Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1902-01-04
FIRST LOVE.
\ QUESTION OF PHILOSOPHY.

spirited little Irish cob is frisklng be
fore a village cart, in which sit two men.
old friends, enjoying the glory of the per
feet day, and recalling half-forgotten
days long past.
Talleges (who is driying)-'My word,
old man. What delight it is to see you
again and talk over old tines"
Nancel--"After twenty-five years. How
time flies! Twenty-Five years since
have seen this place where my childhood
was passed, where you and | used to play
together, happy and careless of the flu
ture"
Talleges-"A future which strangely
parted us-leading you to the great things
of life to art, of which you have become
a master. and leaving me 10 my hills and
fields, to farming, TO a yegtatIve life IN
every sense, with hayseed in my hair"
Nancel-"And hay in your barns, and
money in the bank, you ungrateful lucky
dOgp' docking back along the road
1T is amusing to find at every turn Of
the road, at every tree and hedge almost,
the rags of some pleasant memory tlutter-
ing. | have noted a hundred spots asSo-
cidted with our school-boy pranks."
Talleges with n meaning smile)-"And
our postgraduate folliesW
Nancel-"Do you mean that for me"'
(Uneasily): Are we getting warm
Talleges-"We are within two miles of
Mile. Ducernaux's hermitage. Are you
beginning to feel the spell?'
Nancel-'"T'he spell? No. but a sort of
vague uneasiness. How will she receive
me. | wonder? | am afraid that this Wis
it is rather bold.
know well enough"
Talleges-"Because you and she once
had Il youthful tlirtatiOn-romance, if you
choose-which has long been buried be-
meath the dust of years? Because you
fell in love with each other without
knowing exactly why, in the sprngtimee
Of life, when The buds were bursting!
Bah! what difference does it make where
or from whom the heart learns its a b
c'S? Your experience is not unique.
Nancel-"Ver true. But one fine day,
without any valid reason-for her fami-
ly was as good and as rich as my own
I terminated the idyl abruptly, and
went away. iii spite of sweet and sol
emn promises, notwithstanding our fire.
quent meetings"
Tallegcs-"Oh! open-air meetings
where. like two children, You played at
kisses without knowing the game. AT
least, that is what you have told me-
Nancel-''I told you the truth, Yet
there was wrench, just as if it had
GRANGE, a delicious after taste of this
first love has always remained with me.
For her part. as she is not married"
Talleges is nothing"
Nancel-"At all events, she has not
left the scene of the idyl, and, as for
me, the instant | come back | feel my
long-lost youth going to my head like
the intoxicating breath of spring"
Talieges-"Be calm, old man, be
calm!'
Nancel-" Perhaps, like fool, ran
away from happiness. oh, how pretty
she was! | can still see her, divnely
fair, with big black eyes, not sparkling
with wit, perhaps, hut so frank and hon
est; features rather strongly marked, but
good; tall and slender figure-I don't
know, though, that | ever noticed her
figure particularly. But in my memory
! carry Il delicious ensemble, softened
by time How does she look now?"
Talleges automatically will
see"
Nancel- so you won't tell me? She
lives very retired life, you say ?"
Talleges-"Nery In twenty-five years
| have met her four or five times ut
friends houses, and | see her at church
when | go to church"
Nancel (seeing that Talleges is pulling
rived? ID that her house among the
treesY
hire
Nancel-"Set me down? Are you not
coming with me?'
Talleges-"No; / should he in the way.
Besides, | am not on the best of terms
with Mile. DucernauX, l viii light my
pipe and wait here for you"
Nancel (hestating)-"Say! | have half
a mind not to GO
Talleges-"Oh, so on, man. Always
read a romance to the end"
In another minute Nancel is knocking
at the door of large, square, gloomy
looking house of no particular style In
front extend unweeded paths bordered by
fruit trees and beds of vegetables. 4
few scattered flowers look ashamed of
their surroundings. Near the house are
several pens filled with poultry, rabbits
and other animals.
\ Grabbed, wrinkled old servant with
n face like a winter russell opens the
door and shows Nancel into parlor,
which gives him the impression of hav-
ing gone back, not twenty-five years, but
century. Mahogany and plush chairs
and SOFAS ar2 arranged Stiffly and sym
metrically around center table; there
are white shades at the windows and
four gilt-framed engravings on the walls.
I'm the mantelpiece stands an Empire
clock covered by glass bell and fianked
by two vases of artificial flowers.
\ door is opened cautiously, revealing
Mile. DucernauN, stiff, angular, appear
ing excessively tall in her straight and
painfully plain black garments. Her
waxen yellow complexion makes her APP
pear like a withered old woman. and this
effect is increased by her dull grey hair,
closely braided. She regards Nancel as
coldly and indifferently as if she took
him for a obok agent.
NanCel tStunned by the sudden fall of
long cherished ilmSionsl-'I beg You to
excuse SO manifcStly improper call.
mademoiselle but being here fer the
hrst time in SO many years, l could not
go away without presenting my respects.
1t was not only my duty, thought. but
almost my. right based on our old
friendship"
Mile. Ducernaux apparently uncon-
SclouS of the aHusionl--"I thank you.
monsieur. BE seated"
NanCel lin some embarrassment L
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? An eccentric person. this
friend of yours, He has peculiar ideas.
about farming, Tor one thing, but espe-
pialiy about the farmers. the peasants"
Named What ideas, mademoiselle?"
Mile. DucernauN- Humanitarian chi
meraS dangerous, utopian fancieS. II
you yield an inch to those people. they
will TUiu Vnu 1hpy YnuSt bo r,,}n,l ,,.;t !,