The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1914-08-13

He walked into a lofty stone halI,
refreshingly cool and gloomy after the b
glare of the southern days travel. Ex-
tending along the four sides of this
hall was a gallery leading to suits OF
| rooms, and it was lighted from the top
Still no bell was to be seen.
| Faith said the captain halting.
| 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! g
| 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 it had
! worn in that fatal moment at Bada-,
JOS.
NJ. lie Capitaine Richard Double
| dick? Enchanted to receive him. A
thousand apologies! The servants were
all out in the air. There was a little
fete among them in the garden. In
ter, the little cherished and protected
Of Nine. Taunton.
He was so gracious and so frank
that NJ. lie 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. II could
respect a 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
l took Of his,' thought Captain Rich
} ard Doubledick. "How shall 1 tell
. ! him?'
The French officer conducted his
guest into garden and presented him
to his wife, an engaging and beautiful
woman, sitting with Mrs. Taunton in
a 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 a scene of inno-
7 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
7 the French officer begged to show him
D his rooms. They went upstairs into
q the gallery from which the officer had
looked down, and NJ. lie Capitaine Rich
l ard Doubledick was cordially well
l coined to grand outer chamber and
l ! smaller one within, all clocks and
/ draperies and hearths and brazen dogs
i and tiles and cool devices and elegance
3 and vastness.
o You were at Waterloo?" said the
e French officer.
r II was" said Captain Richard Dou-
e bledick. And at Badajos.''
L Left alone with the sound of his own
q stern voice in his ears. he sat down tC
d consider, What shall l do and how
e shall tell him? At that time unhap
e PLY many deplorable duels had been
| ,vor1,f J,1+x so[,
officers arising out Of the recent war
n and these duels and how to avoid this
o officers hospitality were the upper
II most thought in Captain Richard Dou
u bledick's mind.
l. He was thinking and letting the time
y run out in which he should have dress.
e ed for dinner when Mrs. Taunton
6 spoke to him outside the door asking
a if he could give her the letter he had
t, brought from Mary. His mother
e above all,' the captain thought. Glow
r shall tell herr
l. "You will form a friendship will
t your host, hope" said Mrs Taunton
Il whom he hurriedly admitted. that will
o last for life. He is so true hearted an(
e so generous, Richard. that you cal
l. hardly fail to esteem one another L
Il he had been spared"-she kissed. no
;, without tears. the locket in which she
n wore his hair-'he would have appre
n ciated him with his own magnanimity
; and would have been truly happy thai
# the evil days were past which made
y such man his enemy
Il She left the room, and the captain
walked first to one window whence hi
could see the dancing in the garden
- then to another window, whence b.
~ could see the smiling prospect and thu
~ peaceful vineyards.
Esprit of my departed friend.'' sale
- he, lis it through thee these bette
- thoughts are rising in my mind: Is i
- thou who hast shown me, all the way
- have been drawn to meet this man, til,
- blessings Of the altered time? Is i