The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1914-07-02

and q career were waiting for little
Francois II their owe for him should
De unselfish; seeing there things, the
father and mother agreed to the gem
erals plan. A tutor was to be engaged
for h three children: Francois was
to live at the castle as fit should be
explained to him-he were going away
to school. and every Friday he was to
walk to the Ferme du Val-the Valley
stay with his people until
Sunday afternoon.
So. without realizing the change, the
boy who had been the child of a peas
ant cabin became the child of the cas-
tie. and while entirely loyal to the home
he still held to be his own, he learned
ways Of living and breathed in ideas
which could not have come to him at
the farm. The Fridays were eagerly
looked forward to. and it was excite
ment and rapture to see and share in
the new prosperity-the large stone
mouse OF q story and q half, rooted
with immense oak shingles richly dark
with age: the farm buildings clustered
about 1t. connected with stone walls,
forming a large court: the big granary.
standing aside on a hill slope; and tho
multitude of live stock-the 70 COWS. the
eight heavy work horses of the coun-
try. the six horses which pertained to
the farmer for driving and riding, and
the two pairs of mild-eyed oxen, used
AoA VI Cdh1llS lil0 0dIIu. HIHo IaCner ana
mother reigned busily and happily over
all this plenty. and all the brothers and
sisters were together once more around
them n the white-capped grand
mother smiled a benediction from her
big chintz chair. Such a greeting as
FRANCOIS. her especial boy, got from the
grandmother on a Friday evening. after
his long walk!
This new order Of things was well
settled before six months had passed
after the going OF the MARQUIS Zappi.
francois was not now allowed to fill
the place of secretary except in an in
cidental way. The new tutor, a serious
young man whom the children aston
isned and worried. copied the pages of
the history Of the emperor. 1t was
hough important now that Francois
should work at his studies. There was
q rumor already that he and Pietro
might go together, perhaps, in a year
more. to a military school-in fact, to
Sa1nt-Cyr Itself. If the marquis thought
well Of the place when he came home.
And then in three or four months more
something happened.
Francois was alone with the general
when the letter came; Marcelle, the
younger footman. had been SEN to the
mayors in the village for the mail.
which came by post to Delesmontes and
was brought on by foot messengers ia
vlcQues, to the mayor, who distributed
1t. Francois eyes were on his seig-
neurs face as he read the letter and
the boy saw the blood rush through the
weather hardened skin In a brown-red
flood. and then fade out, leaving ii
gray. The boy had never seer the gen
eral look so. With that, the big arms
We're thrown out on the table and the
big grizzled head fell into them. That
cut Francois soul-his seigneur was
In trouble. And before he knew it his
| Childish arm wq1 arn11n1 The h{r roo1,
ana his cheek against the seigneur's.
And the sefgneur put up his hand and
pressed the little face closer, For long
minutes not a word was said and then
the generals deep voice spoke, more
gently han Francois had ever heard #.
1t Is a good thing to have a son, my
Francois" he said.
Then he lifted his head and told the
boy how. the friend who he had found
lately. after so many years of separa-
tlon, mad gone away not to come back
in this life, n how Pietro was
" with both fists to the generals
hand, listened wide eyed. struck to the
heart. 1t was the first time death had
come near, and the face Of it was grim.
Yet instantly he rallied. because he
felt that his seigneur needed him.
But he had a brave life, my seig-
neur-it is the best thing that there is.
My mother said so. My mother told
me that we shall smile later, when we
are with the good God, to think that
we ever feared death on this earth.
For h says n spends a long time
with the good God later, and all ones
dear friends come, and it is pleasant
and 1t is for a long, long time, while
here it is, after all, quite short. Is
not that true, my seigneur? My mother
said it."
But all the general answered was to
pat his head and say once more: ut
is a good thing to have a son, my
Francois"