El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1913-06-04
The TaHsH1an
A short story.

- from the ballroom and escaped IN
the narrow stairs to the floor above
where he knocked at the door. Once
| inside the room he threw himself on
his knees in front of his bride who sat
waiting for him in front of the fire
place in her magnificent wedding
gown.
Get up dear" she said
NO, no." he replied. kissing her hand
tenderIy, let me stay here. Don't take
away your hand or L shall be afraid you
are a fairy. and that this is only
dream"
You need not fear" she said with
smile. yesterday L was lord Mel
ville's widow, but today am Madame
de Ia Tour. 1t is no dream"
Frederic de Ia Tour had good rea-
sons TO doubt his good fortune. Only
short month ago fate had suddenly
made him rich, happy and independent
in a manner beyond his widest
dreams He was so thirty years of
age, with no relatives and a very lin
tied income One day while he was
sOuntering along boulevard des Capu-
/ clncs an elegant carriage stopped at
MS side and lady asked him to come
over TO her The fOOtman respectfully
opened the carriage door and mo-
ment later he found himself seated
] next to one Of the most beautiful
, women he had ever seen.
Yes. / received your letter." she
said with smile, but in spite of your
refusal hope to see YOU at my sOiree.
on know how 7 would miss YOU, If
you did not come"
You would miss me%'
Yes, indeedl How surprised YOU
( look. On. I beg your pardon. J see
1 have made a mistake. But the re-
semblance between YOU and NJ Lee
I nTTn is a Gr0nfchfucr
give me2"
Before she had finished her .explana-
ton me carriage stopped in front of
charming mansion and Frederic ac-
cepted her invitation to come inside
Ten days later they were engaged
and many times during the two weeks
that passed before they were married
ne stood IN front Of his glass looking
at himself. He was not ugly, but he
knew that nobody would ever think
Of calling him handsome. He dressed
plainly within the limits OF his income.
he had no talents, so he was bound
to think that lady Melville loved him
Tor his own sake, for il was in fact
she VINO mad proposed. as far as il is
possible for a woman 10 do so.
Frederic knew that she was rich
ana shortly before the wedding he was
told that she had large estates in Nor
mandy, chateaus IN Touraine, and a
mansion in Paris
Now come and sit down here she
SAID, and let me tell you a story. Once
That is the way An fairy tales be-
gln, Frederic interrupted her.
Listen, dear once upon a time
there was a young girl. whose parents
had once been rich, but had lost every
thing IN speculatiOus. They lived at
Lyon but hoped 10 make a better Iiv-
lng IN Paris so they moved there.
Inelr hopes were vain, however. and
after two years of poverty the parents
died, leaving the young girl alone and
penniless.
N HaInH ahn #-r
at last starvation compelled her to beg
IN the street One night just as a
policeman was ABOUT 70 arrest her the
young man from whom she had begged
came to her rescue. though he thought
she was an old woman, wrapped in
ragged shawl.
He insisted that the old woman
was an acquaintance of his and taking
her arm he led her away.
When we parted under street
lamp, she went on. j saw your face
my hand"
Ny face" Frederic exclaimed.
eSs Frederic The woman YOU
thought an old beEgar was I and your
my honor when You gave a five franc I
your wife"
But how is it p6ssibIe?"
The very next day ] got a position
as companion TO an old English woman. ]
q sister of lord Melville. who treated
became second father TO me
One day he surprised me by asking I
me If I would marry him.
marry you 7 exclaimed.
Yes ne said. 7 am very rich and
/ do not want TO leave my fortune TO ,
my designing nepheWs who are my
nearest relatives am 6S now, and 4
know / shall not live very long I /
love you as a daughter and I know I
no one to whom I would rather leave !
my fortune
Il stared at him. at his tall angular ]
fgure, his earnest face and his kind. I
grave eyes. and then once more saw {
your 1ace before me. Frederic, I heard I
your gentle voice. when YOU said good I
bye, that night in the street I loved I
You, Frederic, though I had seen you I
only once, and asked lord Melville I
to let me think matters over.
I think this made him respect me
even more and he persisted until he \
persuaded me and I became lady Mel
Vile / made him happy. He told I
me so many times and said that when I
he married me he did the most sensible I
thing in his whole life. And when he
was suddenly taken i'll I uursed him
to the last and kissed his cold lips
when I had closed his eyes forever.
I gave his nepheWs a few thousands
as I had more than plenty myself and
hoped that chance would bring you
and me together once more
] had plety Of suitOrs. but I was I
determined TO marry YOU or remain a I
widow You ungrateful man. who
would not make the acquaintance of a Z
woman whose only wish was to make
you happy and Independent. I sought [
you everywhere, though I did not even
know your name
She took a five franc piece from l
her purse.
This is the one YOU gave me that 7
night. ] asked my landlord to let me
keep il when I got the position as com I
panion. and I have carried it with me
always. You can't imagine how happy :
I was when I found YOU at last Ny
only worry was now that perhaps YOU
were married already. Then I would
have made YOU rich and retired to
one of my estates"
Frederic took her hand and kissed It
tenderly.
$50 you see. my friend" he said with
a smile. that I am no fairy but on
the contrary IL was YOU who put the
,alisman into my hand"
DATE MISSING;
RESOLI- I-Tl ION DECLARED VOID