The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-04-15
BY Cornelia Baker
CHAPTER THOUGHTS OF HOME.

- with battlemented walls and moat ap1 draw
at 5h Of saa
every quarter and wished their houses to be strong
forts. So moats, deep oitches made around
the buildings, and when the drawbrdge turned the
inmates of the chateau were comparatively safe:
-. Petronila was very glad when they had crossed
safe from the outlaws for spite of all that the count
could say to comfort her. she had been fearing all day
they would suddenly appear and recapture her beloved
brother.
1t great pleasure to the good old marquise
again The old lady not only kissed and embraced her
grandson until he ungracousy wriggled out Of her
grasp but she kissed Pedro and Petrona both cheeks
and vowed that they were even more beautiful than
The Countess de Feury, who lifelong friend
Of the marquse tall lady with gray hair and was
much too thin as the marquse was too stout She
greeted the twins kindly and much surprised to see
that they bore startling resemblance to each other
She made them stand back to back, and, finding they
of exactly the height, said it was because
Petrona tall for girl Of her age, while the
quise goonaturedy insisted that it owing to the
fact that Pedro small for his age. There other
ladies and number of gentlemen in the company and
the argument became general Thus surrounded with
chatterng and laughter, the twins bushed very red at
being the objects attention; Petronila
was glad when the conducted apartment
49,, The wefurnished room now occupied by Petronllla
seemed to the little girl to be good enough
and great contrast to her at home with the
little couch beside which her mother had often watched
during the past weeks The thought Of her mother
brought lump into her throat for it seemed to the little
girl that they had been separated for tho it
only yesterday they had parted
The maid went out and reappeared with little
gown of light blue silk which she said for Petro
at very pretty,' said the child, ''but sorry
to change my gown, for my brother has nothing like it
and we always the colors. It will
strange to us to be different
said 6e R%nr ms ht that a 4 say
too has changed the color Of his costume, for Madame
la Marquise is anxious for you to be much alike as
possible 30 -
soon dressed Petronil1a started for the
great drawingroom and much to her delight she
Joined in the hall by the count who also was on his
way down stairs
"What dainty fary!'' cried the count, taking her
by the hand and turning her about to get view OF her
gown ''Would that your beautiful mother could see
you pew,' ...ea, ;, Co.,, 49,. .,:,, -:..e.n- ..o,.
is prettier than any of the ladies here, think.'
"a thousand times beautiful returned the
count earnestly.
The long oak table the dining-room, at which the
guests sat stools and benches seemed to creak be-
meath it's weight of good things There was roast kid,
that time much esteemed that dishonest
butchers sometimes sold lamb kid, and there
enormous thrushpie it seemed crime that the little
songsters should be thus hushed for There
pease the twins had for that vegetable
was deemed royal dish and little known; cooked
with salt pork. There wild Strawberries for not
vet was that delicious fruit cultivated in the garden
nor did the berries that rich fragrance which
cings to our fingers when pick them from the vne
being simply red, sweet berry and nothing more In
the chateau gardens there were now being cultivated
melons which called ''sucrns, because sugared
water was poured them while they growing,
to make them sweet!
After dinner there was dancing IN great nall,
Flemish tapestry The gentleman whose
remark had worried Perona asked her to dance and
atho she was afraid she could not manage the step he
led her thru the figure always taking her hand at the
right time that she made mistakes And Petro
na thought dancing the oveest pastime in the world
especially when accompanied by such instruments as
hanthovs the refreshments
consisting sugared fruits handed about in silver dishes
by pages
AS Pedro noted the richly dressed ladies and gentle
men and heard the merry laughter about him he could
scarcely believe that it only last night he had been
by outlaws
Fabien, to whom such scenes not novel, be-
came sleepy and but was cheered by the candied
fruit His admiring grandmother could scarcely keep
her eyes his face "He always pretty DEAR
she said lady beside her. ''but he is handsome
as picture, and healthy only repay that dear
Veasco's kindness by care of hen own chill
dren ''--+ = =
els it always gay among great people it was
tonight, Guillot9" asked Pedro the valet accom-