San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1891-05-08

The minstrel laughed, donned his frag-
ment of hat and arose. Once erect he
looked quite manly and handsome, despite
his rags. His brown hair was curly and
bright, with reddish lights shot through
it, and on his face young neglected beard
grew in soft, rimpled confusion. He picked
up his guitar and slung it's strap over his
shoulder, at the same time handling a
long, rude staff
Again the young man with the gun
| looked him over from head to foot.
Monsieur has not breakfasted yet pre-
sume'" he presently said, with a light,
graceful gesture.
mo; usually breakfast tomorrow"
responded Andre, returning the gesture
with an increment of humorous sugges-
ton.
IF monsieur will kindly honor me l
| should be glad to invite him to breakfast
| with me at my fathers house yondern
ooh, with deep pleasure; thank you,
monsieur"
"Come. then"
"You are very kind, monsieur"
They strobe side by side along the hedge
| till they came to an opening, then they
crossed the little field to the great oaken
| gate.
The sun was now well up in the east and
shining gloriously. From the bayou came
| the leaping breeze to worry the long moss
| on the spreading boughs and to make the
| leaves clash and rustic like the stir Of
| heavy silk.
Andre looked up the avenue and saw q
slender girl standing on the step of YER
| 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 motif 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 trifle 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 well set heads,
| their 1.-THE bodies and graceful limbs match
ing almost perfectly.
| Eve call our place the Chateau d'Ar-
|
| as they approached the veranda. My
have your"
ANDRE Duval."
| Monsieur Duval, little sister; my sister,
Mademoiselle d'Armand," said the young
man, with graceful lightness and yet with
| dignity.
The girl smiled sweetly, but there was a
| Of in bar CHI in
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 said, THE
poor fellow is starving" she could not
have been surer of his meaning.
| breakfast is waiting, l 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,"
| said Andre, with a shrug and reminis.
| cent smile.
| AT this moment a magnificent parrot
| cried out from its perch on an antler hang
| ing near:
"Venez icil Venez icil Un maroufel
| finD
''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 Mademoisele 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-
| gether to the breakfast room.
AS they were crossing the hall the parrot
screamed out:
"Begone, you ragamuffin, begone, quick!
Hol Ho! Ho!'
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-a
rustic castle, so to Say-a sylvan chateau.
1t was a wooden structure of ample dimen
sions, built after the crudest design and
finished in a rude way, but yet it reflected
at every turn solid taste and that refine
ment which comes of a 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
stepped in the atmosphere of centuries.
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
presente to Madame aud Monsieur d'Ar-