Coeur d'Alene evening press. (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) 1907-1929, 1909-05-13
THE cHEVALIER.

and after the sad ceremony we return
cd to the old house. Here were mem.
cries for all Of US. For three genera
tions she had held children in her
arms, soothed their sorrows, listened
70 their joys. and now they were all
met to mourn her absence from the
old place 80 dear from It's associations
with her.
mounted the great staircase and
entered the room from which they had
just taken her. Here were my earliest
recolleetions OF her. / recalled how as
little girl l would come In In the
morning as soon Az was dressed, say
ing, Good morning, grandmother"
always found her dressed, for she was
an early riser. She would leave her
chair by the window and go to the big,
old fashioned wardrobe, which looked
50 immense 10 me, and take from 1t
the expected dainty.
With what awe and respect had this
wardrobe filled my childish heartl 1t
seemed to me a perfect treasure house
for all that child holds dear.
With these remembraDces In my mind
! opened 1t now. II was full OF fra
grant linen scented with lavender, ex.
cept for little shelf at one side, where
lay several papers. ! picked UP a roll
Of yellow writing paper tied with
pink ribbon and carried 1t TO the light.
Had any right to read the pages I?
They were discolored by age, but |
knew the writing. Could grandmoth.
or have any secrets which she would
wish to keep after denth7 Even as /
debated ! had united the ribbon and
discovered that held a diary in my
hands, and the FIRST words in IL were
OF love. sweet. pure and tender-the
iirst love Of young girl. could not
resist, and ! read the pages as stood
there In the fading light which laid
before me the romance of my grand
mother
II was IN the month Of June, 1912,
on q beautiful evening, when even the
flowers exhale more strongly their sub
tic perfumes and the human heart has
q desire TO open. Here In the twilight
OF the old garden grandmother heard
the FIRST words Of love.
Beneath the deeper shadow OF the
1
the flowers. two figures, young girl
and young man. walked side by side
with slow steps.
Yes. Clarisse, / am going" said the
young man. "And what difference does
II maker Suppose never return from
the war, Who would carer am
alone In the world"
"You have friends, Horace"
"None."
"And IY' said she very low.
"Your' cried he. "You would care
least OF any"
There was long silence. The grav-
81 sounded beneath their slow tread.
The night fell little by little. Horace
heard a stifled sound and turned.
you are crying. ClarlsseF'
'sYOu hurt me sol'
EDO you love mef"
She faltered. and his arms caught
her and held her against his beating
heart. Unreslstlng, she raised her face
10 his, and their lips met in long
klsa-the FIRST.
Horace left the next morning.
Ciarisse waited long for him. The
remains Of the grand army returned
without him. Still she hoped on. Years
passed, and the war ended. Many who
had been imprisoned returned. but still
he delayed. She pictured him buried
beneath tho snow with numberless
others who had dropped exhausted
along the line of the terrible march.
Her parents urged upon her the duty
OF selecting husband from tho suit
ors who surrounded her. She resisted
as long as possible. then yielded. van
quished by their insistence and by the
certainty OF his death. She gave her
hand to Count d'Estrarvillc.
Il was ten years since the kiss given
beneath the trees. she was sitting ON
bench In the garden when a stranger
approached her along the path. As
he neared her she recognized him. IL
was Horace,
He came toward her with out.
stretched arms. then stopped, rs
though surprised at the GOODNESS OF
her greeting.
at Is too late" she said. II am al.
ready married"
He explained the reason OF his long
Nneeuco~-captlNlt9t Sloefmt the minea.
oil tho frightful sufferlnRs he had
gone through, sustained always by
belief In her love and her loyalty TO
the unspoken vow made IN the twi-
light OF the garden.
You lied to me that night when
you said you loved mer' he cried. the
bitterness Of his disappointment max.
Ing him cruel.
"No." she said. II loved you. and I
shall always love you. II h just for
that reason that yen must continue
dead to me cannot trust myself
with you"
And he left her.
This was the story Of grandmother's
life as read II from the old diary.
remembered an old man who lived IA