The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1891-01-15
TRUE TO MADELINE.
a Pretty stuvy Told bv EsaIlo xasn, Eta.
Ter Of ErauS.li Efir.AI.a


ter Of Frsnch Eioeiea.
You remember, my friends, that sweet
sTring-tiuo when wo won't to see him in
his littlo house OF Clamart? jacques
mot us with his amiable smile and wo
diucd under tho nrbor covered with vir-
Gin vines. while Paris beyond murmurcd
in tho falling night.
You mover knew his life. I, who grow
up side by side with him. can tell you
OF his heart Ito. lived ut CLAIMANT for
two years with his littlo blonde wife.
who died SO quietly. IL Is o history sad
and Misunderstanding.
jacques had mot Madeline ut the ieto
ut St Cloud. llc began to love her be-
cause sho was sad and suffering. Ito
wished bcforo that poor child was laid
away in tho ground to give her two sea.
sons OF love. SO he went to hide him.
Golf with her In that little plot Of SroL nd
ut Clamart where tho roscs crowded
oaoh othor like flowers gono crazy.
You know tho house. Is was worry
modest. all white, hidden like q most In
tho Grocn foliage. Jacques littio by lit
tlo was possessed with IN infinite lovo
for the dying ono. lie watched the NAL
edy gaining ground daily With bitter
tenderness. Madeline, like @ wax night
tapcr which throws brilliant light juss
before 1t goes ont illumined tho white
house with her blue Dyes.
During two seasons tho child seldom
won't out She fillod tho tiny garden
with her charming spirit, her light
robos. her gcntlc footballs It was sho
who planted those wild gilly Covers
from which sho made US bouquets; and
tho geranium, tho heliotropc, tho
rhododcndrons only lived through her
and for hcr.
She WAS tho soul OF that corner Of
nature
jacques camo to VS. md said huskily:
''She is dead"
She had died under tho Yinc-Crown
erbor like al infant TINT falls asleep, at
that hour when tho LIN IL sinking 70
rest. She had died in tho midst Of lboso
verdurcs in tho Wild gap where lovo
had soothed two years of her agony.
never saw jacques again.
] know that he still lived on ct Cla-
mart, under the arbor in memory Of
Madeline.
Soon tho sicgo commenced was SO
broken with fatigue that thought no
moro OF him. Eut tho morning OF tho
18th, learning that they were lighting
on tho side OF Mcndon and Sevrcs, saw
again in memory tho little white house
hidden by green foliage.
So loft tho gate of vauvos and
walked on. Tho roads were encountered
with wounded. SO arrived at Mouli.
neaux. whcro ! heard OF our victory;
but when l turned tue wood and entered
the gap terrible emotion tore my
heart
Before mo on tho rava-cd ground
saw no longer tho littlo whito house,
only mass of blackcncd tim bcrs and
stone where tho torch OF the incondiary
had passed.
descended tho hill with tears In my
eyes.
All: my friends. what terrible catas-
trophc had taken place. You rcmcm-
Der tho hawthorn hedge. it was RACED to
t3c ground BY tho cannon. Tho great
Gilly llowcrs, the gcraniu,as. tho rlodo-
demons, torn, faded, scattered. felt
real pity for thorn, o. if they wcro tho
torn members Of friends OF minc.
Tho house was torn on ono side, dis
playing openly tho room Of Madeline
that had been closed since her death.
This room, opened brutality by tho
cannon Of the Russians, this a!covc OF
love, from which ono could SEQ tic
whole range OF tho valley. mado mo
think that stood in tho cemetery OF
my youth.
the sun covered tho debris With
golden glory. bringing into brighter
prominence the devastation. Jacq ues
must havo abandoned tho house whom II
was fred upon.
walked ON.
entered the green arbor where VIC
had dined together. Ey miracle IL re-
manned intact
There ON tho ground in tho midst OF o
pool OF blood jacques slept. his breast
wounded by twonty bullets.
He had not fled from tho virgin vines
ho loved; no died whcrc Madeline died.
picked up at his feet his ompty cart
ridge box. his brolcm rife. and | SAW
that his poor dead hands woro black
with powder. Jacques for five hours
alono with lis gun had defended tho
white phantom of Madeline!