Blackfoot news. (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1891-1902, 1894-08-11
THE AWAKENING.

aAN AAl1 hfn 4ANihAAfA1--1 AlA1t 4tOuHF
which slept in the shadow Of the cathed-
raj towers. AIademoiselle Sylyine was
a little wrinkled, faded. feeble old
woman, with scarcely strength enough
to drag herself from one easy chair 10
another, who passed the solitary hours
coaxing the fire with her trembling
hands cased Ia their black mitts; los
ing the dreary present in little maps
which brought dreams Of a happy past,
and listening TO the perpetual and I'M
changing inanitics Of her garrulous gray
green parrot
No clock told the gentle passage Of
time in the lonely, silent salon. Time
was Of little account TO AIademoiselle
Sylylne She was alone in the world,
the last OF her name, and she had out
lived earthly hopes and earthly re-
grets. She awaited the summons TO
brighter existence with the patient faith
of the deyout believer. She had ceased
even TO count the years which, piled
one upon the other, were slowly crush
ing her beneath their weight. and which
life until she was reduced to the COM
partnership Of a faithful servant, as
aged as herself, and one poor, old
cheyalier OF Malta. who had adored
Mademoiselle d'Ouueval ia the far
away time Of her youth
He adored her still. and every even
ing AT the same hour-as the faithful
90 10 worship-the Cheyalier de Nauvri-
court left his lodgings At the other end
OF Paris. and, IN his perruque and his
buckled shoes. with the aid OF his gold
headed cane. ne hobbled across the city
TO drink tea and play cards with Ma
demoiselle Sylyine
Between these two old people existed
an airection-conhding and peaceful-as
sweet and touching as the faint fra
GRANGE Of winter roses. whose petals,
dropping at a touch, suggest the falling
Of snow.
They never disputed.eYincing for each
other always the same delicate consid-
GRAFTON and a tenderness strong yet
timid.
They forgot their great age: they
saw in each other no trace Of time;
they even cherished dreams and fancles
as pure as they were yisionary-like
those ficeting. fairy pictures the ice
shows 10 the sun.
Sylvine had filed the narrow lodging
Of A. de Neuvricourt with absurd trl-
fies which Uttered his bureaus and
etageres; with gay bits Of old-fashioned
needlework. symbolic embroideries. and
sentimental drawings In the sfilted and
| nprssibl: style Of other days.
The chevalicr patiently economical
his meager pension and denied himself
even his precious tobacco dEspagne for
the greater luxury Of sometimes offer
ing Slyvine bunch Of early yiolets or
n little package OF burnt almonds.
And every night they sat at the card
table. the yellow light from the lamp.
with It's great shade Of lace, streaming
over them. their bird-lilze sllhouettes
dancing Enthusiastically on the wall. their
withered fingers trembling among the
cards-counting points In their feeble
voices, rejecting grayely al every criti-
cal point In the game, laughing shrilly
at each small victory.
Weakened TO youthful animation by
this simple diversion. their spectacles
glistened as their old heads nodded I'M
certainly and the the fragrant steam
rose gently from the cups on the table
beside them.
AID when the game was .nded. the
ehcvalier would draw his chair close to
SHINES. venture an oliume comDli.
ment Cn the aroma u her po'Idre de
Tiz. or the color OF her ribbons. imprint
4 kiss on her wrist-first. audaCiously
pushing aside the black lace mitt, and
still holding the wrinklcd hand which
Sylvine abandoned t. his clasp. he
would muralur with reproachful ten
dernoSs:
DO YOU remember, my heart how
cruel you were to me In the past 2"
And Sylyine would reply with sigh,
and together their thoughts wandered
back 20 the days when theg were young
and gay and lived only for each other;
yet when he had taken her hand and
pushed aside her glove. rs now. 10 kiss
the wrist-then young aud fair, She had
only tossed her head and drawn her
hand away. And when she met his
passionate protcstations with her sweet,
incredulous laughter and knocking
CLEAN in her velvet eyes, aud at last
turned from him thrilling n foolish air,
he had flung himself away in bitter an
ger ana gone TO risk his life in twenty
battles, as one would play louis on
green table.
DO you remember. Sylviney'
And Mademoiselle Oo'utreval, smiling
gently, would murmur ut last:
"Ah, my dear chevalier; and IL IL had
been otherwise. would we have been
the same good friends we are to-lay?"
And NJ. de Nauvricourt sighed the
sigh Of a man resigned, while Sylvinc
rang for the old servant 10 light the
chevalier down the stairs. But II was
she herself who. tottering beside him
10 the door. stood watching him slowly
descend the staircase and called after
him, always. with the same note of ten
der maternal anxiety in her Quiyering
voice:
Above all, dear friend, remember
that last stepl"
"One night-one winters night, the
little salon was very warm. Mademoi-
selle Sylvine. knowing her friend would
come In chilled and weary. had ordered
an extra fire. and the tea was served
hot and strong. Their game OF CARDS
was over. and the chevalier, according
TO his custom, had drawn his chair
close TO Sylvlne's.
"Ah! Sylvine, do you remember?"---