Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1891-10-29
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Copyrighted. BY.hkEaeHs Prey. ASSOCIATION 1881.

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Life in Provence Is gnul for fancy t.
feed on. and for stuff out Of winch L.
build romance: but 1t Is not conducive
TO earnest thought and worthy effort to
ward great achievements"
But what was our old chateau hkeg
she demanded, did you fetch any sou
venir from its ruinsT
"Yes," he replied, II brought quite a
number You shall examine them some
day. One in particular will, if mistake
not, affect you very strangely when you
see it.
"Oh, what is it?" she cried, in her ex.
citement leaning heavily on his arm and
gazing eagerly up into his face
ut is something very beautiful, he
responded; 81 don't believe | ought to
forestan or weaken your surprise by any
attempt at description; and besides, /
wish to see if you will adopt my view
when you have seen the-the-well, let's
call it the Chenier Souvenir"
you have set my heart to fluttering, /"
she naively said, carrying her free hand
to her breast.
mine is disturbed too," he replied.
"It's really exciting, isn't itP" she went
on, not dreaming of what his words were
meant to convey.
While | think Of it," he said, chang
ing his tone, sis Rosalie a name that
runs back in your family"
st was my fathers grandmother
name; it may date much farther up the
hne," she replied; papa says it is a
Chenier name. But why do you ask?"
1.-THE name is common in France.
heard it often while | was there, and
Chenier also. | met one Chenier who
was baron, and another who was a
wooden shod laborer in the vineyards. {"
But the souvenir
"Ah, yes, shall show you that when
can. 1t is among my traps at Chicago.
| did not have time to unpack, you
know. was rushed off down here with
out even a breathing space. have
written to have lot Of things for
warded and the souvenir is included. It
must remain profound and beautiful
mystery until it arrives"
81 can't bear mysteries and waiting"
she exclaimed with real vehemence. 81
shall lose all interest unless you tell me
now"
he stopped and looked down into her
sweet gray-brown eyes, he thought he
saw repressed tears in them. They were
wholly the eyes Of child now. Her
lips were red as cherries.
sit is a small gold cross with the let
ters R. G. on it," he said, with a prompt
ness that almost amounted to bluntness
lit is very beautiful"
"Oh, and where did you get it2" she
exclaimed.
AT the Chateau Chenier. A peasant
who lives there dug it up in the garden
l paid an enormous price for it. The r.
G. must stand for Rosalind Chenier, you
know"
"How stranger" she murmured in a
musing way, with her eyes cast down
"Papa has the story of that cross in
manuscript, written in Provencal It is
beautiful legend. called The Maid of
the Mistral.'"
Julian smiled at her simple faith, but
he would not have clouded it for the
world. A great love for her had fastened
itself upon him; it was struggling for
expression, and yet he felt sure he ought
not to speak She seemed too much a
child 10 have the fire of his passion re-
vealed to her-it might destroy her as a
fame would destroy a flower
"Was the Maid of the Mistrar love
storyT' he asked.
"Oh, yes, and so sweetI Alphonse, the
knight, was so brave. and Rosalie, the
Maid of the Mistral. was warm and true
and good, and they loved each other SO
dearly You know the mistral is wind
in Provence; the maid would sit upon
and play her lutte and sing, and her
lover would hear her, no matter where
he was, because the mistral would take
her song and the lutte chords and bear
them to him. She gave him the cross
when he went away to fight for his king,
and he wore it on his heart through the
far east. Whenever ne would hear her
singing and playing the lutte he would
kiss'the cross, and when she had finished
she would kiss the ruby ring he had
given her I cannot tell you all his ad-
ventures; but at last he returned, and
they were married on the castle wall
while the mistral was blowing"
Very sweet, he said, "all those old,
old stories are-shall tell you one?"
The blood had suddenly flowed in upon
his heart; his face was pale, and his voice
was low and husky
She looked up quickly, as if to confirm
thought, and sudden flush spread
over her face; her eyes fell at once. His
passion had betrayed him.
II am neglecting my guests, she
tremblingly exclaimed; "see, some of
them are going. You must excuse me-