The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1893-04-06
look OF bewilde flashed into her

W COs
Pardon me, but i 7. will explain
said monsieur, and then he told us 4 4
strange story. / will put it briefly in
plain words s9s /. "
The family to which Emily belonged
was an old and wealthy one of France.
Her father had been a man of quiet
habit and frail health, while his young
Ell brother was q gay cavalier. a favor
tie at the 1awless and dissolute French
court. Monsieur Francois had beeIl-I
hardly know how to call it-partly an
upper secretary, partly q trusted CON
| fidant Of Emily's father, who had shown
tue man of lower rank more kindness
and confidence than was common, and
so had won his fullest yalty.
The younger brother was naughty.
selfish, cruel to interiors after the
manner OF most French mobiles Of that
time, and WHOLLY unprincipled, as you
will see. Waste and eXtravag ance
he moved, and his income, though it
was large, was never great enough for.
| his wants .#
Then the elder brother was suddenly
smitten with deadly illness. He died,
/ with no time to arrange his affairs,
and with only pitiful, half-uttered
appeal to Monsieur Francois to protect
his motherless child, the little AmeHe.a
l.. Now to understand the strange part
which Monsieur Francois played. you
must remember the unchecked power
of the French cbility before the Revo-
luton shattered their crued reign
There were dungeons where they could
easily commit troublesome or offending
persons, and none would ever know
their fate
\ e.. O., In.
\ little Amelie, now the sole barrier be-
1 fortune, Monsieur FrancOis's only
course was to pretend submission to
the man he feared and by secret
means try to thwart his evil plans
So well he pretended that before
many months D:Astigneau had pro-
posed the carrying out Of a scoundrelly
plot. From his good address and
knowledge of languages Francois
seemed the man for the purpose, and
D'Astigneau fully believed him a will
ing tool
Bad as he was, D'Astigneau shrank
from outright murder, but he did not
scruple to plan for the child a fate
which to proud French aristocrat
must have seemed worse than death
He had quietly gained control of the
: child, as the guardian of her estate
Now he planned to ship her to some
foreign colony to be bound to mental
service among the peasantry. Thus
and so helpless that no chance coul6
arise for her to return and claim hel
rights.
| To all appearance Francois fully
carried out the wicked scheme Ye
all the while he planned to place thu
child in some kind family of gentle
breeding, with sufficient money for he
| nurture till a time when he could brins
t her back safely to France -
To this end he had told us her right
full name, and left the way clear t
, prove her identity.
, When he saw Prue's mOtherly face
, and watched the tenderness with whicl
Y she received the child, he felt sure sh
: was in safe hands. The servants in
dentures were necessary that he nigh
take back proof to D'Astigneau tina
t the child had really been placed a
I mental service. New England farme
! or French peasant was much the sam
/ thing in the mind of the French noble
{ For fourteen years Monsieur Fran
q co.'s had patiently bided his time
q D'Astigneau had remained in royal f.
L vor, too great q favorite of fortune fo
e attack But at last courtier's blur
o der had placed him in the shade G
royal displeasure, and tickle forum
l turned her face away.
l. Now, Monsieur Francois eagerly e,
Il planned, was the hour to move The1
e were a few friends of the elder D
! Astigneau at court, who could be trus
10 ed to espouSe the cause Of his daughte
al BY the next ship they might sail IL
p, France, and begin the contest fl
le Amelies rights.
n. This was the strange story to whit
IT, we all listened in Prue Withwell
re farmhouse parlor, with the scent
ID the tiny me and lavender blowing in
III the open door.
re The girl had drawn near her adoptf
nj mother while Monsieur was speakin
u Prue's pale cheeks had grown pale
d and the tears were stealing down b
patient face at thought of parting fro
IN the child whom she had loved as b
III own. S.-s
=, - But Emily softly took her foste
~, mothers tcil-WOrn hand and caress
W 1t. while her beautiful eyes look
- across the garden over the SUM
W farm which had been so peaceful
nd home.
~. Perhaps some memories Of a gra
,rs castle, Of noble parks, of silken rob
as and jewels, and waiting serva1
no crossed her mind with a shadow Of
gret; but if so. none ever knew. SO
or she turned to Monsieur Francois ags
,a,. with bright, resolute eyes.
on II thank you, monsieur she sa
ck .'for all your faithful goodness. T.
loo men would have been so loyal. B
ad monsieur, cannot SO. My mothe
,or and she lifted Prue's hand tende
III to her cheek, .'my dear mother, s
On cared for me when I was a forlt
IA little child I can never leave lie
,is "But your mother can go with 70
,ur began monsieur.
nd A faint blush crept over Emil
tir- cheek, and following her glance ] s
,ar Philip Withwell, now straight,
In. dicrly man Of twenty seven yes
SO crossing the lawn.
tch No. said Emily, II remember "
monsieur, you said once that I N
low be a child of the people. That is W
the I am now, and shall always be--a CT
md Of the people -