Meade County news. [volume] (Meade, Kan.) 1900-1918, 1903-01-29

of reason, ~ ska3s
"Alas, she has gone" said Wilfrid,
regretfully, gone. l shall never, per
haps, see her again"
He did see, her again three days
later when we went with Jacques on
an excursion to Morne Rouge away
up near the veil of mist that shut the
mountain peak from view. Jeanne de
st. Pierre, they called her. He had a
strange fancy that he was listening to
a voice from dead centuries when she
spoke to him and yet there was a
living music in her voice that would
never die.
"How charming it is for you to be
named for the beautiful city;-but
Jeanne? How did you come by that
name? 1t was her name, too"
1.-THE bearer of our name" she an
swered, came from France in the
Revolution. He had lost title, estate,
and saved his life only by leaving his
country. After that he was known as
Jean of st. Pierre. l inherit the name
of Jeanne from many ancestresses.
have a poem written by one of them
away back in the generations. 1t is a
poem of France and, l think, of her
own heart, too"
He watched her face as she looked
down upon st. Pierre like dream
city far below shining whitley through
sun-tinted mists. The women of st.
Pierre are beautiful and with stately
carriage like the grandes danes OF
poetic tradition But there was a
loftiness in the beauty of Jeanne de
ST. Pierre that was different from
them. 1t was the face of that Jeanne
of long ago that had looked through
the glory of Wilfrids vision.
"St. Pierre is like a flower growing
in the shadow of tall tree" said
Jeanne, looking back at the towering
height of Mont Pelee. His gaze fol
lowed hers. The wind had blown the
mist away. 1t was drifting off into
the air, scattering in .1eecy wells. A
darker cloud seemed to be forming
directly around the peak. 1t was ris-
ing, rising slowly and in sudden puffs
from the mountain.
''Is not that smoker"
Eyes, it looks like it," she said.
Does it not threaten danger to St
Pierre?"
She laughed.
"The dear old mountain never
threatens US. He is only burning in.
cense on the altar of his love for u.s.
He has been known to hurt his
children"
THAT was long ago. His fires are
all burned out Where once they
famed there is a lake of beautiful
cool spring water that gives us life
There is perfect confidence between
us and Mont Pelee." .-
So st. Pierre gave her faithful heart
to the god-mountain even when
shaken by the thunders from his
mighty breast and when the lightnings
from his heart famed over the city
which proudly dwelt in his fancied
love.
I'VE are quite safe" said Jeanne
to Wilfrid few days after the meet
ing at Morne Rouge. THE Commits
sioners from Port de France went hall
way up the slope yesterday and en-
joyed the excursion and reported that
there is no danger"
Anything must be amiable that
would not kill Commissioner"
Wilfrid had come to America and
might be permanently aggrieved on
the subject of Commissioners.
When arrows of flame began to fall
near the town Wilfrid entreated
Jeanne to let him take her away.
''You. do not love st. Pierre" she
said, land you need not stay. am
not afraid; you are
yes, am afraid, but l shall moi
go and leave you here Will you go?'
No, l think not. should fall un
der the ,disapproval of 1.-The Governor
too, you know. Yesterday a crowd
of panic-stricken people tried to leave
the town and the Governor sent
troops to drive them back. He thought
there was no danger and did not wish
business interrupted" a
From the balcony one brilliant May
night they watched the flame pictures
that Mont Pelee was making against
the night sky. In the street below
the youths and maidens of gay st
Pierre. talked and laughed as they
passed. A girl wore white rose In
her nfght-black hair. The youth witt
her bent over her pleading for it. She
took it out, touched it softly with hel
lips and gave it to him. Then they
both laughed happily.
The sun of Ascension Day rose
brightly over st. Pierre. People went
early to devotions in the old cathe
dral. AT the door Wilfrid met Jeanne
How like the Jeanne" Of his vision
she was with the early. light falling
ouar her ONT of thu dad canfnria,