Warren sheaf., 1899-11-16
: : The Lace Of the Empress :
4A0M0A&M0A0m3A3AS

A. songs, it was about ten years age
that Marquis de St. Pol sat by his oper
window mending his coat.
FAI 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
andaa husky shutting. of feet indicated
an impromptu ball on the pavement
and, the marquis leaned out to look. IT,
.''They dance, my. ANGEL he an
nounced as he seated himself again
'Itis gay, the youth!" ~.
The marquise, who sat propped uE
in big chair, smiled family, but did
not.open her eyes. v:s ...,..... w.. -.
cart thou very tired, my dearest?'
asked the old man, anxiously, pulling
the coarse thread with q jerk through
the: cloth. S..
1T is the spring air, Anatole.'
The marquis looked at her with tear
prismed eyes. cit is the hunger he
thoaght. 2.vt :1.
After a pause the marquise asked:
'Hast thou no lessons to-day, Anatole?"
'SOnly one. This great heat is too
much for rich people, dear" He spoke
with quite unconscious irony: Il must
So now. Do you think you could eat a
nice little ragout when I come home?"
;She hesitated. eff If Z could only
have little sweetbread timbale," she
said, 1ongingly. sssBut.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. 20. W.
:'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
M'riar. It took four men to hold her,"
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 Su
zette, but she did not even know who
Napoleon was" she said.
A pretty color was in her faded cheeks
as she looked up at him.
He sat down heavily. Tits very beau
tiful; shall I put it away??"
d mon, 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 a parcel he had
brought with him, and display ed a lit
tie tin in which was the promised
ragout. ,5s
But the marquise could not eat it. Tt
was greasy, and tasted like cat, she said,
trying to:laugh.
ow, dear, if you will put the lace
away, will not put i on again; it
makes me homesick. Oh, Anatole!
Paris! The Bois, to-day! five were in
a carriage, driving down the Champs
Elysees!
'.And see the lights budding out in
the sweet smelling dusk! And then,
dear, we'd go to a restaurant and have
a timbale de riz de veau, and a salade,
and little Chablis! Oh, Anatole, it is
dreadful to be old, mon ami 2
& She put her head down on his shoul-
der and they both cried.
& Presently the marquis rose and put
the lace tenderly away in the little
trunk, among the old camphor balls
which had almost lost their odor. Even