Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1921-07-08

tered the rlNaifN OF parties, except
as they might serve my own per-
sonal ambitions and desires? Youth
was ebullient i'm me. The longing TO
penetrate the unknown made inaction
ntolerahle 10 me. | must rush into
the whirlpool: ! must be in the very
midst OF things: l longed for gaiety,
for mystery for contest | must
sing. drink. fight. make hove. 1t is
true that there would have been some
outlet for my energies in camn life,
hut no qualification for my finer
tastes. no luxury, no such pleasures
as Paris afforded. little diversity. no
elatinE sense of heing at the core
Of events, no opportunities for love
making In Paris were the pretty
women. The last circumstance alone
would have decided ny.
had reached twenty-one without
having been deeply in love. had,
&c course. had transient periods Of
inclination towards more than one of
the demoiselle= in the ieighhorhood
Of "a Tournoire but these demoi-
selles had rapidly become insipid 10
nc As I grew older, | found IL less
easy to be attracted by Young ladies
whom ! had known from childhood
IN. | had none the less the desire
% I've in love; hut the woman whom
should love must he new to me, q
mystery. something to fathom and
set unfathomablc she must be a
world inexhaustible, always retain
ing the charm Of the partly unknown
| had high aspirations No pretty
paaSd. however low in station. was un-
worthy a kiss and some fiattery. but
The real affaire d'amour of my life
must have no elements but magniti-
cent ones. she must be some great
lady Of the court, ard our passion
,nust he attended ny circumstances
of mystery. danger. everything TO
cornplicate il and raiFe IL 10 an epic
height. Such was the amour | had
determined 10 find In Paris. RSmen-
her. YOU who read this, that ! arr
disclosing the innlost dreams cf ma 2
OF twenty zone. Such dreams are aP-
propriate to that q ge: Il rs only wher
they arc associated with middle age
that they become ridiculous. and wher
thoughts ~ amatory conquest are
found in common with gray hairs, they
a re loathSome. If I seem 10 have Civ
en my mind largely up to fancies Of
love. consider that | was then at the
age when such faucies rather adorH
than deface Indeed. a young ma r
without thoughts of love is as much
an anomaly as is an older man who
gives himself up 70 them.
+ looked back once AZ la Tournoire
when l reached the top Of the hill
that would. in another minute, shut
it from my view. I saw old Michel
standing at the porte. I waved my
hand to him. and turned 10 proceed on
my way Soon the lump in my throat
melted away. the moisture left my
eyes. and only the future concerned
me. Every object that came into sight
every tree along the roadside, now
interested me. ! passed several trav-
elIers. some OF whom seemed tc envy
me my Indifference to the cold weather
my look Of Joyous content
About noon I overlook. just where
the road left wood and turned 10
cross a bridge, a small cavalcade
consisting Of an erect handsome
gentleman OF middle age and sew
eraI armed lackeys. The gentleman
wore black velvet JioubIet and his
attire. from his snowy run to his
black boots, was in the best condi-
ton. He had a frank. manly coun-
tenance that invited address. At
the turn of the road he saw me. and,
taking me in at a glance. he fell
behind his lackeys that l might come
up 10 him. He greeted me courte-
ousiy, and after he had spoken of
the weather and the promise OF the
sky. he mentioned. incidentally, that
he was going to Paris. told him
my own destination. and We came to
talking Of the court. ] perceived.
from his remarks that he was well
acquainted there There was some
talk of the quarrels between the
Kings favorites and those Of his
brother. the Duke of Anjou: of the
latter's suIkiness over his treatment
al the hands of the King; Of the
probabilities FOR and against Anjou's
leaving Paris and putting himself al
the head Of the malcontent and Hu-
guenot parties; of the friendship be-
tween Anjou and his sister Marguer-
ite, who remained at the Court Of
France while her husband. Henri of