The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1910-07-08
Copyright. 1907.
u. Applston s Co.
CHAPTER II-Continued.


the story-teller and wanted to know
whether Paul was interested in what she
was telling him. Paul was so much in
terested IN Lucie that he would have lis
tened with pleasure to anything she said,
but the beginning Of what she was telling
him sounded like a book, and he listened
with eagerness. Lucie, seeing this. pro-
ceeded Like many other people. she en-
joyed being the heroine of her own tale,
and It lost nothing in the telling.
We'll, ! used to like this visit TO my
grandmother-she has big chateau,
larger than the commandments house. five
times as large-bigger than the Hotel de
VILE"
Lueie opened her arms and hands wide
to show Paul the enormous size OF the
Chateau Bernard.
"And then she has such beautiful
things-so many servants, carriages.
horses. chandeliers. and gardens-the
most beautiful gardens. and a park ten
times as large as this"
Paul listened to this somewhat coldly.
He did not Ike Dragging and could not
understand the innocent, imaginative de-
light which Lucie took in describing a
pretty chateau.
Il used TO love TO go there and visit
grandmamma when I lived with Sophie.
We lived in another plaee-a great big
city called Chalons. But l loved being
with Sophie best She was not at all like
what she is now. but she was the gayest
person IN Chalons. She wore beautiful
pink gowns, and white hats. and feathers,
and went TO balls every night, but she
always had time 10 look after me. She
used TO take me in the carriage with
her every afternoon to drive, and before
she went to a bali she always saw me
undressed and in my bed and came 10
tell me good night And she looked over
my lessons and made me practice my
music, and did everything for me, just
as the other little girls mammas did for
them. Then something happened-I do
not know what il vast was something
dreadful, though, and 1 remember the
day. II rained very hard. and Capt
Ravenel came in the afternoon and was
sitting In the drawing-room with Sophie,
and Count Delorme came in. and there
was a terrible noise. and the door came
open. and Count Delorme struck Sophie
with his fist hard and Capt. Ravenel
caught her in his arms. l was leaning
over the balluster, and then Harper ran
down, and carried me of, and would
not let ne go near Sophie, though |
heard her crying outside the door, and I
cried inside the door just as hard as
1 could. The next day Harper-that is
my nursery governess that takes care
Of me now and dragged me away yes
terday-came and took me in a carriage
10 the railway station, without letting
me say good-by TO Sophie, and carried
me of to my grandmamma's chateau"
Paul was interested enough now, Luz
eie's story sounded more and more Ike
story out OF a book
when I came to the chateau. my
grandmother-sheis Sophie's granGmamma
Just as much as she Is mine-kissed me,
ana Rugged me and told me 1 was TO
live there, but was very angry because
I hadn't seen Sophie TO say good-by even,
and I kept asking why Sophie didn't
come 10 see me or send for me or even
write me a letter. I used to write her
letters myself-y0u see, 1 am ten years
old and l can write very well-and I gave
them to grandmamma TO send to Sophie,
but I found a whole bunch OF my letters
half-burned in the CRATE in grandmamma' 5
room. Then I saw they were deceiving
me, so wrote letter and I stole pos
tage stamp, and l knew how to address
II to Sophie, but got no reply. Then 7
stole some more postage stamps, and
wrote some more letters, but I never
heard anything about Sophie I had "a
governess and music-master. but grand
mamma never made me study or practice
my music as Sophie had done. She let
me do everything wanted except to see
or hear from Sophie. No matter what I
asked for. grandmamma first refused and
then she got it for me- She bought me
the finest doll in Paris ana a little pony
and wicker phaeton, and used to taEe
me TO the circus-my grandmamma lives
near Paris. you know-and gave me five
francs Of my own TO spend every Satur-
day. But I wanted Sophie AT night I
would think about her. and cry and cry,
and then grandmamma would have me put
In her bed and she would cry, too. but
she would not let me see Sophie. At last
couldn't eat anything-not even bon
bons-and they sent for the doctor, who
said grandmamma must take me to the
seashore, but after we came from the
seashore I missed Sophie more and more.
and I cried every night and would not
eat. and at last told grandmamma If she
did not LET me see Sophie would starve
myself 20 death-I would never eat any
thing-I would hold my breath until I
died-or eat cake OF paint out of my
paint box. Paint is poisonous. you know.
Grandmamma told me Of a little girl who
died from eating paint out Of her paint
box. At last even the doctor grew fright
ened and told grandmammaif did not see
my sister Sophie he was afraid I would be
very Ill, so then-this was two summers
ago-she let Harper bring me here, and I
stayed a whole week with Sophie. Capt.
Ravenel is her husband now. and not
that hateful Count Delorme, and /
didn't know Capt Ravenel before, but I
love him now almost as much as l do
Sophie. He is so kind and good. and not
bit cross. Sophie told me that I must
be satisfied with my week with her, and
must be good, and perhaps grandmamma
would let me come again, and that when
went back TO the Chateau Bernard I
must eat and keep well, and not cry any
more. I did as Sophie told me. but Soph-
ie doesn't know grandmamma as well as
do I begged her all last winter 10 let
me come and see Sophie again. and all
this spring, and then this summer. but
she wouldn't let me. and then I found
out how TO manage grandmamma
Paul listened to this with an interest
which bordered. however. on disannroval