Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1903-02-26


as s5lA1- liquidity of glance. Her
Nv fSSs form, while small, was
tA Il perfectly moulded Her
E1N&&ssa1 u slender fingers and arched
instep spoke Of patrician lineage. Her
dark hair betrayed slight tendency to
curl in such loose locks as had escaped
from their fastening Her voice, While
sweet and low, had trace OF huskl-
ness Her nose was of straight Grecian
line and her lips, though coral in color,
were somewhat thin for beauty. The
face. taken in whole, showed much In
telligence and a sort OF innate purity
and modesty. 1t was easy to perceive
gentle and thorough religious training.
Despite the fact that she was young,
beautiful and we'll dressed, her pose and
bearing suggested, rather than express
ed. a certain shrinking or timidity. She
seemed one who had not been subjected
to the buffets of the world, but rather
had been taught to expect and dread
them. Her lack of accent proved that
she was American born but an ethnol-
ogist glancing at her casually would
have said that she was OF Latin ex-
traction, probably OF Italian and
French mixture, with slight dash or
the Hellenic
The man talking to her was young,
broad shouldered and blonde, forceful
and positive, evidently a gentleman.
His face, ordinarily contained and I'M
passive was now transformed wit, tfuo-
lion. The scene was a richly and quiet
ly furnished drawing-room in large
house which sat back from the street
In the older part of New Orleans. He
stood with his elbow resting upon the
low mantel piece, looking down upon
her as. she rested almost lost in the
depths of huge armchair which had
been pulled close to a CRATE in which a
coal fire was burning. The month of
January She was dressed all in white,
the gown cut high about the neck, its
sleeves coming to her wrists. In the
coils of her hair red rose was fasten-
ed She looked slight and pathetic as
she glanced up at him now and then,
and her eyes swan in unshed tears.
Il leave for the North tomorrow" he
was saying, "and my return depends
upon you. Am to take no hope with
me? Think again before you answer"
Her head dropped lower as she half
whispered; There is no hope"
But wait, Mignon, wat." he ex-
claimed You are of age and your own
master. We should be controllers of
our destinies. | love you; you know
that | believe that you love me. Is
1t so?"
Again the half-whisper: 81 love
you One swift upward glance went
with the admission, and the black
lashes dropped
I've are young, wealthy, practically
fetterless. Give me your hand in mine
10 hold through life. Who and what is
there TO say us nay?"
The world.
"The world be- But listen, Mignon.
You are morbid. Born and reared in
this cursed atmosphere, you have come
to undervalue yourself You start at
shadows You fear where there is
bothing to fear My people-and in all
New England there is none better-will
welcome You They will take you to
their arms as a daughter, | tell you.
Give me--give to all of my name--the
light to care for you AS Mignon David
here may be those hereabout who look
IN you askance | do not know that
his Is so, but ii may be so AS my
wife there is none 10 cast upon you a
breath of aspersion. We Wares have
borne honored names since the Pill
rims landed. Come with me and be
happy: or, if that does not move you,
come and make me happy
The girl stirred restlessly in the
,hair and her hands casped and I'M
'lasped Slowly her face was lifted to
lis and still the eyes swan in unshed
ears.
ooh. my friend my friendn She said,
IT cannot be- Look! 1t may not be
rridenly to say it. but II Is heaven that
TOa are opening to me | put II aside
ye.a.se I love you. II is OF YOU that
think. II there we're only Mignon
70 c0uslder--if only my own welfare
were at stake-I should not have hest
atel for a second. You came into my
lopr life as god from some far star.
. Is then that | should have put you
rom me, but | was weak. There has
cen so little of 10y 10 me in this dis
aFe called life. that | welcomed you
wen before you took my heart. You
sore kind where others We're harsh. 1t
LIST q wonderful thing that | thrust
.5e alt thought Of this inevitable end
and thought Of YOU by day and
med Cf You By night. As the hours
The end drew nearer. OF late 1t
seemed to rush toward me II Is
es now and tonight wo part. never to
rect again The good Cod has wiiled
Sc An things He doeth In His wis
tou He has put this cross upon me.
through the ages il has been building
Tic time is arrived when | must take
Hp Nth as little complaining as
Le
1ou love me and send me from gou. :
soye you and send you from me "
For a phantasy"
For fact--for drea iful, inaltera-