The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1901-02-13

lht illltlNlt u obI SuHlc Vi ClltSS
NJ he is good enough to say that
/, the fool, play the best game of all
the chateau's company when came
the page of the Dcmoiscllc Alys to say
that his mistress followed upon him
and babe us attend to speak with her.
"Go tell thy mistress, my butterfly,
that when sage and holy men are in
council"- | began bravcly enough,
when the arruS parted behind the
STRIPPING II Il rose, flung smartly.
struck me on the mouth. Next came
the DemoiScllc Alys herself, carrying
II great noscgay of her weapons. it be,
Ing June and her birth month. She
bore the seal of it on her checks and
in her eyes, which were blue as pan,
sizes, and clad in her green silk frock
she seemed but another rose.
For the Dcmoisellf Alys was the
merricst OF ladies. When she was no
longer han my bauble, l held her upon
my knee, and | remember that she
laughed long before she learned to
speak, though she learned that early
too.
She burst out laughing now because
We stared at her.
"Bauble, salute" CRIED she and flung
all her roses at me. | went down on
my knees to pick them up, and, Father
Benoit CHANGING to smile ut me, she
turned on him.
"Thou. toO-tonSurc and coXcomb to.
gethcr."
And down he had to plump and help
me rcmake the bunch.
When 1t was complete, the Demoisclle
AlyS made us sit and stood before us.
leaning against The chess table. See.
ing Father Bcnoit pccring behind her
To SEQ that she did not di%Sarrange the
pieces, she swept them all into a heap
with her little hand-all except the
red king, which she held and turned
round and round under Tho thoughtful
gaze of her blue eyes. q,
Wa it thou, fool, who vast playing
with the rcd?'
NO." quoth |. Twas the holy man
yondcr. The innocent whites were
mine ever
She turned to Father Benolt. "Didst
ever think upon the red king, father"
only when ! CASTLE" replied the
priest, wondering II, the seriousness Of
her tone.
cor when he is sore pressed" she
went on slowly. But it's strange how
we Dos our color and our king, not
knowing If he be stern stuff, to fight
well, or of the kind that covers in a
corner. Was the red king winning, ia.
thcr!"
"No; he vas losing confoundedly," |
broke in, land hadst thou not come
chattcring hithcr | would soon have
hung another bell in my cap"
She sighed and tucked the red King
in the bosom Of her frock. Then her
fair little forehead cleared. "Now at.
tend. both of YOU" she commanded.
81 come or IN affair of-of state. BE
serious at once"
We ooked as serious as we could.
looking at Lcr. She smiled back at us.
"Wit, beauty, holincss-what q coun.
ell we maze! We ought to contain
great things"
so we would vert thou down stairs
again. said Father Bcnoit. She made
II little face ut him.
Mgr. Motley" demanded she of me,
tell me what IS the saddest thing in
the wolldI"
AN honest man looking In vain for
his price" | replied.
Foolish as ever!" chirpcd the De.
mOiscllc Alys. "The saddest thing in
the world Is Il fricndlcss maiden"
What dost thou know of such?'
asked Father BcnoIt.
She sighed and laid the bunch OF
roses against her cheek, then held them
out and looked at them. "They nrc
faded already" she mused aloud. otis
the same with every n l gather. Let
1t but lie a moment on my bEeast, and
1t Is withcred. Sometimes | think they
hate me-"
But If the flowers are not thy
friends said Father Benoit, "still art
thou not ~fricndlcss. Forget not thy
rather II mother and thy kinsmen."
wei, then, | have friends!" she
poutcd. but can never have aught
that ! desire"
Il never remember thy failing of thy
WISH" said Father Benoit quietly.
'Then thou hast forgot the day I was
8 years old and the merchant came md
opened his packs and l cried for the
Diue beads and was not let to have
them"
"Irumpery things" said the priest.
not lifting for a demOiselle."
But did not ask to be born a de-
cried the Demolselle Alys.
"And | cried for them sol"
We'll. what Is 1t now" | cut I'm, be.
Ing out Of practice in silence. "More
beads or a puppet dressed in vel
vet, or mayhap 1t Is my bauble? It
equally well with motley or petit