Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1905-11-30

more a leader or a general than her
father, yet with a woman's heart, and
in her better, softer moments display
ing a g%entleness truly feminine.
Fairly good-looking she was, despite
the long Bourbon nose; tall, shapely,
with really beautiful hair; eyes blue,
mouth firm, and a finely moulded
shoulder. She had withal an air OF
command that bespoke royal blood.
She was of the court, courtly; unbend-
ing only at times and allowing famil-
iarity in none save her lady-in-wait-
ing, or companion as she chose to call
her.
1t was on this afternoon, when the
whole earth was brighter for its
plunge-bath of the night before, that
a coach of state with outriders turned
in from the road and stopped at the
main entrance Of the house. The foot
men descended, the door was opened,
and LA Grande Mademoiseile' stepped
forth in all the stateliness a queen
could show. With this regal air she
entered the long gallery, whose satin
covered walls were decorated with por-
traits Of her famous and illustrious an
cestors. Passing it's length, she en-
tered a small writing-room, beyond
which was the door leading to her own
private apartments. Opening this
noiselessly, she stopped and gazed long
and earnestly at some object within.
Gradually her expression changed.
Her queenliness was gone, gone her
majesty, and the womanliness which
overcame but seldom her proud i'm
perious nature clothed her as with a
different garment.
The only occupant of the room was
a young girl, barely 10, who reclined
in an e~asy-chair near the open window.
She was clothed in a white gown OF
thin silk, with gold stars and leaves
in Persian stitch scattered over it; a
pale pink sash was tied in a large knot
below her bosom. She was tall and
slender, with that grace of repose and
freedom of action that is only gained
by healthful country life. Her hair.
light brown and fine of texture, rip.
pie 4 about her temples in a variety OF
natural waves, falling over her shoul-
ders in long ringlets; eyes that showed
a brown deeper than that of her hair;
soft lashes that partly yelled, partly
displayed the glance within; lips thin,
playfully curved, yet expressing moral
firmness which could pout or pray as
her emotion demanded-a natural
beauty, unmarried by folly or the de-
crees of fashion. She was the embodi-
ment of youthful vigor; vigor of body
and health of mind. The soft glow in
her cheek and the calm earnest look
in her eye, 4 look that knew not evil,
neither searched for it in others, both
showed that she was not of the court
or city.
This was mademoiselle's constant
companion, Renee d'Outrelaise, only
daughter of a noble of Poitou, long OF
lineage, but poor in purse. The ambi-
ton of her mother for her daughters
advancement had led her, much
against the old comte's wishes, to
send her to Paris to an influential
friend, in order that she might become
attached as lady-in-waiting to one Of
the royal household. Mademoiselle
had seer her soon after her arrival
and had taken her as her personal at
tendant.
Struck by the nobility Of though
and character soon displayed by her
protege, she chose to keep her alto
gether from the noxious vapors Of
court life and allow the budding flower
to develop uncontaminated within the
bounds of her own presence. Her es-
pecial fear was that her royal cousin,
the king, becoming enamored of the
freshness Of her beauty, should seek
to pluck this blossom for his own re-
freshment as he had so often done be.
fore. Hence 1t was that Renee fol-
lowed her patroness from castle to
castle as she in turn visited her diff
ferent estates or accompanied her to
Paris, where, lodged in mademoiselle's
city house, the paHace Of the Luxem-
bourg, she reInaine,s hidden from all
masculine eyes, sGye those alone
whom mademoiselle t.eemed 1t prudent
to admit.
ITO Be ss inued.l