The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1896-06-11

fOmanCe ne cOulO Calk the part VIGIL
too And, sounds. why shouldn't I
marry himi Thirty five years Of age,
but much younger in spirit, Of proved
courage and unquestioned honor-in
fact, how shall I say it-he pleased me
very much. Only one thing kept me
from saying Yes at once. Novels were
already being written at that time. l
had read some-far too maryland they
had put lot Of absurd ideas into my
head If were to give myself to q man
forever, I must know his intimate
thoughts, his past, above all.
lone fine evening, then, between two
cups Of tea, said bravely to M. de
Lionne:
"'Well, yes, love you. But come,
tell me frankly, looking me straight in
the eye-it is not very disagreeable to
do so, is it?-have you nothing, abso-
lutely nothing, to reproach yourself
with-if not as regards men, as regards
women2
GO Nothing, he replied, with an in
genuous earnestness that made me wish
to throw myself into his arms.
"Then he suddenly blushed. I had
forgotten one incident, he said. i con-
fess that / have committed, or almost
committed, bad, very bad, action.
''Blushing at first, he had now turned
pale. almost regretted having asked
him. But it was too late to curb my
curiosity.
Tell me everything
81 obey. Twelve years ago was in
~vo r~s NJ Tl,oro .r,oo to1- ~
war in the air at the time, and this,
added to our youth. gave us an auda-
cious, almost ferocious, gayety. One
evening when we were all tipsy-for we
| got tipsy in those days, which hope
you will pardon-a sublieutenant, more
tipsy than the others, proposed that we
| scale the walls of convent in the neigh
borhood and frighten the nuns and pu-
| pills in their sleep. 1t was q stupid, an
infamous idea! Wine is bad counselor:
not a man there, brave and honorable
though they were, slapped the face Of
the man who had made the wretched
proposition. We rushed out of the tav-
eru, found ladders don't know where,
scaled the wall, and ran across the gar
den like looters in captured city
"'OhP cried.
You despise me, do you not? You
will never be my wife?
81 have not said that yet. I sin.
cerely hope you did not carry out your
horrible project?'
Chance saved us. As we reached
the convent door we heard deep voices
in the garden, swearing the strangest
oaths There could be no doubt tina,
rough fellows Of some sort-gardenert
or peasants come to pay their rent
were near at hand in considerable mum
bers. Yes, they were countrymen, fol
under the trees we could see garments
that looked like skirts-they must have
been long blouses. We began to be les.
courageous, remorse seized us, and WI
fed to the ladders; and no one evel
knew that we had entered the conven
garden. But have always had a bite
recollection Of that nights escapade.
"The dear fellowl assured him tina
thought none the worse Of him for it
and, month later, was the Marquis
de Lionne.
When we had finished laughing-for
it must be confessed, the adventure wa
amusing-we demanded of the mar
quise:
"And did your husband never know
the truth? Did he never learn that i
was you and your schoolmates''-
Perhaps he guessed it The nigh
we were married, just as he was abou
to take me in his arms and kiss me,
suddenly sprang away, crying: 'Damme
sir! Ten thousand devils! BY thunder!
"But he didn't run away that time.
From the French in San Francisc
Argonaut.