The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1904-04-21

l explained as best / might his abb.
sence, and followed them in lieu of bet
ter employment. forgetting for a time
h threatened fete. Before I could eX
trtcate myself. these new friends had
led ME into 81 brilliant circle, and duly
presented me to madame, who sat on
6. sort oeSraised platform in the center.
She showed no traces of her recent
anger n spite, vented upon thai pa
ttent girl who now claimed all my
thought. Her ladies, some languishing
literary notabies of the day, Il Off
Gers, stood about discussing the news,
and talked OF naught but some fetch
ing style or popular play, through all
of which | struggled as bravely as my
dazed condition would permit 1t
seemed I would never grow accustomed
TO the like, though it is said many men
t1nd great delight In such gatherings.
But n thing | searched for most eas-
erly.
behind naadasne.s chair, after a little,
appeared the sweet shy face of my
weeping Niobe of the park. I felt She
saw ana recognized me, and my face
grew warmer at the thought. I made
bold to ask n of the gentlemen stand
ing near me who the lady might be.
and not desiring to point at her, simply
described her as well as possible, and
AS being in attendance upon madame.
That. monsieur, Is Madame Agnes,
wife of the Chevalier de la Mora: the
wsttiest and most beautiful woman at
sSceaux. and the chilliest."
Noting the change of countenance
which 1 sought in vain to control, he
went on b~anteringly.
M. lie Capitaine, half the
men at Sceaux are in love with her,
but she has the execrable taste TO pre-
Ter her W husband. Such women de-
:, tfrpNE half the uaaf of 1;x,ipo Fl IOac1Ja
The Chevaliers. as a marvellous sword
and 9 most unpleasant temper. Bah!
how ludscTous 1t is for men to anger at
tribes
but" faitered, SHE seems a mere
rhild.t'
Yes, but none the les charming"
end he turned away to continue his
interrupted conversation with the dar-
ing young Arouet, the same who was
TO acquire universal fame under the
name Voltaire.
Thus rudely were my new awakened
hopes of love cast down. A wife, and
the Wife OF a friend! She had spoken
70 me OF @Charles." and Of going with
MIN to h colonies. "A wife, yet for
all that.I knew i loved her.
They say the road to hell is paved
with good Intentions. My intentions
We're the best that ever made excellent
scobblestones toward the Internal gate.
Only afeW Gays and l would be gone;
surely those could be passed through
in peace. She was a wifel would
never let her know that all my heart.
}sRas hers. This determined. But
niatltS weak, and the very atmosphere
of France dried up the springs Of every
honest impulse. Everywhere was
scoffing, raillery and disbelief. Honor,
friendship and virtue Were regarded as
the vain chirleras of a fool. Why
should not / enjoy life while T might?
Directly Madame Chatrain entered
without intruding. and composedly
took her place among the ladies' who
made room for her near Madame.
Nothing in her nanne bore evidence
her recent conflict. 1t was really
marvellous how the life these women
led schooled them to stoicism any
ChoctaW brave daring the stake might
envy. She nodded to me gaily, and I
stopped to touch her hand.
Where Is M. daaGseyilla2 Is he not
ito be with us this afternoon3"
I looked her In the face, wondering,
For could she not answer her own ques-
ytion far better than i? She read my
asnaaling, but her glance never waver-
ed. N
.Ahi There he Is, among the gem
tlernen. I feared he found Sceaux too
dull after Paris, and he had promised
- q - 8 W A1Ao E w ASA EAAA~ fS"szI
conlposes famous verses to some fair
and distant inamorta."
Indeed, Madame, ] suspected not his
talents / replied. Our conversation
Jagged, for the programme had al
ready commenced, and We gave u at
teiltion to the reading of some curious
a tiers, said to have been written by
two Persians of distinction then trav-
cling in Europe. which were being pub
lished anonymously in Paris. AT first,
I could not bring myself to listen to
such tWaddle, obviously moral, which,,
under the guise of light, small talk,
struck. atlthe foundations Of govern
znent, religiuos beliefs. and all which I
had before held sacred. Listening only
10 contradict, / grew interested In
spite OF myself, and only at some a1lu-
sion more than usually u OF place,
as 1t seemed to me, among so many
ladies, did I take my eyes from the
readers countenance, and suffer them
to roam about the company.
Feeling again the subtle influence of
agnes gaze fixed full upon me, it
caused my cheeks to flush, my knees
to quake, and verify. my legs were as
like TO carry me away as to sustain me
where I leaned against a tree. The
girl was looking straight at me; I
dared not return her stare which had
something more than mere curiosity
In II, n disturbed me greatly.
The reading was finished without my
knowledge, a piece of ~buffoonery, or
play acting gone through with, which
! did not see, when my name,
called by Madame, brought me to my
proper good sense again,
found myself. before I was quite
aware. bending before Madame and re-
eaiyingsher com ,aand that / should do
something for the amusement OF the
company.
NJ. Jerome has favored us. you
hare no drones here" she
went on pleasantly and 1t lis the rule
A seeaax slat all must Join our merrl-
snellt,g
rome I answered. All bewtIder
edsfashioasSf sssllad no feGciiection of
seeing aisgn Se GidSthH rEIs1erga~
baged heasgssas m ecit sopa lam
allIsiaing ri sYztts rose.
q kiss ssHSs= a EA X and
ueE no. esMsssal me