Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1914-07-21


the company of Get homme 81 juste
ment celebre. NJ. le Capitaine Richart
Doubledick.
Captain Doubledick, now a hardy
handsome man in the full vigor Of life
broader across the chest and shoulder
than he had ever been before, dispatch
ed courteous reply and followed 1t IL
person. Travelling through all that ex
tent Of country after three years o.
peace, he blessed the better days OF
which the world had fallen. The corr
was golden. not drenched In unnatura
red; was bound In sheaves for food
not trodden underfoot by men in NOR
tai fight The smoke rose up from
peaceful hearths. not blazing ruins Ir
softened spirit he reached the old
chateau near AK upon a deep blue
evening.
It was a large chateau of the genuine
old ghostly kind. with round towers
and extinguishers and a high leaden
roof and more windows than Alad-
din's palace. The lattice blinds were
oil thrown open after the heat of
the day, and there were glimpses Of
rambling walls and corridors with
In. Then there were immense out.
buildings fallen into partial decay.
masses Of dark trees. terrace gardens.
balustrades. tanks of water too weak
to play and too dirty to work. statues.
weeds and thickets Of iron railing that
seemed to have overgrown themselves
like the strawberries and to have
branched out In all manner Of wild
shapes. The entrance doors stood open.
and the captain walked in.
He walked into lofty stone han,
refreshingly cool and gloomy after the
glare of the southern days travel. Ex-
tending along the four sides OF this
hall was gallery leading to suits OF
rooms, and 1t was lighted from the top.
Still no bell was to be seen.
Faith" said the captain hating
ashamed Of the clanking Of his boots
this is ghostly beginning"
He started back and felt his face
turn white. In the gallery looking
down at him stood the French officer
the officer whose picture he had car
ried in his mind so long and so far.
Compared with the remembered orig
inal at last-in every lineament how
like it was!
He moved and disappeared, and Cap
tain Richard Doubledick heard his
steps coming quickly down into the
hall. He entered through an archway.
There was a bright. sudden look upon
his face, much such look as 1t had
worn in that fatal moment at Bada
JOS.
NJ. le Capitaine Richard Double
dick7 Enchanted to receive him! A
thousand apologies! The servants were
all out In the air. There was little
fete among them in the garden. In
effect 1t was the fete day Of my daugh-
ter, the little cherished and protected
or Mime. Taunt0n.
He was so gracious and so frank
that NJ. le Capitaine Richard Double
dick could not withhold his hand.
1T is the hand of a brave English
man." said the French officer re-
tanning it while he spoke. Il could
respect brave Englishman even as
my foe. how much more as my friend!
I also am soldier"
HE has not remembered me as I
have remembered him. He did not
take such note of my face that day as
1 took of his" thought Captain Rich
ard Doubledick. How shall tell
him?"
The French officer conducted his
guest into u garden and presented him
to his wife. IN engaging and beautiful
woman, sitting with Mrs. Taunton in
whimsical old fashioned pavilion.
His daughter. her fair young face
beaming with Joy. came running to
embrace him. and there was a boy
baby to tumble down among the or
ange trees on the broad steps In max
Ing for his fathers legs. A multitude
of children visitors were dancing to
sprightly music, and all the servants
and peasants about the chateau were
dancing too. 1t was scene Of inno-
cent happiness that might have been
Invented for the climax Of the scenes
Of peace which had soOthed the cap
tain's journey.
He looked on. greatly troubled in his
mind, until resounding bell rang. and
the French officer begged to show him
his rooms. They went upstairs into
the gallery from which the officer had
looked down, and NJ. le Capitaine Rich
ard Doubledick was cordially well
coined to q grand outer chamber and
q smaller one within, all clocks and
draperies and hearths and brazen dogs
and tiles and cool devices and elegance
and vastness.
"You were at WaterlooT' said the
FRENCH OEuCeC.
II was" said Captain Richard Dou-
bledick. "And Mt Badajos."
Left alone with the sound Of his own
stern voice in his ears, he sat down to
consider, What shall do and how
shall tell him? At that time unhap-
PLY many deplorable duels had been
fought between English and French
officers arising out of the recent war.
and these duels and how to avoid this
officers hospitality were the upper
most thought in Captain Richard Dou-
bledick's mind.
He was thinking and letting the time
run out in which he should have dress
ed for dinner when Mrs. Taunton
spoke to him outside the door asking
II be could give her the letter he had
brought from Mary. His mother,
above ALL" the captain thought. "How
shall I tell herr"
"You will form friendship with
your host, I hope" said Mrs. Taunton.
whom he hurriedly admitted. that will
last for life. He is so true hearted and
80 generous. Richard. that you can
hardly fail to esteem one another. II
he had been spared"-she kissed. not
without tears. the locket In which she
wore his hair-"he would have appre.
ciated him with his own magnanimity
and would have been truly happy that
the evil days were past which made