El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1912-03-15
AN OLD LETTER

" HERE were, two letters on MS
desk this morning
\ Baron Charles de Noalles'
hand trembled as he picked them up.
He had recognized the handwriting OF
the one on top. So his son had writ
ten at last. Nearly two years had
passed since he had left his home and
every day baron Charles had thought
Tomorrow I win surely get letter
from him"
But now that he actually held his
sons letter in his hand his old anger
against him returned.
He distinctly remembered every word
Of their last conversation. It had taken
place in this very room. HIS son mao
stood on the spot where the rays OF
the sun now fell on the heavy carpets
1t was in spring just like now ana ne
remembered thrush singing outside
the window, as he gave his son the
choice between giving up the girl he
loved or leave his ancestral home IOr-
ever And, with calm and clear voice,
his sons answer had come. am
very, very sorry. father, but cannot
do what YOU ask / cannot give her
up, so there is nothing Tor me 70 90
but to leave you"
And then he, baron Charles de No
allies had actually cOndescended to
9
give up the woman who trusted ana
[ loved him. He had told him that he
had dragged an honorable name down
when he married an actress, most
contemptible creature Why had he
used this eXpresslOn2 he knew very
well that he was wrong IN doing SO,
I as no breath Of scandal had ever
touched the woman who had won MS
sons heart. And George was proud,
! Of course he was proud, being de
/ Noalles, and true son OF baron
( Charles.
/ In bitter angry words he had told
/ his father what he thought Of a man
I who would thus SANDER an hOnorab bic
woman. and left the house At the
! memory Of this scene the face OF the
, old baron grew stern and stony and ne
| pressed his lips tightly together. How
had his son. the future head Of an
old noble family dared marry plain
actress
He looked at the envelope once more
and examined the stamp. He would
not open il until after breakfast. Most
likely his son wrote to tell him that
she had left him as most women Of
her class DO in the end. OF course she
had run away with q handsomer and
richer young man. That she was beau
tiful no one could deny who had ever
seen her on the stage. Well, it would
be an easy matter for his son to get
I q divorce without any scandal or pub
hcity. Money and influence are able
to accomplish wonders nowadays and
I baron Charles possessed both Then
after while George might return ana
marry the countess de Aartilly, as he
I had always hoped he would.
Baron Charles waited patiently until
| he had finished his breakfast and the
valet had closed the library door be-
hind him. Then he began to read the
letter. But what was this He could
[ hardly believe his own eyes. The let
/ ter did not contain word of what he
had hoped on the contrary George
l only told of how happy his wife had
made HIM Not for a single moment
Z had he had cause TO regret his choice.
He had become an actor himself and
I had met with great success. His son
an actor. His son on the stage. And
( they had & baby whom they had named
{ Charles. And George asked him TO
forgive and forget and let him come
home again with his wife and child.
Baron Charles clenched his hands.
I digging the nails into the flesh. The
veins In his temples swelled and a
furious anger rose within him against
them bOth-nay, even against the baby