Mansfield mirror. (Mansfield, Wright County, Mo.) 1908-1957, 1921-12-15

lnnguishing beauty in n raccoon hat. I'd like t"
see you settle down with Va-de-bon-Coeur Hes
richer than all the rest of your dandies put l"
gether. Mnis, | won't insist, I'm no ogre. Choose
for yourself. but you must choose now. you've
wiIly-nlllied long cnOugh!'
Claire stepped close To him, threw back her hean.
81 won't marry anyone but Philippe BeaucIerc!
And you know it,"
Ugh" the deer slayer. Bah, he couldn't win
you>in a fair fight"
"Oh. couldn't he! Give him n chance"
"Sacre, l will! We shall have a. PUBLIC match
ut Noel time and lf he isn't wiped in the dirt yon
can have the mOon-struck fool
Tres bien - Claire was defiant and Joyous. IL
was plain that she had no doubt Of her lovers
prowcss.
Bur on second thought the old warrior decided
he could not pick out the husband Of his petite
anrc" through n public brawl. So, thinking shrewd-
ly of old Nu-de-bon-Coeur, he decided on a race
with Slcigls Christmas day. And whoever WINS,
he concluded, you shall marry him and he shall
have all your lands"
Now In the village good horses were n great lux
ury. Va-de-bon-Coeur had his stables full Of the
hest ponies that money could buy. But Philippe
had but one horse, unused to being driven with a
sleigh, n good, sure-footed hay, excellent for hunt.
ing. but for cutter raCing-Claire sighed douhtfuHy.
Sleur Reauvais decided on II race of sixteen
miles on the ice Of LAnse Grouse, the shallow lit
tie bay on Lake 81. olulTe, n lNISl'u WI NV
far side was selected as the eight-miIe turning
point.
The contestants commenced TO train their ponies.
Old Va-de-bon-Co Occur was out every morning, lash
ing his choicest black stallion up and down the
street. as he leaned forward In his Hight SteeI-run'
ncred cutter that had been sent from the East.
Officers were seen impatiently nagEinE their or
derlics to more careful grooming of their fine roam
mares. Even the tradesinen bought horses the
100, ,I,. ,,nIJ nffnrb and wont flying along the
snowy roads.
ONLY Phllppe BeauclerC remained aloof from the
general excitement. As usual, he was gone into
the forests at dawn, where 1t was said hr spent
the day hunting with the Indian chief, Menot'pah'
Whenever he rode he was seen nstrtIc the same
pony that had always borne him. 1t was known
throughout the town that he had not even pur-
chased IL sleigh. 1t was wondered at, fer his de-
yotlon to the fair Claire was an open secret.
Wasn't he going to race? The villagers cast COM
passionate glances at Bcauvnis's lovely little heir
rss. Her preference for him was an open secret,
too.
At length Christmas morning dawncd. Right
aftcr mass was said In the old church of Ste. Anne
the crowd collected on the bank of the bay.
A little apart from the crowd stood Claire beau.
vais and her father. Claire looked like an ethereal
lied holly berry In great red dolmAn. Her eyes
flashed with excitement and her little round chin
was held up proudly out OF her great collar. The
good old ScIgneur strutted about with Il SeIf-im-
portant mir, giving orders and waving genial salu.
tations to the townsfolk.
There were II contestants, of every kind ana
condition. There were cutters. jumpers, trains,
p,,ngs. sleds and carloles. The impatient drivers
we're accoutred In devious ways; some in leather
donblets some In furs, some in military manner,
some I'm great wooden blanket-conts of rich color.
And In all that group OF contestants none was
more impatient than old Va'de-bon-C"enr' com