The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1903-09-16


me this letter from Albany"
could not help glancing curiously at
the sheet in her hand, spotted on the
back with broken red waters. 1t was
the first letter I had ever seen. DR..
Chantry told me he received but one
during the winter from his sister and
paid . Spanish reals in postage for 1t,
besides fee and some food and whis-
Ky to the Indian who made the journey
to deliver such parcels. 1t was O try
ing and en- important experience to re-
ceiye q letter. I was surprised that
Nine. Tank had recommended my send
ing one into the Wisconsin country.
"Count de Chaunont is gone, and I
must have advice
Madame" said, "Dr. Chantry was
asleep. but I will wake him and bring
him here"
"No. will tell you. Monsieur, my
Cousin Philippe is dead"
It might have shocked me more If l
had known she had a Cousin Philippe.
said stupidity:
"Is he?"
cousin Philippe was my husband,
you understand"
Madame, are you married.
"Of coursew she exclaimed. And I
confessed to myself that in no other
way could Paul be accounted for.
s'But you are here alone?
Two large tears ran down her face.
sYou should understand the De Fer
riers are poor, monsieur, unless some
thing can be saved from our estates
that the Bonapartes have given away.
Cousin Philippe went to see If we
could recover any part of them. Count
de Chaumont thought it a favorable
time. But he was too old for such a
Journey and the disappointments at
the end Of it.
"Old! Was ne old, madame"
almost as old as my father"
"But you are very young"
"I was only thirteen when my father
on his deathbed married me to Cousin
Philippe we were the last Of our
family. Now Cousin Philippe is dead,
and Paul and I are orphans"
She felt her loss as Paul might have
felt his. He was gurgling at Ernes-
tines knee in the next room.
II want advice" she said And !
stood ready to give it, as man always
is; the more positively because I knew
nothing Of the world.
Cousin Philippe said I must go to
France for Paups sake and appeal my
self to the empress, who has great In
Auence over the emperor. His COM
mand was to 60 at once"
Madame, you cannot 50 in midwin-
ter
"Must go at all?" she cried out pas
sionately. "Why don't you tell me a
De Ferrier shall not crawl the earth
before Boaaparte! You-of all men!
We are poor and exiles because we
were royansts-are royalists-we al
ways shall be royalists! would rath-
er make woodchopper Of Paul than a
serf to this Napoleonr
She checked herself and motioned to
chair.
'sit down, monsieur. Pardon me
that have kept you standing"
I placed the chair for her, but she
declined it, and we continued to face
each other.
Madame" I said, you seem to
blame me for something. What have
done"
Nothing, monsieur"
"I will now ask your advice. What
do you want me to do that I have not
done?"
"Monsieur, you are doing exactly
what want you to do"
"Then you are not displeased with
me?'
81 am more pleased with you every
time I see you. Your advice Is good
I cannot go in midwinter."
"Are sou sure your cousin wanted
you to make this journey"
1.-THE notary says so in this letter.
Philippe died in the farmhouse Of one
of our peasants, and the new masters
could not refuse him burial in the
church where De Ferriers have lain
for hundreds Of years. He was more
fortunate than my father"
This interview with Nine. de Ferrier,
in which I cut so poor a figure, singu-
larly Influenced me- More than any
thing else I wanted friends Of my own
age. To see Dr. Chantry doing and
bear him grumbling TO longer remain
cd endurable, for he reminded me that
my glad days were due and I was not
receiving them. Worse than that, in
stead of proving grateful for all his
services, I became intolerant Of his
opinion.
DE Chaumont will marry her," he
said when he heard Of Nine. de Fer
rier's widowhood "She will never be
obliged to sue to the Bonapartes. The
count is as fond Of her as he Is Of his
daughter"
"Must woman marry a succession
Of fathers?' 7 wanted to know.
Annabel de Chaumont was counS-
ess and Nine. de Ferrier was mar
ouise. These names, l understood,
meant that they were ladies to be
served and protected. De Chaumonts
daughter was served and protected
and as far as, he was allowed to do SC
he served and protected the daughter
of his fellow countryman.
"But the pride cf emigres," DR.
Chantry said, was an old story in the
De Chaumont household. There were
some Saint-Michels who lived In
cabin strictly on their own means, re-
fusing the counts help, yet they nae
followed him to lie Rayville, in Castor
land. Nine. lie Ferrier lived where hel
husband had placed her, III q wing OF
De Chaumont's house, refusing to D&
waited on by anybody but Ernestne
paying what her keeping cost, When she
was welcome guest"
TO BE CONTINUED.