The Worthington advance., 1899-11-17
: The Lace Of the Empress )
1A1a0A0A0A4A0A0A0AS

n songs, it was about ten years ago
that Marquis de St. Pol sat by his open
window mending his coat.
Far down below in the street hand
organ was grinding out ''McGinty,'
which classic was then in it's prime.
The sound of children's voices singing
and husky shuffling of feet indicated
an impromptu ball on the pavement,
and the marquis leaned out to look.
''They dance, my angel" he an
nounced as he seated himself again.
1T is gay, the youth!'
The marquise, who sat propped up
in a big chair, smiled family, but did
not open her eyes.
cart thou very tired, my dearest ?''
asked the old man, anxiously, pulling
the coarse thread with jerk through
the cloth.
ut is the spring air, Anatole."
The marquis looked at her with tear
pris,ned eyes. 1T is the hunger" he
thought.
After a pause the marquise asked !:
'Hast thou no lessons to-day, Anatole?''
81 "Only one. This great heat is too
much for rich people, dear" He spoke
\ with quite unconscious irony. II must
7 @gonow. Do you think you could eat a
nica little ragout when come home?''
She Shesitated. tiff I could only
have a\little sweetbread. timbale," she
said, longingly. 'But yes, my friend, a
ragout will be charming."
He kissed her good-by with a trem-
bling mouth, and, carefully drawing on
his old gloves, went out.
"Une petite timbale de riz-de-veau,"
he muttered, stepping carefully over a
baby who had gone to sleep on the
stairs. mon dieu, mon dieu!" It was
very warm, the bricks steaming in the
sun after shower.
The organ man had gone on, leaving
an excited little group of children be-
hind him.
"Hello, Mr.. de POLL" cried one of them,
alittle girl, carrying an extremely fat ba-
by. Mother was took up this morning,
so I've gotter take care of all of 'em.
But I'll go in to see Mrs. de Poll jes' the
same. They took her off in the Black
1H IL tOoh lOuA HIGH " AOAo ACAS
finished the child, proudly.
When the marquis reached home that
afternoon strange sight met his eyes.
The marquise sat as usual in her big
chair, but her shabby, dark gown was
almost entirely hidden by delicate
film of beautiful old lace. "Sapristi!"
calculated the old man.
His wife laughed. II showed it to SUI
zette, but she did not even know who
Napoleon was," she said.
A Apretty color was in her faded cheeks
Is she looked up at him.
He sat down heavily. ut is very beau
tiful; shall put it away?"
"Non, cheri. Leave it a little longer,
and let us forget that we are poor"
The marquis WINGED. How could he
tell her that his last pupil found the hot
spring weather too enervating for more
lessons?
With a sigh he undid parcel he had
brought with him, and displayed lit
tie tin in which was the promised
ragout.
But the marquise cohld not eat IT. It
was greasy, and tasted like cat, she said,
trying to laugh.
'Now, dear, if you will put the lace
away, will not put it on again; it
:, makes me homesick. Oh, Anatole!
Paris! The Bois, to-day! If we were in
q carriage, driving down the Champs
Elysees!
"And see the lights budding out in
the sweet-smelling dusk! And then,
dear, we'd 60 to a restaurant and have
a timbale de riz de veau, and a salade,
and a little Chablis! Oh, Anatole, it is
dreadful to be old, mon ami =.
:. She put her head down on his shoul-
der and they both cried. - -
h Some one was playing "McGinty" ON
a concertina, and the air smelt' of cab
bages. =, 81. I
h Presently the marquis rose and put
the lace tenderly away in. +thea little
( trunk, among the old ,camphor balls
which,had almost lost their q Of. Even
+ camphor-balls cost money. There was
aElittle Madonna on a bracket Aoyer the
bed. and the two poor old exilss knelt
i before it and prayed, as they did every
night. But the old lady only half
finished her prayer. t'1 am so tired mon
/ cher. chez She will understand" g
Al sS Mrs Morris Deyereaux was Just rub
bing her beautiful nose with a. bit of
9chamois skin dipped in fuller's. earth,
when footman announced that Mr..
de st. Pol wished to see her. TELL him
I'm extremely solry, James, but I am