Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1897-07-29

~ ~ " III ALtt Az "a
plain: Soon after you left us, three
years ago. / was having the ruins OF
that fisherman's cottage, which was
blown down in a gale, cleared away.
Among the rubbish was found the lid
Of a leather box. Upon 1t was a brass
plate. bearing ar inscription that was
I.early iilegible from rust. i had 1t
cleaned, and then read clearly the name,
Astrea DE Glacie. At the anne time,
the bishop OF the diocese was visiting
our parish for the purpose Of confirm
.irg u young people. Now Daney was
one OF the candidates for confirmation.
but we We're 0 sure you see. that Da-
Eey had ever been bptised. And such a
good ~churchman as myself was not
going TO chance that. So, to make sure,
we had her baptised before confrma-
ton. Miss Hit and myself stood spons-
OIs. And right or wrong. we gave her
the name, Astrea De Glacie. SO, il it II
not hers by birthright, 1t Is by baptism.
We hoped that the name might he
some clue to the discovery OF her
friends, supposing that she has any in
the world besides ourselves"
Have you heard anything of the
Druries since they left CornpOrt!' In
quired the young man, taking advant-
age of a pause.
Not a word, though / have caused
inquiries to be made for them. Soon
after the rites Of baptism and confirma-
ton were performed for Daney, took
her to a Northern school among he
mountains Of New England. where she
remained two years and q half. IL was
there that she developed into such a
fine woman / then took her to Europe,
where we spent three months in travel
ing over the continent, and three in the
city Of Paris. / introduced her every
where as Mademoiselle Astrea De Cha
Gle, hoping, you see. that there, ut
least, the name might lead to some dis
covery. 1t was in Paris at the house
Of our minister. that we first met Mon
s.eur and Madame De Coucy. Our ac-
quaintance grew into intimacy during
our three-months' SojCurn in Par.s. Ana
our intimacy ripened into friendship.
when fortune made us fellow passen-
gers on the Baltic, when he was coming
cut as minister to u government, ID
we were returning to u native n
During that TRIP, Madame DE Coucy
grew so much attached to Astrea thar,
upon our arrival at Washington, she
begged az Il favor, the young lady
might he left in her charge for the sea
son. Well, l knew Astrea could not
enter metropolitan society under better
auspices. SO l left her 10 the chaper-
onage of Madame De Coucy. while l
ran down to the island to see how the
ship WIS working; found all right, un-
der the command of first mate Hit, and
then, feeling lonesome for the want OF
nv little Daney, i just boarded the
D,,-,,. De, NC cla v.assn1 nn Tr1s.-dlV
morning, and acre / am. For, you see,
/ cannot exist a week without my little
Danay: so, If they wish to keep Mad
enoiselle Astrea for the whole season,
I'll be id q wa going to say II they
don't have to take me, too"
"One word-does Madame know her
real position in your family
How can / tell? Madame met us In
the first circles of Paris. and so. no
questions as to Mademoiselle's position
could arise. She knows her to be my
ward. That is sufficient. And that, L
think. is all we shall ever know of her!
for. Greyille, | think that my first idea
or her being other than she seemed TO
be might have been all moonshme! So.
IT the iast hope Of finding her out to be
some great French demoiselle influences
'D't iNtAiASo tONo1d htl, Eve ltT uU III
once
II will never give her up. sir, And I
am trlily glad TO believe that she Is no
ether than she seems. / adore her as
she is"
Wei, my boy, no one can attribute
your change of sentiment toward her to
m~ercerary motives, at least. Go on and
prosper! Woo the girl as soon rs you
rNtl-Nya1 hnr nS cnau oa CHI. ,rsll.
Nothing would please me Detver! Only
I'll be did (as / was going to say if
you nus separate her from me-"
The delighted young n reasslred
his uncle on this point. And o after
they left the house to call on Madame
De Coucy and Astrea.
The young lady received her guardi-
an with unfeigned delight. and met her
lover with something like a h~alf-con-
ec.ous blush.
This visit of mere ceremony was ne
cessarily a short enc But as Colonel
Greville's intended journey was indefi-
nitely postponed, IL was soon repeated.
Fulke Greville was an impatient low
err. and took the earliest opportunity Of
declaring his passion 10 it's beautiful OBJ
ject, and entreated her to become his
wife.
But, to his amazement and consteyna-
ton, he found his suit. backed rs it was
by the influence of her guardian, and
urged al 1t was with all the eloquence
OF youth and love-promptly and firmly
rejected.
no. Colonel Greville; / will not mar
ry anyone, least Of all, YOU she replied,
sadly, but firmly.
least CT all me? oh. why shoul III
be consigned TO deeper and more hope
less perdition than all others?" he ex-
claimed. in the bitterness Of unmerited
despair.
She did not answer until he put the
question in another form:
why do you make an exception Of
me. Mademoiselle?"
Because, Colonel Greville, you are
the proudest man / ever had the honor
OF meeting. and lam nobody! or less
than nobcdy!-an imposter. who has no
right TO the place she fills; no. not even
to the very name she bears"
"Astrea, dear Astrea, do not talk so
wildly. You tax me with being proud!
| All! love, / shall b eprouder still when I
call you mine! You say that you have
no right to the place you fill? Do not