is mercy as utterly "a il
he were a reed 10 be broken-a raw
on a rivers current. She ii. st gloried
in her power, then grew afraid OF it
af. aid, because the game begun in
carclessness had turned 10 such terrible
c. .rnestness-afraid, because she had
hitherto won love without scruple.
and played with it as heedlessly as a
child, yet now something OF it, pain
and Joy and wonder had touched her
too; all that was purest. tende t. most
generous in her untu Ored nature had
been called 70 tn, and for the hrs
time the worth OF II great
passion shamed her own un-
worthiness. Had she but known it
this very fee'lng proved her love to be
ut last true-at last woman y-fOr it is
the greatest and most exalted type OF
woman's passion when she fe Is lis
very depth and devotion arc yet far
short OF what she would have them.
when she lays them at the feet o the
man who has won her heart, and
!, deems the gift-nothiny.
In every grade OF life-in every
type and phase OF eharacter-how tho
old story repeats itself!
The love OF these two-a village girl
and Norman miller-might not TEEN
to possess any striking characteristics,
and yet the elemen Of tragedy lay
beneath 1.-THE mater. ais of romance
terrible in its pa,hOs. grand In IL
truth