The Lee County journal. (Leesburg, Ga.) 1904-19??, 1907-01-25

position in society TO which her bifth'
her wealth. her accomplishments, ana,
last but not least, her undoupIeu
beauty entitled her. At Lady Featn-
erstone's house-at her little socl9l
assemblies, her soirees, her occasional
dinner parties-one might be sure Oh
meeting only those people upon whom
the cachet Of unquestioned breeding
had been set.
A woman herself Of unerTing taste
Of the most delicate ethical discrlmln-
alton, and Of fastidious fancy, she
was never able to tolerate in others
the least DETECTION from her own high
standard of criticism and culture. she
was clever enough to admire clever
people, yet not stupid enough TO pass
for being clever herself; she was
widow with two young daughters,
large income, and, as It seemed, CON
siderable capacity for enjoying IL ana
people said-those people who always
SAY" things-that the fact OF thls
large income ceasing on her remafrlase
explained the other fact OF Lazy
Featherstone remaining a widow. 10
give up several thousand year, an
assured position in society, and her
liberty would be much TO expect OF
woman in return for the questionable
advantage of a second husband, 80
people said. They knew that Lazy
Featherstone had made brilliant
marriage at an early age; that she was
enviable beeuse she was rich, and hap
by because she was enviable. But
oddly enough, Lady Featherstone was
not always happy; and on particular
afternoon in January she sat alone IN
her drawing room, with a look OF
singular sadness upon her beautiful
face her chin rested ON her hand, her
gray eyes were bent wistfully on the
Are. and now and again she sighed
softly to herself, as though a mood OF
memories were on her.
She sat alone Perhaps this con-
sciousness-this consciousness that she
was "alone"-had something to do
with the stirring of those secret emo
lions which a retrospect of the past
will often evoke perhaps it was this
retrospect itself that made the con
seriousness more acute; but at least,
the burden of solitude seemed to weigh
heavily on her soul Her children
were too young to be companions to
her-too young to fiji quite that void
in the heart Of woman Of thirty-tiye,
which looks for some other and fuller
source Of repletion; her friends-but
a womans friends, what are they?
Yet 1t was not usual for Lady Feath-
erstone to indulge a morbid train OF
fancies and in this very evening, the
evening of one of her darge dinner
parties It seemed curious that her
thoughts should have carried her into
so melancholy a groove, that the faint,
far off chord Of early memories should
have been suddenly struck by the
sound of a French name-the name Of
stranger, the name of one Of her
guests, the Count de serllac, whom
the French Ambassador was bringing
with him TO her dinner party
Except that he was a distinguished
diplomatist, Lady Featherstone knew
nothing of M. de Serillae and cared
less; but that he was a Frenchman
awakened in her heart the sudden
memory of another--a comp9triot--a
FTenchman, poor and obscure, but of
noble bearing and an exquisite man
ner, tender and gallant, handsome and
debonair, who once had loved her.
Once fifteen years ago, when she was
twenty, and he had been her drawing
master! He had loved her. this
French artist with the earnest face and
the inexpressible air of nobility SO
oddly at variance with the nature Of
his calling-he had loved her, this
drawing master; and yet what in an
other similarly situated would have
seemed the acme of arrogance, in him
seemed but the assertion of natural
prerogative, carrying with it nothing
bizarre. nothing presumptuous, nothing
inappropriate. He had loved her, and
she had loved him; SO there was but
one thing to do, and the drawing mas
ter did 1.-THE went from her presence
forever, for he was a gentleman. Only
this he had said on parting.
"Mademoiselle, ! so, but | leave my
heart herewith YOU. Treat it as
you will, Mademoisele, keep it or east
it away, think of me or forget me but
remember that, if ever the day comes
when / may return to you, | shall re-
turn; and then, Mademoiselle-th then,
if it is in your power TO bestow what
it may be in my power to ask, | shall
demand Of YOU the happiness which
only you can give me- live now
for that day-for that day alone!"
And, with tears in her eyes. she had
pleaded, girl like, that he should not
f-..t. 4, g.. ..,-1.- -