Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1893-08-31

a man without heart Ny birth camof
to console her. But her lot was soon
again overcast. The prince sought to be.
loved by her as he bad been before her
marriage. Never she replied to him,
never, while | am bound TO another
E1aaprratcd at this the prince wrote
her three words, Love Or vengeance"
NJ mother fed, for the count was al
ready preparing u horrible plot against
her."
II know D'Arl8s"
MY mother did not go far. The abb
bess of the Ursulines at Montlnartre was
relative. She concealed us in her con-
vent during seven long years. There,
under the shade of the beech trees, I
grew mp in quiet and peace. | had never
stepped outside of the holy retreat
when, one day, | persuaded nun who
was going TO visit some sick people to
take mo with her. What delight | ex-
perienced i'll travcrsiug those brilliant
streets, those superb boulevards, which
make your capital the queen of tho
world! However, the whirl Of men and
vehicles made me somewhat nervous.
recollect the scene AZ though | had wit
ncssed it but yesterday.
Suddenly the crowd separated to let
four gentlemen on horsebac. pass. Never
had | seen anything Us 0onutifub. or as
! richly ornamented as the chargers they
rode. You, my prince, We're one of those
cavaliers. ~ that time only 10 years
bad rolled over Your head. A gust of
wind carried off your hat and bore it to
my feet. l restored it to You with "
! trembling hand; but oh. with what d
| gracious smile You thanked me.
Another cavalier ar1Ong those who
rode with you advanced toward the nun
who accompanied me, and in a strange
manner asked her who | Was and where
| lived. Alas! on the morrow my mother
received note containing these threat
ening words Love or Ven@eaucer Ny
| mother turned pale as death, and with
out losing any time fled with me to
| Havre. whence she wrote to the aLbess
of the Ursuliues. But before She re-
ceived reply Il second note reached her.
1t was sealed with black and held only
the Same words. Love or vengeancer"
what inialny, Did your mother
| keep those letters
You will never see them, Ant0i-
nette, said my mother to me. We
must quit France. We never can be
happy ON this soil Come, let us go to
| the harbor and embark on the first YES
sci that will receive rs. An honest
skipper gave us passage without asking
! our names or the object Of our journey,
and "A few weeks later we landed on q
shore which we had never heard -men-
toned. We were III Finland at Ulea-
| borg"
And the notes, the notes.
vengeance did not pursue us into this
land Of eternal SHOWS. Oar lives were
here permitted to roll on in peace. The
aged Tuisllo by his extraordinary proph-
ecies won our confidence"
And what extraordinary prediction
has he then made"
Il ought not perhaps to tell you. He
| predicted to me a glorious vista visit
such as no man has ever received upon
this earth
And did he foretell truly-you blush!
What else is there to say"
1.-TWO words he added, will destroy
your happiness.'
The notes. Speak, for heavens sakel
the notes.
why constantly exclaim the notes?
Ny beloved mother has for four years
past been sleeping her eternal slumber in
the cemetery Of Uleaborg. And |, poor
child--the good Iuislio took Inc, consoled
me and in the midst Of these deserts Of
snow has supplied the place OF a father"
"Oh, good Toni, come weep upon my
l. - Ill.
land of thy mother! l will surround
thee with all the splendors due to thy
BIRTH will restore to thee the happi-
ness of which wretch has robbed thee.
But give mo, heseech you, give me q
pledge Of Ic.c, that may believe Your
words
Take this medallion, my prince. 1t
is the only inheritance | have received
from my mother It is my greatest treas
ure; it contains piece OF the trre cross.
AS long as you wear it above Your heart
you need fear neither water nor fire
nor air nor balls nor the assaasins pom
lard"
Thanks, my child; this dear locl1et
shall not quit me Tor one single moment
of my remaining life. Bat let me press
upon your lips one kiss, pure as the en-
brace of angels. Oh, my God those
letters.'
"Why such sudden pallor, my prince?
Here are the letters you 50 greatly de-
sire to see, l always carry them about
me- They inclose lock Of my mothers
hair-my poor mother"