Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1894-08-24
ALWAYS BEAUTIFUL.

On the banks Of the Orge, but short
distance from Bellies Fontaines can be
seen an elegant little chateau Of modern
construction, rooted with slate. Stand
ing on the hillside, in the midst Of
grassy lawns and surrounded by low
trees, the house attracts the attention
of the few rowers who from time to
time descend the Orge to Juvisy. Occa-
sionally fisherman in search of good
place to throw his hook has perceived
on the heights above woman, her face
covered with thick veil, and young
man who walked slowly beside her,
leaning on her arm. At the slightest
sound of an oar both disappeared
around the bend of a path or behind
clump of shrubs. The people of Juvisy
had vainly employed every effort to
penetrate the mystery.
After having exhausted all magma
BILE suggestions the innkeeper and the
grocer of Juvisy had decided that the
young man was maniac, whom his
family had imprisoned in that property,
bounded by high wall on the side to-
ward the road and by a river on that to-
ward the fields AS for the woman, she
was a relative Or hireling, and when
painter, returning from Belles-F'on-
taines, asked who was the owner OF
that sheltered, mysterious looking park,
without the slightest hesitation they
replied, cit is a mailman who lives
there
On July 10, 1884, during one OF
those periods of heat which Senegambia
envies us the Viscount de Montbrun left
his small hotel in the Rue Varnet at
in the morning and walked down the
Champs Elysees M. de Montbrun was
one of those Parisians who never leave
Paris. 1.-THE sea" said he, twas made
for fishermen and sailors. It has its
beauties of course, but it is agreeable
only one hour each day. AS soon as it
begins to ebb it uncovers lot Of pesti-
lential mud, compared with which QUIZ
great sewer is bottle Of cologne. AS
for the country, it is always just as hot
there as in Paris, with this difference
you never know what to do with your
evenings there" On all sides he saw
hacks loaded with trunks
The preparations for the approaching
18th of July festivities saddened his
heart, for the true Partisan is the invet-
crate enemy Of public holidays and of
all manifestations which disturb his re-
pose.
"Where can take refuge for three
days?'' thought NJ. de Montbrun. The
year previous he had gone to St. Ger
main, and they had made just as much
racket and shot off quite as many bombs
there as at Paris. Montbrun then re-
membered that he had promised himself
an excursion into Brittany before the
pick of the demolisher had finished
transforming that old corner of his
country To see again Wire Fougeres,
pass a day at st. Malo and then return
would be just the thing. He would thus
avoid the crowd and noise.
On the morrow Montbrun arrived at
Wire. It was Saturday evening. LII
provincial towns to fairly judge the
beauty of their women it is necessary to
take ones post on Sunday at the door
of church That is why Montbrun
stood as early as s in the morning be-
= fore the splendid edifce dedicated to st.
Martin waiting for mass to be over.
Before leaving Paris he had thrown into
a postbox few words addressed to Mile.
Paula Salimberi, an artistic dancer at
the Eden theater. Paula was superb
girl, native Of southern Italy, with
all the ardor of that cline beaming
from her large, dark eyes. She had
made her debut at Naples, and after a
season at the Italian theater at Nice
had displayed to the Parisians her ire
proachable shape and varied graces.
Montbrun was then 20 years of age, a
handsome man, well versed in theatrical
doisse sF 65 al 1ie'f fHe6ne 81 Co. 600
.Iatlcs year, His admiration for the
charming ballet dancer was at once re-
ciprocated, and they were soon launched
upon the waves Of a desperate Irritation.
But the young mans fancy was short
lived. 1t was not long before the shall
low attractions of the Italian beauty
ceased to please him, and he longed to
escape from her altogether. But Othel-
los jealousy was puerile compared to
hers. Montbrun was fairly afraid Of
her He dared not tell her outright what
the gradual decline of his attentions
portended He had simply dropped
note to her upon his departure for Wire
bidding her a long farewell and intimat-
ing that he might never see her again.
AS she believed that he had no means Of
procuring bis address, he thought him
self now well out Of her way.
Mass was over, and people were be-
ginning to come ont Of the church
Suddenly Montbrun was seized with adj
miration. Amid the crowd he lad
caught sight of the face Of a young girl
Never in his most ardent dreams had he
imagined aught SO lovely as that face,
with its ideal lines its more than earth
IL beauty-beauty SO calm, so serena,
SO radiantly pure that it seemed that Of
one of Gods angels. He wondered if it
were possible that such creature exist
ed. He held his breath as he gazed on
her descending the church steps, smil-
ing at an older woman who aceompa-
MED her, her mother doubtless Instinc-
lively Montbrun followed them. from
afar and saw them enter small house
of modest appearance. Taking the num-
Der, he returned to the hotel and asked
for information.
''That beautiful girl? Mile. de La
rade. Her father was an excellent man.
His family were rich before the rey0Jfu-
tion, but each succeeding generation had
sold off little by little land and fields
and woods to keep up their rank
Finally poor M. de Larade had taken
refuge in small building formerly oer
cupied by his intendant. There he lived,
as best he could, with his wife, nee
Laroche- Glaieul, and his daughter
Jeanne. He had probably not more than
1900 or 1900 francs income, but the
ladies knew how to live on very little,
while he, poor gentleman, had even
given up taking snuff.
The viscount wrote to his notary at
Paris, requesting him to at once send
him a letter of introduction to notary
of Wire and to apprise that gentleman
that he, Montbrun, came of good fam
lily, had the reputation of being a man
of honor and was not without fortune,