The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1910-08-11
AT airy Tale
Of The Time
How Happiness Came Ali Through
A Chance Meeting Of Two
Bright Children.

On certain, never-to- be-forgotten
day in June, 1901, two little girls
were sitting in the Champs Elysees,
each playing with rag doll which
had been made, as a labor of love, by
a poor, but devoted mother. A cas-
ual observer, had he been sufficiently
interested to have noticed these two,
would have seen in their present hap
piness that they were oblivious to all
else except theirimmediate surround
ings which, to them, were very, very
real. making a perfect Elysium OF
delight. Were they not, for the first
time in their young lives, amid trees
and flowers with velvety grass be-
meath theirfeet? Wasnot the sun shin
ing. as they had never seen it before,
making the waters of nearby foun-
tain glisten with prismatic colors and
this alone was sufficient to lead them
believe they were in veritable fairy
land concerning which their mother
had so often enthralled them? Had
they not dollies to dress and undress
and to whom they could confide their
present happiness? Was not their
darling mother close beside them and
even though her face was haggard
and drawn yet today she carried an
expression of joy which they had
never seen before and was not this
enough to make them additionally
content? Had they not also a supply
of goodies tucked away in basket
which later on would be ravenously
enjoyed and, with all these thoughts
was it to be wondered at that they
were happy-yes, desperately happy
But it was only the happiness OF
day.
A little distance apart from these
two children was another girl of ap
parently the same age as the Others
which may have been from sever
to nine years. The dress was a de
cided contrast to theirs for she wore
only the finest of laces, the choices
of cambrics and even young as sh'
was. had Jewels around her neck an(
upon her fingers, W b lie her nea
companions, h ough scrupulousl.
clean, were dressed in the cOarses
material which bore traces where
again and again, the same had beel
repaired. This little girl also had
doll. but how different in make fror
those of the other children? A de
scription of such 8 unnecessary o
of the miniature bassinette in whic
she was wheeling her baby to an
fro, meanwhile singing a lullbab
which, to the nurse who sat b!
seemed but a repetition of the words
"Je vous aime ma chere enfant. ="
was while /, Gerard Jean, was sittin
absentmindedly between these W
types of Partisan children, having n
thought of anything in particular III
less it was of pleasure in seeing othel
happy, that my attention was arou
ed by the peculiar sweetness and "
pathos of the voice with which tt
mother spoke to her two children.
'Eloise," she called, come hel
and bring Louise with you. 1t
time that we ate now and afterwart
you may play together again, itt
while longer, before we go home.
1t was the catch" in her melli
luous voice which riveted my atte
tion to her as she pronounced Il
word home" AS an imaginati'
Frenchman, after closely watchi1
herawhile, / framed around this wor
an a story of her life and pictu
of her present troubles. / conclu
ed that she had been born in Q
society, most probably having h'
wealthy parents. Then / saw b
discarded by both her + a t b er al
mother and this because she had b.
the courage to follow her heart
the choice of husband. | pictur