The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1901-11-17
TRUE LOVE.

4
| Nancel-~After TWENTY-FIVE years. How
I time flies, Twenty-Five years since
| have seen this place where my Childhood
was passed. where YOU and used 10 play
/ together, happy and careless OF the fu-
I ture,
! TaIleges-"A future which strangely
parted Misleading you 10 the great things
| of life. 20 art. # which you have become
y master, and leaving me 70 my hiAs ana
I fields, to farming, TO a vegetatiVe NE III
| every sense with hay seed in my hair'
I Nancel-"Aud hgy IN your barns and
money in the bank you ungrateful lucky
dog
TaHeges-"He are within two miles OF
/ Mile. DucednauX's hermitage. Are you
! beginning TO feel the spel2
! Nancel-.sFhe spell? No, but sort OF
vague uneasiness. How viii she receive
me- wonder2 I am afraid that TINS VS.
it IS rather bold
Taneges-''Tiow SOP
| "Nancel-.Gocd heavens, man! You
know well enough.
| TaHeges-"B Because you and she once
/ had a voythful airtation-romance II You
choose-which mas long been buried be
meath the dust Of years? Because you fell
/ in love with each other without knowing
exactly why, IN the springtime OF ne
when the buds were bursting!
NanceI-''Very true. But one me DAY
without any valid reasor-for her family
was as good and as rich as my own
/ terminated the idyl abruptly, and went
away, in spite Of sweet and solemn prom
/ ises. notwithstanding our frequent meet
/ ing
Taloges-''That is nothing"
Nancel-"Perhaps like fool, 1 ran
away from happiness. oh, how pretty
she wasi I can still see her, divinely iair'
with big black eyes, not sparkling with
wit, perhaps, but so frank and honest
How does she look now?'
Talleges (enigmatically)-"You win
! see
Nancel-"so you won't tell me? She
lives a very retired life. you say?
TaTeges-'sVery In twenty-five years
have met her four or five times at
friends houses, and I see her at church
when 1 go to church
Nancel (seeing that Talleges is pulling
up his horse)-"Hellol Have we arriv-
ed? Is that her house among the trees!
Taneges-"Yes, will set you down here
Nancel-"Set me down? Are you not
coming with me?''
Tallages-"No-I should be in the way
Besides. I am not on the best of terms
with Nile. Ducernaux. 1 will Ight ny
pipe and wait here for you.
A grabbed. wrinkled old servant with
face like a winter russell, opens the door
and shows Nancel into n parlor. which
gives him the impression of having gone
back. not twenty-five years, but a cen
fury.
A door is opened cautiously. revealing
Mile. Ducernaux. stiff angular appearing
excessively tall in her straight and pam
fully plain garments Her waxen yell
low complexion makes her appear Ike
withered old woman.
Nancel Stunned by the sudden fail of
Iong-cherished illusions)-'I beg you to
excuse 50 manifestly improper call, ma
demoiselIe. but being here for the first
time in so many years. L could not go
away without presenting my respects
Mile. Ducernaux-I thank you, mon
sieur. Be seated
Nancel Gin some embarrassment)-"I
have been much affected by the sight of
the familiar scenes of my childhood, as
was just saying to Talleges."
Mile Ducernaux-"Ah. Are you stay
ing with him?i An eccentric person, this
friend of yours. He has peculiar ideas.
about farming. for one thing, but espec-
tally about the farmers, the peasants
Nancel-''What ideas, mademoiselle?'
Mile. Ducernaux-'H Humanitarian chime
ras-dangerOus, utopian fancies. If you
yield an inch to those people. they will
ruin you. They must be ruled with
strong hand"
Nancel (amazed)-"whatl Dc you per-
sonally-"
Mile Ducernaux-'I attend to every
thing, down TO the smallest detail.
oversee the farmers, the farm hands, and
the servants
Nancel-.I am delighted to hear it. I
see that even in this soloitude you have
no time for ennui-especially if you have
plenty of good books.
Mile Ducernaux-"I never read. All
those novels are only the same thing,
over and over again.
Nancel GronicaIly-" Certainly. But I
think I recall chat you used to be inter
ested in art ard music
Mile. Ducernaux-'M poor mother was
crazy on those subjects. They amused
ne a little when ] was a girl but after 1
entered upon the serious duties of life
BY the way. painting is your profession,
l believer"
Nancel-"Yes"
Mile. DucernauX-'DO you paint land
scapes or fancy pieces"
Naneel (suppressing a smile)-"Neither.
Portaraits.'
Mile. Ducernaux-"Ah, but the photo
graphers take such good likenesses now.
Don't they draw your customers away"
Nancel-"No. There are some custo-
mers who prefer good likenesses in oils
Mile. Ducernaux-.But they cost 50
much more. Have you ever had anything
III AAt- calIAt- 1AAet - % ave WIN -
price"
NanceI-"Yes. the first prize-the medal
Of honor" (Risirg.)-'I must not take
Up any more of your time"
Mile Ducernaux-"Oh. l am well ahead
Of my work this morning"
Nancel-"Thanks: but fear il would be
mean, Talleges is waiting"
Nile DucernauX-'I will accompany
you to the gate" (sbe claps a weather
beaten straw hat on her head. where It
balaces in unstable equilibrium Il viii /
show you my poultry and rabbits"
Nancel-'You are very iOnd Of ami |
mals2"
Mile Ducernsux-"Not at all. but one /
must have them in the country. 1 keep /
rabbits ducks, chickens, pheasants and 4
guinea hens
After an the eoops have been inspected /
Nancel make a final attempt 10 rekindle 4
the emhers.
Nancel-.I see you stan have that fine /
old oak. How il has grown, DO you I
rer- enber how We used 10 clirnb out on /
that branch?"
poor mother was so careless, Children I
left to themselves always get into mis- 4
chief
few minutes later NareeI is seated +
beside his frfead n the cart
Taneges-''Wsli. old man. what are you 4
thinking of?
NanceI tgloomily)-'I was thinking that
tirae " life. IL you choose. WORKS strange /
changes u u.s.
Talieges- The tooth CT tine and the
mirage OF the heart eh
Naucel-.E Especially the latter You were
ricar Il the morning 81 life cur souls
are in too active fermentation 20 ho
TRANSPARENT 10 the lisht % truth To
TANK that / loved. adored 20 the point
of thinking hspplress impossible sitaoat