Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1891-03-19

anda in the dusky shadows of the trees
She was dressed in white and looked not
unlike tall, pure flower. Instantly wave
of shame came over him. He stopped just
inside the gate.
"Come on, monsieur" said his com
panion.
''But, no." he exclaimed, 81 cannot.
am not-I"- He glanced down over his
clothes.
'Do not think of that" urged the other
in soft persuasion. at makes no differ
ence if monsieur is a trifie travel worn
That is nobody but my little sister,"
He grasped Andres arm and led him
right along while he was speaking. The
two young men were like twins in size
their athletic shoulders and we'll set heads
their 1.-THE bodies and graceful limbs match
ing almost perfectly.
1--WE call our place the Chateau d'Ar
mand," said the young man in Andres cal
as they approached the veranda. ''My
name is Nation d'Armand; what name
have your"
"Andre DuvaI."
Monsieur Duval, little sister; my sister
Mademoiselle d'Armand," said the your
man, with graceful lightness and yet with
dignity.
The girl smiled sweetly, but there was a
reserve of wonder in her eyes as she invol-
UNFAIRLY swept them over Andres form.
Her brother managed to make sundry
signs to her which she interpreted readily,
and from them she caught the spirit of
Nations hospitality. If he had scid, 'The
poor fellow is starving" she could not
have been surer of his meaning.
breakfast is waiting, [ believe" she
said, stepping backward to let them pass
into the hall. "And you found no game
this morning brother miner" she added to
Nation.
''His dog captured me, Mademoiselle, u
said Andve, with shrug and reminis-
cent smile.
At this moment magnificent parrot
cried out from its perch on an antler hang
ing near:
''Venez icil Venez icil On maroufe!
Rol Ho! Hop Come herel A ragamuf-
fnD
"The bird discriminates with accuracy. -
added Andre.
Everybody laughed; it was impossible
not to do it.
Nation laid his gun on buckhorn rack
and took Andres battered hat and hung it
beside his own; then said:
"Come this way, please"
They bowed to Mademoiselle Armand,
and Andre followed his young host into a
room where he was left to battle his face
and make ready for breakfast, a silent
black boy standing by to serve him at
need.
A few minutes later Nation came to in
quire if he was ready, and they went to-
pether to the break fast room
AS they were crossing the hall the parrot
screamed out:
"Begone, you ragamuffin, BECOME, quick!
Ho! Hot Hop
Andre Duval found himself in house
worth studying; it was place to charm
the eye of the artist, the poet, the dreamer.
Here, indeed, was a provincial palace
rustic castle, so to say-a sylvan chateau
1t was wooden structure of ample dimen-
sions, built after the crudest design and
finished in a rude way, but yet it reflected
at every turn a solid taste and that refine
ment which comes of long line of refined
ancestors. The roughly carved oak cell
ings, the massive wall panels, the great
dark stairs in the hall, the ancient pict-
ures, the tapestries, the ponderous mahog-
any furniture-all these seemed to be
SSSSP>o
He remembered having seen such things
during his childhood in France.
Andre followed his young host into the
large, airy breakfast room, where he was
presented to Madame and Monsieur d Ar
mand. The master of the place was a short
sturdy, dark man, gentle and winning in
his manners, while madame, his wife, was
tall, stately, reserved, though by no means
lacking in affability. Mademoiselle Hor-
tense, the daughter, sat opposite Andre at
the table.
Somehow our vagabon j forgot his battered
clothes and sunbrowned face in the midst
of the pleasant chatter that followed.
Moreover, he did not eat over heartily for
one who had tasted so long. True, he did
ample justice to the yenison the fish, the
eggs, the hot rolls and II goodly number of
other toothsome comesoibles, but he man
aged not to appear ravenous.
After breakfast the gentlemen had CT
gars, and then Andre was asked to sing.
Of course he could not refuse, though his
heart almost failed him at thought of sing
ing in the presence of Mademoisalle Hor-
tense d'ArmGnd. He could scarcely trust
himself to look at her, for her sweet,
bright face sent all sorts of wild thrills
through his heart. Foolish feilowl He
thought to himself that to spend one hour
in such company was ample reward for all
the privation he had endured since land
ing at New Orleans.
When once he began to sing the trepida.
ton left him. Luckily, perhaps, he tried
some old French songs. At least the eff
feet was all that he could have wished for
His four auditors showed tears in their
eyes before he was done, and when he arose
to resume his tramp, and was thanking
them for their generou and touching kind
ness, it was Madelloiselle Hortense who
suggested that whole day of rest would
be good for Monsieur Duval. All the rest
of the household joined at once in this
thought, and so Andre staid not for one
day only, but for many days. He asked
for writing materials, and scrawled long
epistle which he begged Nation to post
for him. 1t was addressed to Louis Val
more, Due de Montpensier, Paris. This
caused Nation to open his eyes and won
der why this strolling minstrel should be
writing to so great a man as the Duo de
Montpensier. He showed the superscrip
ton to his parents and to his sister. Ger
talnly it was mystery.
Next morning servant came into An
dre's room with a great armful Of clothes
and card, on which was written:
please accept these to serve you until
you can hear from home"
He could not refuse kindness coming in
this way; to have done SO would have
wounded some one, perhaps all, of his
generous entertainers. He may, moreover,
have taken half pathetic delight in going
downstairs dressed from head to foot like
a gentleman; and what a change it made
in his appearance! Mademoiselle Hortense,
when she met him in the hall, looked at
him with a pretty little start and blushed
crimson. He was not less confused than
she, and so they stood moment in awk-