Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1898-11-24

tempt of his own to show, and Claude,
struck by its merits, believed he had
discovered a second Giotto; the boy
undoubtedly had great talent, and
Claude at once offered to help him.
Esperance was amused and pleased at
this novel addition to their party.
Beppo was a sharp boy. and was use
full besides in fetching and carrying;
he also cleaned Claude's palette and
washed his brushes, and seemed to be
making real progress in his studies.
But unfortunately one morning Claude
found his paint-box ransacked, and all
his most valuable brushes missing
Beppo had mysteriously disappeared
in the night, and was never again
heard Of,
The next waif was rather more
successful. She was a lovely little
Italian girl whom Claude picked up in
the streets OF Florence and brought
home to paint. Esperance liked her
much better than the artistic Beppo,
more especially when she found that
she was homeless and without belong
ings They kept her with them while
they were in the place, and afterward
sent her to an orphanage where she
was happy and well cared for, and
every year sent letters of grateful
remembrance to the dear signora, -
as she called Esperance.
The third waif was an old half
blind and half-starved artist whom
Claude found out in Rome. He was
German, with long, ragged, gray
beard; but Esperance forgot his ma
tionality in his misfortunes, and was
very kind to him. He dined with
them every day, and grew perceptibly
fatter toward the end of the time.
After Easter they left Rome and
spent several quiet weeks In the most
lovely parts of the Engadine, and
Claude found Switzerland so beguil-
ing that the weeks passed to months,
and summer changed to autumn be-
fore return to England was thought
of. At last they spoke of really set
Ting down in October, and Esperance
began to think how she should ar
range her rooms at st. Johns Wood
But a great surprise was being pre-
pared for her.
One day Claude came in with an
open letter in his hand, and his face
brimming over with delight and
triumph.
"Cherie." he said, brightly, what
do you say to spending the winter in
Auvergne?"
She gave little cry of joy. They
had always talked of going home
through France, but to spend the
winter there had never occurred to
her.
You would really like it, them
said Claude, with satisfaction 81
have been thinking Of it for weeks
but the tiresome proprietor of the
chateau was so long in writing. and
What! we shall really be at the
dear old chateau" exclaimed Esper-
ance. joyously.
Eyes, the present proprietor il
away from home, and he has agreed to
let it to me for four months. Now al
last | shall be able TO make good that
promise I gave you so long ago-to
paint your dear mountains of Au-
vergne."
And so it happened that on lovely
October evening Esperance found her
self once more in her old home. The
return might have been painful to her
in other circumstances, but with her
hand in Claude's she could look with
happy recognition, and tender but
not regretful memories of the past
Mont dor itself to the dear old gray
chateau, with its ruined walls and
crnging ivy 1t was all wonderfully
little altered-the tiny village in the
valley; the convent where she had
spent long afternoons; the grassy ter
race on which she had so often
walked with her father; the half
ruined pigeonnier, to the top Of which
Gaspsrd used to carry her to the inn
mlnent peril Of both their necks;
lastly, the great door itself, with Its
rough-hewn stone steps, and a little
crowd of old friends with an eager
welcome
There were great many tears and
embraces In spite OF EspeTa1ce' s
newly acquired dignity Mere Bon
nier hung about her in an ecstasy OF
happiness, Marie was scarcely less
demonstrative, and Pierre, poor old
Javotte's son, now a married man with
two little black-eyed children Of his
own, was eager to kiss "madame's'
hand Claude was amused and touched
by the little un-English scene, and
saw plainly enough that Esperance
was not the only one who would be
gratified by his scheme for passing the
winter in Auyergne,
Nor was he inclined to accuse her Of
exaggerating the beauties of her ma
tive place--the rich pasture-land, the
fertile valleys, the Wild grandeur OF
the sem-yolcanic mountains, all filled
him with admiration. while the beau
tiful autumnal tints lent fresh
glories to the Tricky wooded land
Il -.