The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1892-02-24
RENE AND CLOTILDE.

RENE AND CLO ILOE-
why do you wish to run, Clotilde
My Cousin Pierre is not a wild beast that
he should harm you On the contrary,
he is very gOodnatured and entertaining
and if you will wait till he comes will
ask him to tell us about one Of his ad-
ventures at sea. 1t makes ones blood
run cold to listen to what he his been
through
The speaker was a dark-eyed, rosy
checked, pleasant girl of sixteen. She
was complete contrast to gentle, gold
en-haired, blue-eyed Clctilde who was as
timid and shy as Rene was brave and i'm
petuous, and fond Of attracting the ad-
miration which her vivacious, sparkling
style of beauty most generally called
forth.
Rene and Clotilde had been intimate
friends from babyhood. Nothing had
ever come between them TO mar their
pleasure in each others companionship.
Had Clotilde been of 8 different disposi-
ton, Rene's loving tyranny would have
been insupportable but as it was she
looked up to her as to a superior being,
while Rene, in turn, petted and patroniz-
cd hermuch after the fashion in which
young princess of the blood royal might
caress and humor one Of her attendant
maidens.
Clotilde seated herself, obedient to
Rehe's wish but the color on her cheeks
deepened into pink, like that upon the
outer petal of wild rose, and the soft
blue of her eyes hid beneath the golden
lsshed eyelids Ike myrtle blossoms IN
der the SHOWS of early spring.
Pierre gave her an admiring glance az
he came into the room. He was very like
Rene, with the same dark, rich skin, and
and glowing black eyes
Pierre" said Rene, this IS Clotilde
Desparde. She ia my best friend she
tried to run away because you were COM
ing, but told her you we're not a bear,
but a good and interesting sailor, who
would tell Us a tale of the sea
But l have brought my violin with
me to play some of my new tunes on it
for you, as you asked me to do. Which
shall it be, Rene-a story, or some mu-
sic?"
"Oh, Rene choose the heavenly mu-
sic " exclaimed Collide, forgetting her
shyness in her delight at the thought of
hearing Pierre play his violin.
We'll, then, music it shall be but We
viii have the story afterward," answered
Rene.
So forth from Its case came the violin !;
and for few seconds naught was heard
but the wailing Of the strings as Pierre
tightened them into tune. Then, after a
soft, plaintive prelude, rose the notes Of
an exquisite adagio. Pierre's long I'm
gers seemed made for lingering the weird
toned Cremona for, sailor though he
was the happy owner of one Of those
rare instruments.
"Oh, Pierre but you have improved :"
was Rene's delighted exclamation after
the last sweet sound had wavered into
silence. a. You played not like that when
you we're last at home"
True, Rene, I did not, because had
not then met with one who is such a
master of music that am only fit TO sit
at bis feet and listen. 1t was his violin
too, that saved his life and property, and
also the life ofyour cousin Pierre"
Rene's dark eyes were bright with ex-
element and interest
Then. Pierre, that is the story you
shall tell to Us. Didn't l say, Clotilde,' =
/ turning toward her friend with an air Of
/ triumph, that Pierre would tell US Of
something out of the ordinary Think of
it To have been in peril of his life 1t
was upon your las; voyage, Pierre, was it
not?"
Yes, little cousin, it was It Is only
by Gods mercy that am here in flesh
and blood before you, instead OF lying
fathoms deep in the blue ocean You
know L left here in the Mara vessel
bound for Holland Well, she was an
unseaworthy craft, and barely took Us to
our destination. The very dav after We
got there, there was a sight curious to
see. Il was procession Of rats leaving
her. That was enough for Us sailors.
Not a man would have risked his life
abosri her after that. / don't know what
the rest Of my mates did, but l made
haste TO secure a place in a ship which
was soon to leave Holland for ST. Peters
burg. l can truly say that never before
had been in such gay company. such
fine clothes OF velvet, and of silk that
-ustIed like a sail that had been frozen
stiff. The passengers were mostly gen.
tlemen from the French court and mer-
~ set they were.
"One among them was nsme1 Le-
prince. BE was picture maker, and was
going to St Petersburg to get some fresh
subjects TO paint. But he was as fine at
music as he vas at painting. and from
the moment heard him take out his VI
o.in and draw his bow over the strings,
I was his ardent, though as yet unnotir-
ed admirer. He could bring tears to the
eyes with his plaintive notes one min
ute, the next, perhaps, he would give his
listeners a merry tune, which seemed to
fly into their feet and set them wild for a
dance.
well, one day a sail appeared like a
speck upon the distant horizon. We
watched it with the interest mariners al
rars feel for ANYTHING that brsaks the