The Penn's Grove record., 1895-10-11
WRATH OF A VICOMTE

gia coast, the picturesque lSIahus
l. that fringe the mainland, the
primeyal settlements scattered among
the marshes have been the scene OF
many thrilling but unrecorded happen
ings.
The traditions Of the coast people are
dear to them, handed, in fact and fancy
unaltered, TO successive generations AID
preserving all the quaint originality
of expression and simplicity of style.
Here is a story of the coast-a ro-
nance of two continents:
Sapelo Island, In the early history OF
the state, passed into the possession of
the French and by some claim became
the property of Vicomte de Boufeuillet,
the distinguished ancestor Of distin-
guished descendants now living, and
the Chevalier du Blgnon, the original
of that illustrious Georgia family.
False reports of this new country
had led these two Frenchmen to think
that the island abounded in illimitable
resources. To them this chip Of the
Georgia coast was a kind of Ell Dorado
with greater promise Of riches thai
De Soto or his deluded followers ever
dreamed of. In the gay world of Paris
they were pointed out as the noblemen
upon whom fortune had smiled, and
when the CheYalier du Bignon rode by
people would stare and talk about his
wonderful wealth, for his bearing was
naughty and the pride Of his behavior
great.
AS to the old Vicomte, when luck was
I'll aud made him loser in his game,
there came a dark scowl on his grim
visage, but at a thought this would clear
quickly away and an expression Of
serene satisfaction would follow.
"Sacre dieul What care 1 that l losel
On with the camel Have l not riches
uncovered in my new found land2
What are a few francs to me, q favor
lite of fate? On with the game! The
loss is a mere tri1e!' and the Vicomte
de Boufeuillet would smite his thigh
and laugh fear away.
So the old man placed much value on
this distant territory, and he had high
hopes for what would come from this
land beyond the seas. There was
nothing dearer than this land to him,
unless 1t was his daughter. of whom
1t was said there was none more beau
tiful in the land of the 1eur-de-lis.
Stately of mien and comely of person.
and more graceful than the deer that
hid In tho darLy folio ua re har 70 tbarSa
forest, all the gallant youths of the
land came to do homage and kneel at
the shrine of LA Belle Marie"
But the fair maid had no favorite
among these %suitors, and in defiance Of
the fervent protestatlons of her fero-
cious father that she should give her
hand to some lord of high degree,
laughed scornfully II an adorer of this
titled nobility should strike his heart,
swearing to love and protect her. Men
said she was a soulless beauty, that her
reckless nature was i~mpervious to all
fine feeling and soft sentiment.
But men did not know. neither did
the Vicomte de Boufeuillet.
She had a secret, this daughter of
France.
what II he should know? What IL
her father should discover that she had
given her love to her cousin Louis;
that she had plighted her troth to him
years ago when an orphan lad he had
come from his home In the hills to live
with the Vicomte. Would not her
father storm and rage like a lion should
he know the truth? Perhaps he might
be glad in her happiness. Who knew
Surely Louis was a man of fine ap-
pearance and there was no drawer In
all France. Had he not pierced q
counts son to the heart with a hand
that could not bide insulti There was
no knight courtlier than he. Rather
than offend a lady he would give his
life blood. Surely to love such a man
was no dishonor."
And thus did the girl ponder, and
sometimes she menaced to bid bold de-
fiance and divulge all to the old VI
comte, but her cousin was timorous
and cautioned 1t were best to wait IN
til he could make his merit known and
then a time would come when, by dint
Of glorious achievements, he could
come to claim his own with usury.
The days sped by and the old Vicomts
had given himself up to the game.
The turmoil Of the ball was great one
UanrnIuo 7 rIad volata lnnf thadn
Houttu ueliDrldIlVH Ii were udsnIHE
lere and there in blind confusion. The
lousemaids shuddered and wept hys-
erically. There was gloom about the
vreat hall. The heavy voice Of the VI
'omte echoed down the corridors, for
lis wrath was surgIng and his unbri-
lied fury swept everything before it.
He had lost-lost heavily. In the
Excitement Of the play he had risked a
ortune. II was gone of like chaff.
N his passion at the sudden change Of
nance he had insulted his companions
Ind rushed from the door like a wild
nan. On his ride home he had pun.
neled the pate of his coachman and
whipped his horses until they were
licked with foam.
For days he remained in his bed
ihamber alone and no one dared APP
proach him. Gradually has wrath sub
iided, With returning reason came a
purpose.
1t happened that he called for his
tinsman, Louis, who hesltated at first,
Tor he well knew the intense temper
pf the Vicomte. The mood of his kins-
man, however. had changed. He was
almost joyful when he met the young
man and began to talk Of the Georgia
Island, where were treasures and re-
sources in abundance. 1t was now
ums for this possession 70 yield uR Ito