The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1891-10-14


wrote a long letter to his mother, and
the act brought tears to his eyes. 1t
was hardly finished when ring at the
front door bell made him start, and
few seconds later the door Of his room
opened and q servant announced:
"Madame the Countess de Villemere."
He stood up and turning pale, ex.
claimed:
"Odettei"
The young woman, however, stopped
In the doorway, and with a frowning
glance said coldly
"This is a senseless joke"
"a jokel' he exclaimed. "What do
you meant"
"You sent me dispatch saying that
you were dying, and l find you sittin g
up writing. Good day, SIR"
She turned round and was leaving
him, when he said:
''Listen, Odette; let me explain, en-
treat you. See, read this letter-only
look at 1t oncei"
He handed her the letter he had Just
written to his mother, and when she had
glanced at the first page, she said;
"Then it is true. Oh, my poor darl-
ing"
Tne next minute she had thrown her
self upon his neck and burst into sobs.
Long they stood there, clasped in a
close embrace which seemed to contain
their regrets for their few months of
happiness and their remorse for their
wasted years. At last they sat down,
hand in hand, struck dumb, over
whelmed with sorrow. But the Count
recollected what was due to the dignity
of his noble ancestors, one OF whom, his
grandfather had whistled an air from
the Indies Galantes as he mounted the
scalfold in 1913.
''Bahl" said Raymond, with smile.
81 have nothing to complain Of; ought
to feel thankful for being allowed to die
of a Inalady which will be the fashion
o-morrow--" but Odette stopped him
with glance Of reproach. Women are
not fond of such iorny.
Then they talked of the past in low
tones, as if they were already In funeral
chamber, and in spite of themselves they
smiled at the thought of the days gone
by. When they glanced round the room
many triaing object served to recall
some event which occurred before their
marriage. A hunting scene hanging ON
the wall made them hear once moro the
merry "Hallalisl Whoopl" piercing the
November mist, and they spoke Of their
long rides side by side over
the dried leaves Of the forest.
Some tiny dusty fans on tho
mantcl carried them back to o cotillon
danced together and to their filtration
under the exotic plants in the green
house. Then they wandered in fancy
along the green, cool pathways of the
Bois de Boulogne, lunched In the Chi
nese Pavilion, and came back by the
Champs -Elysees to the busy, bustling
city, parting for few hours only, i'm
patient to meet again (after the tiresome
club and the five o'clock tea) at the
opera, or, still better, to pass a quiet
evening together at her home.
Raymond and Odette were so busy
with their "reminiscences that they lost
all sense of time, and of the catastrophe
which had brought them together again.
A ring at the front door roIsed them
suddenly, and they looked at each other
in acute anguish.
"Monlseur, Doctor Darlois, " said ser.
want as the door OF the room opened,
and the new conner exclaimed in amaze
ment.
"Whatt Up2 And came to"
"To what9" asked Raymond do Ville-
mere.
~ came in order to report your
death, " said tho physician.
"Thanlks for the attention, Doctor"
said the Count with a smile, and Madame
de Villemere exclaimed anxiously,
''He is cured them"
Evidently, Madame. 1t is very
strange, the Echo deS Cliaiques Of last
week gave a most conclusive article on
Mona. However, am sincerely thank
ful, quite delighted"
The good man was glad, of course,
but yet at the bottom of his heart there
was tiny grain of annoyance.
The Couut whispered in his wife's
ear:
"Shall we ask him to dine with us
this evening, dearl"--From tho French,
in ED0ch,