The Detroit times., 1913-09-17
Mar h al
NARY RAYMOND SHLPMAN ANDREW

Colonel Hampton asked. II he were
TO be only year or two In Virginia,
why trouble to set up housekeeping
alone In that big house. when Roam
oke House was here and In order.
and only too glad to keep him. SO
Francois for u week or two stayed.
And found himself. shortly. = notabiI-
ity. Harry Hampton. his boyish am
bition for adventure and daring de.
MED every personal outlet, because
OF that accident In babyhood which
had started him In life. hopslessiy
lame, was as proud OF his salvage
from the Austrian bird OF prey as II
Francois record had been his own.
Much more frankly proud. for he
could talk about II. and did Alike
had told him great deal, and the
episode Of the headlohg rescue or
Prince Louis Napoleon, the capture
and imprisonment and final theatri-
cal escape. went like wild-hre, about
the countryside. and stirred all the
romance of the warm blooded, south
erners. Every house wanted the hero
to break bread, and under young Har-
iy's proud wing Francois went gladly
i
friend. As the general had said years
ago, his simplicity struck the finest
note Of sophisticated high breeding;
moreover, he had lived with high-bred
people In more than one country; the
aristocrats OF Virginia were delighted
with hts young nobleman, as they
thought him--with his charm Of man
ner and his stirring history, with the
lines Of suffering still In hts thin face
and the broad lock OF gray-the
badge OF that suffering--in his dark
hair; with the quaint foreign accent.
too, and the unexpectedness in the
turns of his rapidly increasing Ens
lish. 49,
Francois accepted the title of Chew.
alier, which Alike had given him In
speaking to Henry Hampton, and
which Henry Hampton used In intro
ducing him to the noblesse Of the
South, partly because he believed Il
his. and partly because II pleased the
child-like French vanity in him. He
had no thought of claiming social
position not his own: no thought
that Il social position might count
with these hospitable new friends.
Names known In American history
we're spoken at the dinnertable OF
these days In Virginia.
1T Is the Chevalier Beaupre, MIR.
Clay" Lucy Hampton answered a
question from q tall man with q great
domed head.
She was placed next MIN at din
ner at Martins Brandon, the old home
of the Harrisons. The young man
with the band OF white In his hair
It 10 the Chevalier Beaupre--of
France. He is staying at Roanoke.
And she went on eagerly to give a
quick summary Of the history of this
stranger, whose personality attracted
the interest of SO distinguished a per-
son. As she talked. Henry Clay. OF
Kentucky, bending to listen to her
sliding speech. watched, under his
deep brow, the man across the table,
1T 10 q good. deal OF history: Tor q
man OF twenty-six,' Clay considered,
and with that his resonant, assured
voice lifted across the talk OF the
dinner.table. "Chevalier Beaupre!"
Francois turned swiftly. and his
great durk eyes met the piercing
look of the great statesman. MATS
oui, Monsieur"-he dropped back into
his own tongue at sudden touch,
always. ~
Careless of the silence which fell
on the long table, Henry Clay went
on In his clear masterful tones.
Miss Hampton tells me that you are
of the Bonapartist side of French pol.
itics. That interests me. should
like to get an idea Of the strength OF
that faction In France. You come,
suppose. of q Bonapartist family.
Was your house royalist before the
revolution? And In what part or
France did your lands lie?"
The twenty odd people, leaders OF
the Virginian aristocracy, bent for
ward from this side and that Of the
table to hear the reply. 1t came cas-
lily, promptly, In the deep, clear. young
voice. which they had all begun to
know
But, Monsieur have no house l
am a peasant. Ny father holds
farm from the Seigneur Of VicQues.
In the valley of the Jura. 1t Is all
the land we have" The exquisite ra-
diant smile OF the child of the cot
tage OF La Claire shone across the
silver and glass of the glittering din
neT.L6Olo VI dnOOby uhSOhcSAOeS "
the startled eyes staring all one way
In that dramatic silence.
Human nature Is mostly good
enough to ring true to the touch OF
truth. It Is also quick to be kindly
when kindness Is the lead or great
ness. Clay, OF, Kentucky. was genu- !
inely great. He bowed with a gent
Ter courtesy than common to the
bright, steady face opposite him.
Sir" he said, ut il finer to have
a heroic record than to have family
and lands. took It for granted you
had everything for you seem q dar-
ling OF the gods. congratulate you
that the, realities which men strive
for during long lives--greatness OF
spirit and greatness Of action-have
come 10 you at twenty-six. May 1
look forward to some talk with you
after dinner on French politics?"
And Francois, answering eagerly,
with the pleasure in pleasing which
was part OF his magic. did not suspect
that he had passed a crisis. Missing
nv a hairs breadth social snip
wreck. which he would not have real
lied or regarded. the Cheyalier Beau,
nre stood hereafter In Virginia So
ciety on his own feet, q peasant born
vet a lion. People wondered now
he was a chevalier, but not even Har-