The morning call., 1891-02-15

. :: Evidently the words had panied her, bat
> size met ME with a smile when | was pre-
s'selted TO her, and | felt certain that her
. soft brown eyes were searching my face
carefully to see whether there was any truth
in the warning she had received Again
and again did l surprise her with her gaze
:, Tlve,ed upon my face. She was cOmmuning
with her soul. What would her decision be?
q About this time word came that Martial.
- the ElOn OF the South, a renowned wrestler
you'll attend a feie at Toulouse, and the
>+waLls we're filed with posters Summoning
every country Hercules from far and near
to match his strength against the champion.
=. When nv mother learned of my intention
to face the terrible Martial. she broke out in
!. loud 1amentation. He might snap one ofmy
lin bS-Inlure me for life, nay. possibly leave
me dead in the arena. But / laughed at all
such fears, and when the dav came / walked
: lfnly mo the ring amid the encouraging
: viyas Of tens Of thousands Of admirers.
The struggle must have been a magnificent
. one to contemplate, for we were very evenly
patched IN strength, but l had the greater
=: agility and staying powers. ! could hear
!. his breathing grow more and more labored.
Then. ! felt that victory was mine, and,
Wilhaa fond hope that the beautiful Marie
: vas watching NE. l lifted my colossal an
-: tagouist high in theaiT and landed him upon
. his hack with his shoulders pressed firmly
: against The ground. A mighty outburst Of
Applause grr eted me, and now a real danger
: threatened my lie for the vast assemblage
..
:. away. pushed, dragged forth to be finally
!: lifted into carriage and drawn through the
streets. like a hero of old.
. l searched every balcony to find MaIie's
=. sweet face. She was nowhere 10 be seen,
= and. the glory OF my triumph suddenly went
out. And yet she was there. She had
= Witnessed my victory, but had shrunk from
= the notorlety which my salutatiOn would
have brought upon her.
. \ 9w 1t was that my strength of mind gave
. away for the first, and / may say for the last
time My head was turned by the praise
-" Mhlch:the public shOwered upon me as the
:: cOnqueTOr of the Lion of the South. | let
:: them make dem-god Of me. ! let them
=. persuade me that | was more than human,
and at last / rame really to deserve the rash
:: Charge that feared neither God nor man
. :. But think You this frightened Marie away
!: from me2 No; it sent her to me. She saw
that l was rushing along to my destruction; ;
she r-adZed that she alone could save me.
But it would cost her a struggle. Her
:. friends, her family cried ont to her to keep
: out Of my pathway; that, although | might
hegin by smiling upon her, L was little
:. better than brute, with a brute's strength
aud a brute'S ferocity, and that in the end l
p would trample her in my fury.
Finally | resolved TO make formal de-
: mand for Marie's hand, and to ask Father
Roubieu to set the day fer our marriage.
; The old patriarch-for he was 20 past
received me with the utmost friendlness,
and after little g0od-humored raillery my
request was granted, and Marie's soft, white
= hand was laid in mine. / was beside N.Y.
self with joy. | tossed her I'D as a father
would his child. | caught her thick cluster
of hair in my hands and hid my ia. g in It,
Every oae laughed at me, but didn't care.
However, at last the teasing became too
troublesome. took my beautiful sweet
heart by the hand and we ran away in
!: the direction OF the river. 1t had rained
;. great deal of late, and the Garonne was
- swollen and angry. The villagers of Saint
j at he riu M
make a sudden rise, but Father Roubieu
had laughed at the warning
>. Marie and had reached the slope of the
; bank and were strolling along hand in hand,
when suddenly terrible cry of mingled
fear and horror burst up0n our ears.
81 The river! the riverl" it shrieked
-. / halted and caught Marie up III my arms,
: as il 20 save her from some savage beast.
The water was at our very feet ] sprang
lightly up.the bank, but it followed me with
). swift and relentless fury, bubbling. gurgling,
rushing, ioaming. With my beloved clasped
tightly to my breast, broke into a run. 1t
; was needed, LOT, as glanced behind. was
horrted to see the two feeble cid peasants
who had uttered the shrek of terror over
= taken and engulfed in the torrent.
God alone Is unconquerable, dear Gas
dearest, if you can't save me! Pm not
afraid Of death, and it win be so sweet to
die in your arms."
raised my loved burden higher on my
. breast ana pressed II against my face as
ran. 1t seemed as if | were carrying an
armiul OF sweet shrubs and wild flowers, so
delclousiy fragrant to me was this burden
of mime, so feathery light SO unlike any
thing on earth. My kisses fell on her hair
- and. arms and hands as l bounded along
:. With the flood at my heels. | was not fright
ened, Twas strangely calm. l knew that
could reach Father Roubieu's farmhouse
before the waters could get there and once
matted IN pure bravery and muttered an
oath as looked over the long stretch of in
undated heldsi but soft hand closed my
lips.
" We are only helpless children, Gaspard.
unless God gives us strength" said Marie
In a fe~ moments / had reached the farm
house, and as set my burden down in the
hallway the waters burst into the ont
buildings. and the piteous cries of the
drowning cattle were heartrending.
Father Roubieu called out to US to join
. the others on the floor above. The ever ris-
ing flood soon forced us all to take refuge
on the roof. There were twelve of us In
all, Father R0ubieu and his brother Pierre.
and their sister Agatha, Roubieu's son, Jac-
ques, with his wife. Rose. and their three
children. First Aimee, Cyprien Bonis-
sons wife. who was the mother of two little
children, Ronbieu's great grandchildren;
the second, Veronica. unmarried, and the
third my betTothed, the gentle and beautiful
Marie so unlike them all as to seem to be
the Angel of the household.
There was terrible but beautiful grand