The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1898-03-17

For virtue is the fount whnce honor
springs. Anon.
In the southern part of France, near
Aries, there is a small village nestled
down in the shadow Of its giant oaks.
Its pathways are very narrsw, and are
shaded by tall, slender orange trees.
It's houses are quaint and rambling,
with many turrets and porticos and
high, vine-elad windows.
On one of the principal streets, set
well back from the highway, is a great
old French chateau. half in ruins,
showsred with ivy and blsssomiAs
roses, and bespsaking dumbly the
splendor of by-gene days.
M. Montagon, its swner, is French
admiral. Though now staid, IRON
gray haired man, with stern eyes and
naughty manner, there are rumors
afoat that will never be done to death
--rumors concerning his wild life as a
young boy scarcely out Of his teens.
"He was sowing his wild oats, people
said-and they forgot to add that
Whatsoever you SOW, that shall you
also reap"
At the age Of nineteen hsleft France,
and wandered to America. Heir to an
Immense fortune, and blessed with a
comely physiognemy and winning man
nsr, he WAS one Of the jOnnesse doree Of
the circle in which he moved, All who
knew him loved him, some for his
wealth or position, bat more for his
beautiful child's face, and happy, care
less heart.
Ono long, sweet, happy summer he
spent in the Indian Territory,-a sum
mer that, even in death, he never for
got. Ton years later he returned to
France.
Those who knew him wsre astonished
at the change that had como over him.
The gay, careless smile that had sc
continually lit up his lips and eyes in
fsrmsr days had gone, and strange,
shadowy loek of sorrow reigusd in
stead.
To deepen curiosity, there was con
stantly beside him little child Of ten
der years, whsse dusky eyes and hail
we're strangely unlike those Of TIA,
young admiral. When Questioned al
to the child's parentags, he merely
said, with grave frmnsss, "That
mon ami, is secret that will never b
known"
And apparently his words were full
of truth, for the mystery Of NJ. Monta
sonIs ward remained unsslved.
Joan Montagen she was called, aA'
she was tendsrly reared by the admiral
who bad lost all his forn or rsck lessneS
and become a stern-eyed, stoical nal
of the world.
, At eighteen, Joan emerged from he
narrow, restricted life, and was sent t.
{ the convent at Aries. There, althsugl
restriction was much in evidence, sh
+ learned many things that M, Montagol
. had not taught her. One was tn
= existence of charmed circle" Of shal
lew hearted men and women, calls
society" another the existence Of
mystical something called-lOve.
Two years passed away, and one da
Joan MoAtagon, in all the brillianc
= and full perfection Of her gypsy-lik
y beauty, retained to the home of he
childhood, to be received by an cage
0 admiral with eyes in which there ling
Il cred an expression Of hopeless despair
{ He noted with wondering eyes the darl
\ radiant face, so unlike his OWE, "a fac
d so wonderously, strangely dark and -
If SO beautiful, with the red Of crimso
rose flushing through the clear oliy
= cheeks. He saw the deep carmine I
the fall, perfect lips, the naughty, hal
treachcrous glance of the sloe-blaC
eyes, and in his secret heart he prays
, that an all-wiss providence would rO
this woman OF her superb beauty. 3
knew how that sceptre would be wiolt
sd-how q beautiful woman is law AM
the world.
And she was in utter ignorance
that truth that he so fearcd eff 81
only kneww he cried with noisele
passion. "My poor Joanl"
How coHld he tell her? Would
net be best to sury that act Of folly
oblivion? He remembered the wcrd
"Unto the third and fourth gener
tion," and his heart throbbed with
sickening sense of the deep iniusti
done her, his child-his snly child!
He sat far into the night, with bswt
head and white, drawn lips.
"a A sudden sound trsm an upper chai
& Der aroused him. 1t was lew gutter
II exclamation. A moment later the
C. came a shutting tread-down-yss,
- - was true, down the staircase.
rt sprang to his feet, his white, tortur
IN face fixed with great, almost unbei
he able pain. Then he sank back with
nd nd sigh of relief.
II cit was Snly fazey," he muTmure
1 unsteadily. "Ah, nsn Dieul that Jos
bv - l..VJ l.