The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1894-09-05

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once been the
residence of a noble family, but it
was at that time only a celebrated
school for young ladies. The house
itself was a plain, substantial brick
one, and there were plenty in the vi
cinity that in every point excelled it /;
but nowhere was there a garden of
greater loveliness than that its high
brick walls shut in.
This was especially so in the morn
ings and evenings, when the pleached
alleys and the hazel walks and the
woodbine arbors were full of groups
of beautiful young English girls
girls with flowing brown hair and eyes
as blue and clear as heaven, and faces
innocent and fresh as if each face had
been made out of rose. But even
where all are beautiful, some one will
be found loveliest of all, and Laura
Falconer was the acknowledged belle
of the upper class.
She was nineteen years of age, but
she still fingered at Madame Mere's
school, partly because it had been her
only home for five years and partly
because her guardian considered it to
be the best place for her until she was
twenty-one, when she would receive
her fortune and become her own mis-
tress. So Laura remained at madame's.
studying a little, but still having a
much larger amount of liberty than
that granted to the other pupils. This
liberty permitted her to shop with a
proper escort and also to pay frequent
visits to acquaintances resident in
Richmond and London.
On one of these excursions she had
met Mr.. Ernest Trelawny, and it is of
this gentleman she is so confdentially
talking to her chief friend, as they
walk in the loneliest part of the gar
den together.
81 am so glad, Clara, that we met
him this afternoon; l wanted you SO
much to see Ernest. Is he not hand
some?"
II never saw such eyes, Laura !!
And his figure And his stylish dress
Oh, think he is so grand and So
well, SO Notwithstanding, as if he
was poet or something.
"And then his conversation, Clara !
He talks as L never heard any one else
talk-so romantic, dearl l''
"Oh, think you must be a very
happy girl, Laura often wish had
some one to love me as Ernest loves
you"
Laura sighed and looked up senti-
mentally;
''You have father and mother,
Clara. am quite alone. Ernest says
that is one reason he at first felt as if
he must love me-"
''What would Madame Mere say ?"
MADAME must not know for the
world; Clara. She would write to my
guardian. Oh, Clara, 1 am going to
tell you great, great secret Ernest
and have determined to run away to
Gretna Green and get married"
"Oh'h-h-hl Laura, how dare you?
Madame will be sure to find it out
She never looks as if she knew things,
but she always does. When are you
going?"
Tonight. Ernest will be waiting
with carriage at the end of the gar
den wall have bribed cook to leave
the kitchen door unlocked, and I shall
go through her room and down the
back stairs"
Thus, until the nine 'clook bell rang,
the two girls talked over and over the
same subject and never found it weari.
some, and when they bGde each other
a goodnight in the long corridor, it
was very meaning one. They were
both greatly impressed with the ro-
nance of the situation, and timid little
Clara envied and admired her friend,
and could not sleep for listening for
the roll of carriage and the parting
signal which Laura had agreed to make
on her friends door as she passed it.
Then Laura made her few prepara-
tions and sat down in the moonlight to
wait for the hour. She thought of
all her favorite heroines who had en-
acted similar part, and tried to feel
as they were asserted to have felt.
''Half-past eleven 20
She rose and laid her bonnet and
mantle ready, but, in spite of her ro-
mantle situation, she was really chilled
and unhappy and conscious of a most
unnatural depression of spirits.
just then the door opened softly,
and Madame Mere, with candle in
her hand, entered the room. She was
a very small, slight woman, with
grave, lovable face and pair OF won
derful eyes. In their calm. clear light
lay the secres of her power over the
fifty girls whom she ruled absolutely
with glance or a smile. She came
gliding in more like a spirit than