The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1911-09-30

long prayers as you 40.
Jeanette, fair and rosy, with her
merry blue eyes and masses Of fair.
wavy hair, was indeed contrast in
every way to her two elder sisters,
Helene and Yvonne, both dark and
rather quiet, serious girls, especially
Yvonne, who was already looked
upon as future nun. Sweet as she
was, there was nothing nunlike about
little Jeanette; she was too fond of
fun and mischief, and with her
sunny, buoyant nature, was more in
clined to romp with her brothers.
ride her pony or row on the lake.
than she was to partake of her sis
ters' occupations. She was tender
hearted and affectionate, and a
bright, clever child, very painstaking
at her lessons and great favorite
with Mademoiselle Maurier, their
governess. Indeed, she was a favor
lite with everyone except Mademoi-
selle de Mibreuil, who, when the
child's father called her my sun
BEAM" remarked snappishly that
my whirlwind' would be far more
applicable.
One of the last days of the old
year there had been great ball at
the chateau, to which all the country
round had been invited. The younger
children, however, had been sent to
bed after having had peep at the
first dance, and Mademoiselle Maur-
Ter, before taking them to their
rooms, had gone with them to the
chapel to say night prayers, as the
good Able was away on his holt
days.
The guests had been gone several
hours and the whole household,
tagged out by the entertainment and
the work it had entailed, was sleep
ing soundly when, all of sudden
one of the man-servants tore through
the corridors, banging at the doors
and shrieking:
Fire! Fire! Fly for your lives!
The chateau is on fire!"
In minute all was indescribable
horror and confusion Mademoiselle
Maurier and the children slept on the
upper story of the house. In an in.
credibly short time she managed to
dress and help the children to do the
same. Jeanette, being the youngest
was, of course, her chief anxiety and
she seized a heavy white wooden dress
that the child had worn the previous
evening, and slipped it on her, after
ward wrapping her up in heavy
plaid shawl Then, followed by the
others, she went to the head of the
staircase, but found it a mass oil
flames. For minute they stood
panic-stricken. Then Mademoiselle
Maurier recovered her presence oil
mind and said: LET us try the serv
ants stairway They rushed there
and found it still practicable, though
volumes of smoke we're pouring up
ward. They had CROPPED their way
down one flight of stairs and were
starting down the second when Jean
nette suddenly exclaimed:
81 wonder if anyone has though
of Aunt de Mibreuil?" and, in spit.
of Mademoiselle's entreaties, she in
sisted upon rushing back and alon!
the second floor corridor to the OLE
lady's apartments, where she fount
her dressed. but too totally scarce
and unnerved to leave her room
Jeannette's CHEEKY GOODNESS seemed
to bring her to her senses, and sh,
allowed the child to lead her to tn,
head of the servants staircase, wher
Mademoiselle and the Count, having
seen the older children safe, had rul
up again in search of them. To
gether they helped the old lady down
and soon the whole family, in tears
stood clinging together before tn
blazing edifice which had been 70
so many centuries the happy hom
of their ancestors.
The Count and his wife, though in
tensely thankful to find all thei
loved once safe, were in despair a
the loss, not only of their beautiful
and historic chateau, which was yer
poorly insured, but of all the he'll
looms and art treasures it contained
They were, in fact, witnessing tn
destruction of the greater part @
their own and their children's fol
tune. The Count had managed t
save most of their important papers
the Countess and her maid betwee
them had rescued the family dis
monds and lace, worth many thou
sands, and some of the members Q
the household had contrived to carr
out a few of the most valuable pix
lures and tapestries, but the rest wa
now past all hope, for the whole plac
was mass of flames. 1t must hav
been on fire for a considerable tim
before laborers from the village, SET
ing the flames from afar, had rushe
up to give the alarm
Meanwhile Jeanette, as soon q
she was out of the house and ha
been embraced by her parents in tn
joy of mutual safety, had slippe
away unobserved to see if the chape
was safe MOI the roof was IN fir