Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1902-11-24

under the influence of the empire, as
knew from observing the lad whom he had
| sought among the drowned In the mortu-
aTy chapel Of the Hotel Dieu, and who
was afterwards found in a remote wine
snop seeing sights The goose girl dared
Tot speak to me unless required it Of her,
and the unusual notice was an honor she
would have avoided.
What do you do here?' inquired.
| Her little heart palpitated in the answer
-"Oh, guard the geese"
do they give you trouble?"
mot much. except that wicked gander. -
| She pointed out with her knitting needle
sleek. white fellow, who fiirted his tail
and turned an eye, quavering as if he
said, La. la, lar
what does he do?"
HE would be at the vines and the corn,
monsieur
BAD gander!''
I switch him." she informed me. like
a magistrate.
but that would only make him run"
ALSO, have string in my pocket and
I tie him by the leg to tree"
| Serves him right. Is the Marquis du
Plessy at the chateau?"
Her face grew shaded, as a cloud chases
sunlight before it across a meadow. DO
| you mean the new marquis, the old mar
| quis' cousin, monsieur? He went away di-
rectly after the burial
| What burial?"
"The old marquis burial That was be-
fore st. Johns day"
"Be careful what you say, my child"
Didn't you know he was dead, mon
sieur?''
81 have been on a journey. Was his
| death sudden?"
HE was killed in a duel in Paris
sat down on the grass with my head in
my hands. Bellenger had told the truth.
One scant month the Marquis du Plessy
| fostered me like a son. To this hour my
slow heart aches for the companionship
/ of the highest most delicate spirit ever
encountered in man.
| Once lifted my head and insisted:
ut can't be true!"
Monsieur" the goose girl asserted sol
EMMY, 1T is true. The blessed st. Alpin,
my patron, forget me If tell you a le!'
! Around the Swallowed spot where 1 sat
heard trees whispering on the hills, and
a cart rumbling along the hardened dust
of the road
Monsieur" spoke the goose girl out Of
| her good heart, ''if you want to go to his
chapel I will show you the path
She tied string around the leg of the
wicked gander and attached him to the
| tree shaking a wand at him in warning.
| He nipped her sleeve and Kissed and hop
| ped his wives demonstrating softly; but
| his guardian left him. bound and carried
J her knitting down a valley to a stream,
! across the bridge. and near an opening in
the bushes at the foot of a hill.
go all to the right monsieur" she said.
land you will come to the chapel where
| the Du Plessys are buried
gave her the largest coin in my pocket
and she flew back as well as the spirit of
childhood could fly in wooden shoes. All
| the geese, formed in line, waddled to
meet her, perhaps bearing memorial Of
wrongs from their husband.
/ The climb was steep, rounding dark
| ened ferny shoulder of lush Forest yet
promising more and more top of sun
light. At the summit was a carrige road,
which assembled by some easier plane.
I Keeping all to the right as the goose girl
had directed, 1 found a chapel like
shrine
1t was locked Through the latticed
door could see an altar, whereunder the
Iast Du Plessy who had come to rest
| there doubtless lay with his kin
sat down on one of the benches under
| the trees. The ache within me went deep
But all that sunny Interest seemed bright
ened by the marquis 1t was cheerful as
i his smile. Let us have a glass of wine
and enjoy the sum-" he said in the breeze
! flowing around his chapel. And do you
hear. that little citizen of the tree trunks,
/ Lazarre?'
The perfume of the woods rose invisibly
J to a cloudless sky. My last tryst with my
, friend was an hour in paradises ante
| chamber.
The light quick stepping of horses and
| their rafting harness brought Madame de
| Terriers carriage quickly around the
/ curve fronting the chapel. Her presence
was the one touch which the place lacked,
and forgot grief, shame, Impotence at
| being found out in my trouble, and stood
| at her step with my hat in my hand
| She said-"O Lazarre!'-and Paul beat
| on Ernestin'e knee, echoing-"O Zari'
| and my comfort was absolute as release
| from pain, because she had come to visit