Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-08-20

|
old! Was he old, madame?"
Almost as old as my father
But you are very young"
II was only 13 when my father on his
deathbed married me to Cousin Philippe
We were the last of our family Now
Cousin Philippe is dead and Paul and
are orphans!"
She felt her loss as Paul might have
felt his He was gurgling at Ernes-
tines knee in the next room.
Il want advice" she said and / stood
ready to give II, as a man always is; the
more positively because l knew nothing
Of the world.
Cousin Philippe said / must go tc
France, for Pauls sake, and appeal my
self to the Empress, who has great in
fiuence over the Emperor. His command
was to go at once"
Madame, you cannot go in midwinter." "
Must I go at all?" she cried out pas
sionately. "Why don't you tell me a De
Ferrier shall not crawl the earth before a
Bonaparte! You-of all men! We are
poor and exlles because we we're royalists
are royalists-we always shall be roy
alists! l would rather make a wood
chopper of Paul than serf to this Ma
poleoni"
She checked herself, and motioned to a
chair.
''Sit down, monsieur. Pardon me that ]
have kept you standing"
| placed the chair for her, but she de-
clined 1t. and we continued to face each
other.
Madame" said. ''you seem to blame
me for something. What have l done?"
Nothing monsieur"
"I will now ask your advice. What do
you want me to do that have not done?''
Monsieur, you are doing exactly what
l want you TO do
Then you are not displeased with me?'
"I am more pleased with you every
time l see you. Your advice is good. l
cannot go in midwinter."
Are you sure your cousin wanted you
TO make this journey"
The notary says so in this letter
Philippe died in the farmhouse of one of
our peasants, and the new masters could
not refuse him burial in the church
where De Ferriers have lain for hundreds
OF years. He was more fortunate than
my father"
This interview with Madame de Fer
rier in which cut so poor a figure, sim
gularly influenced me. 1t made me rest
less, as II something had entered my
blood. In January the real spring be-
gins, for then sap starts. and the lichens
seem to quicken. felt was young, and
rose up against lessons all day long and
part of the night. l rushed in haste to
the woods or the frozen lake. and wanted
to do mighty deeds without knowing what
to undertake. More than anything else /
wanted friends of my own age
To see Doctor Chantry doing and hear
him grumblng, no longer remained en-
durable; for he reminded me that my
glad days were due and / was not re-
ceiving them. Worse than that, instead
of proving grateful for all his services,
became intolerant of his opinion.
DE Chaumont will marry her." he
said. when he heard of Madame de Fer
rier's widowhood. "She will never be
obliged to sue to the Bonapartes. The
count is as fond of her as he is Of his
daughter"
Must a woman marry a succession of
fathers?"-I wanted TO know.
My master pointed out that the count
was a very we'll favored and youthful
looking man. His marriage TO Madame
de Ferrier became even more distasteful.
She and her poppet were complete by
themselves. Wedding her to any one
casting indignity upon her.
Annabel de Chaumont was a countess
and Madame de Ferrier was a marauise.
These names, l understood, meant that
they were ladies TO be served and pro-
tected. De Chaumont's daughter was
served and protected, and as far az he
was allowed to do so he served and pro-
teeted the daughter Of his fellow coun-
tryman.
but the pride Of emIgres." Doctor
Chantry said. was an old story In the
DE Chaumont household There were
some Saint-Michels who lived in a cabin.
strictly on their own means, refusing the
counts help, yet they had followed him
TO Ie Rayville in Castorland. Madame
de Ferrier lived where her husband had
placed her, in a wing OF De Chaumont's q
house, refusing to be waited on by anv-
body but Ernestine. paying what her
keeping cost; when she was a welcome
guest"
Ny master hobbled to see her. And l
began TO think about her day and night,
as had thought about my books; an
isolated little girl In her early teens
mother and widow. facing a future IKE
dead wall, with daily narrowing for
tunes. The seclusion In which she lived
MADE her sacred like a religious person.
1 did not know what love was. ana 1
never Intended 10 dote, like NV moo,
master BEFORE the end OF January, how.
ever such change worked In me that
was as fierce for the vital world as j
had been Tor the world OF books.
WI.
A TRICK OF the eyes, sweet turnine
"A OF the mouth corners, the very colo,
of the hair-some Irresistible pbvsical
trait, may compel a preference in us tha,
We cannot control; especially when W,
first notice these traits In a woman AZ,
crying need grew to be the presence =,
Madame de Ferrier II was youth eaII,ns
TO youth In that gorgeous winter desert
Her windows were hoar-frost fIrree
without and curtained within. Thoue
l knew where they were / got nothlns
by trampinR past and Rlanc.na ~.
used TO saunter through the corridor tha,
led 70 her rooms. startled yet pleased i,
krnestne came out on an errand. The,
would close my book and nod. ana 81,
would courtesy.
"Oh, BY the way" I would turn 10 "a
marx, Il was passing and thourht
would knock and ask how Madame Fer
rier is today. But you can tell me
When assured Of Madame de Ferrier,,
health ! would confinae.
And faul-how q Paulg''
Paul carried hIuibeIf marveloualv a.