The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-03-11

the apple OF her eye: a small. graceful,
winning. frolicsome creature, a pocket
edition OF her mother, whom she strongly
resemhled IN appearance and character.
The establishment consisted OF house
keeper, old Prosper, the butler; Julie.
nadame's maid, the cook. and some men
about the stables The cuisine was ex-
cellent Prosper put before us every day
the best wines in the cellar. while ma
dame, and at luncheon her little daugh-
ter, kept US company. The chatelaine
treated us more as honored guests than
az officers of the enemy's army quarter
ed on her We all enjoyed It very much
except poor Seckendoff, whose quarters
were too far from the house for him to
leave his men TO join US at dinner.
In another squadron Of ours that occu-
pied these excellent quarters some time
before was a Lieut. Won Kottenkamp.
rather vain but extremely handsome,
clever and distinguished looking young Of
ficer, who spoke French like native,
and who in appearance. with his dark
eyes and short black mustache smartly
turned up at the ends, greatly resembled
a little French marquis painted by Fra
gonard on q lady's fan. To Kottenkamp,
a year or two younger than herself, the
lady took strong liking, and before ne
had been week ut the chateau he was
head over heels in love with her. When
he was ordered away, and another lieu
tenant, by no means as good looking
took his place. 1t was supposed that the
task of consollng the lady for Kotten-
kamp's absence would. be thankless
one THIS was not the case. She smiled
as sweetly on the newcomer as she had
on him who had gone and when the new
man was In turn succeeded by third, the
same phenomenon was observed. When
No 3 yielded the pass to No. the latter
seemed to inherit all the good fortune OF
his predecessors. Kottenkamp, however
outranked the others In her affections by
seniority. az It were and she was always
known in the regiment as "Kotton-
kamp's widow" That young man seem
ed 10 take the situation quite calmly, and
never displayed any signs of jealousy
When i mo 81 came under the spell, II
was otherwise | took the matter au
grand serieux even TO the extent OF pro-
posing marriage. and suffered untoiu
paugs IL any one paid court to her. AT
fIrat abe laughed at me- but In a few
days seemed to think my offer not UNI
worthy OF consideration, and, for my
own part the fact that she was quite
ten years Older than 1 I'm no wise chang
ed the color OF my resolution l hah
fair field The marked preference she
showed for me sent the little prince ana
Breltenstein into the billiard room half
witz also betook himself to watch them
MAY and swallow countless gohlets OF
mulled claret
THE charm of our delightful tete-a-tets
goes without saying, but II was too ex-
duisIte to last. one morning the Marquise
tripped up to Breiaewitz ana myseif as
we sat I'm the breakfast room slipping our
cafe au lait, and held out letter. II
WINS from her lawyer MT Lille. Important
business relating 10 her property there de-
munded her immediate presence. she
drove that afternoon to Aniens TO obtain
from our general a pass through the lines,
and, returning at dusk. announced her de-
parture for Lille the next morning. Never
had she appeared more gracious and
amiabie as hostess than that day at din
ner, which / thought would never end,
and was glad when old Prosper appeared
with the coffee. and Breisewitz and the
others went upstairs 90 their evening btu
lizards.
As soon as we were alone / drew long
stool close to her chair, and, taking her
slim white hand in mine, poured into her
ear a succession of those well worn piau-
tides that seem so full Of meaning to US
al the time we utter them. | cannot re-
oakland there is unalloyed pleasure In
the thought~a hundredth part OF the
nonsense / talked that night. MY wife In
the sight OF heaven. she should be so after
the war tn the sight OF men. My father
could not refuse the prayer of a son who
came back 20 him with the cross of iron
and the credit attaching to honorable
ms ntion In general orders.
Letting her hands rest on my shoulders,
she told me that she too, saw but one
path IN NE. the one she would travel at
my side. My country should be her coun-
Try, my people her people, and so on. She
only made one stipulation that she be al
lowed TO come 10 France for six weeks
visit every second year Rising. she went
TO the piano, and after premding mo-
ment, broke on Into n cnarmiue-little
yalse % her own composition / 90 not
know its real name. nor am 1 sure Il had
one but as she always played it when
she ana one OF her adorers were about to
part. % was known in the regiment as LA
Naise des AdleuN." Kottcukamp had
heard &C.. and 81 had the other fellow. and
the one that came after him; hat. pshawi