Waterbury evening Democrat., 1904-12-15

the stormy waves of the Bay of L<S~
 cay broke in ceaseIess onslaught, beat
 ing themselves into the white foam Of
 sea agony upon the stern shores i At the foot of the keep or principal
 tower, which was built upon the sheer edge of precipitous headland, thera
 was de3p indentation in the clisfs.
 which, if one possessed sufficient skill
 and know ledge to thread the narrow
 passage twisting between the roaring breakers. afforded a safe harborage for
 boats and small coasting vessels. Tt l had been long unused, of course, ow- ing to the spacious harbor of Breas close at hand, but in old days 1t had
 been a favored haven of the adven- turous lords of Rohan-a and sometimes of their enemies as well.
 Landward the main chateau oveE- looked singularly pleasant garden filled with ancient fruit and shade trees, the whole inclosed by high 1 wall from which, and better still from the Nigh tower, a full view of Brasts | It's notifications, its naval stati0ns ita harbor and its shipping could be oE5 tained It was to this castle that Philip Grafton was conducted upon the evening of the arrival of Ise Theses ln the harbor.
 The Marquis de Chabot RoIs@ns pr. to give him his familiar title, ds
 bot, the heir and successor to tae dis-. mites of the de Rohans In t6osa parts and consequently the master of rich and extensive possessions, kept up a prtncely estate in the old chateau, and 1t pleased him still to perpetua6o th8l ancient usages and customs c1 hls house so far as he could The castle itself seemed to be maintained as mediaeval fortress might have been ! The ditch surrounding 1t on the Iand~l ward side. instead of being dry and J grass-grown, as was the custom
 kept well filled with water; the draa- brfdgethe sole means Of crossing the meat twas raised and lowered at ap-I pointed hourss and close watch and ward were kept by the feudal retain ers of the house at the gateway and on the walls. To seaward tho waile. were so high and so strong that theI castle, placed on the very edge Of the beetling cliffs, was believed to be im- presnable.
 His only son, the young Comta dsa 1 Rohan and save de KeFsaint aInosk his only relative had married Mis- tress Anne Page, 0f Virginia. Tha young man had been naval omcax whose ship had been stationed urunl the coast of North America, where he had greatly enjoyed the Spontaneous and warm-hearted hospitality Of t
 colonists of the famous old dominion.l Carried away by her charms of minds and person, and without waiting foxB tho consent of his father. he stralght- way married this young woman from the new world whose beauty and chax- Rcter had made so deen an inap1 | upon him, and lie had brought her kol France In his own frigate
 His father, at first highly incenssd at what he deemed mesalliance. had sternly refused to, receive him: huk l the tales of the beauty of his unwel- come daughter-in-law, which were poured In his ear by those who fell ssslza lder the sway of her Ioveliness, and certain substantial evidences oE tha great estates In the new world bs longing ito the honorable family from which she sprang, ana to which sha was sole heiress, which his son hed found means to bring to his attentionsi had first awakened his curiosity and finally mollified his wrath. He had ak l last consented to an interview, and thereafter had promptly succumbed tol tho charms of the winsome and besufIs euI American as completely as had hi son. Resigning his commission ln thel French navy the young count and Fl l wife, over1oyed at the reconolli atson. had returned to his fathers house anasl as he fondly hoped, settled down tol years of domestic bliss and tranquils I lity.
 j There daughter. the first and only l child of this strange union, was ho I but the life that came was paid for kY. the life that went, for when the chfld was but few days old, the young mother died. The inconsoRabIe young count did not long survive tho loss eE 1 his adored wife. To distract his gKios he resumed his service in the French navy, receiving his old rank through his fathers influence, and was shcFt
 after wrecked and lost with his ship on voyage to the French East Inx dies, while his daughter was sti1i an Infant.
 II 4k was 4 [ItLo4AAAGS A4SFFs " 1-AI +444A I man, but with Spartan resolution be bore up under it and turned to his lib- l tle granddaughter for comfort and consolation. As the days sped away the child intrenched herself more and moro in the old mans heart. He withs drew himself from the world in which he had been so great and gay 9 fgura and devoted himself assiduousiy to her welfare.
 Little Anne. Countess de Rohan in her own right. lived alone with her grandfather in the old Chateau de Josselin. Save when unavoidably called away on business connected with the management of his estates he rarS- ! iy left her. He watched over her with the solicitude of mother and the de- votion of lover. The withered old man grew to love her as few children were then loved certainly with such feeling as few F'renchmen of rank ak that day ever exhibited toward a child