Fulton County tribune. (Wauseon, Ohio) 1883-1925, 1921-12-22

languishing beauty in a raccoon hat I'd like to
see you settle down with Va-debon-Coeur. He's
richer than all the rest of your dandes put to-
gether. Mais, won't insist, I'm ogre Choose
for yourself, but you must choose now. You've
willy-ned long enoughw
Claire stepped close to him, threw back her head.
Il won't marry anyone but Philippe Beauclerc!
And you know it !"
"Ugh!" the deer slayer. Bah, he couldn't win
you in fair fight"
"Oh, couldn't hel Give him chance"
"Sacre, will We shall have public match
at Noel time and if he isn't wiped in the dirt you
can have the moon-struck fool"
"Tres bien! Claire defiant and joyous 1t
was plain that she had no doubt of her lovers
prowess.
But on second thought the old warrior decided
he could not pick out the husband of his petite
ange" through public brawl. So, thinking shrewd-
ly of old Va-debon-Coeur he decided a race
with sleighs 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 a great lux
ury. Va-de-bon-COeur had his stables full of the
best ponies that money could buy. But Philippe
had but one horse, unused to being driven with
sleigh, good, surefooted bay excellent for hunt
ing but for cutter racng-Caire sighed doubtfuy.
Seur Beauvais decided on a race of sixteen
miles the ice Of LAnse Creuse, the shallow lit
tie bay Lake st, Claire. twisted tree on the
far side was selected as the eightmile turning
point.
The contestants commenced to train their ponies.
Old Va-debon-Coeur was out every morning, LASH
ing his choicest black stallion up and down the
street, he leaned forward in his light steelrun-
nered cutter that had been sent from the East
officers were seen impatiently nagging their
derlieS to more careful grooming of their fine
Even the tradesmen bought horses the
best they could afford and went flying along the
snowy roads
Only Philippe Beauclerc remained aloof from the
general excitement AS usual, he was gone into
the forests at dawn, where it was said he spent
the day hunting with the Indian chief, MenOtepah
Whenever he rode he astride the same
pony that had always borne him. 1t was known
throughout the town that he had not even pur-
chased a sleigh. 1t was wondered at for his de-
votiOn to the fair Claire open secret
Wasn't he going to race? The villagers cast COM
passionate glances at Beauvas's lovely little heir
Her preference for him open secret
too.
At length Christmas morning dawned. Right
after mass was said in the old church of Ste Anne
the crowd collected the bank of the bay.
little apart from the crowd stood Claire Beau
vais and her father. Claire looked like 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 Seigneur strutted about with a sef-im-
portant air, giving orders and waving genial salu
tations to the townsfolk.
There were IL contestants, of every kind and
condition. There were cutters, jumpers, trains
pungs. sleds and carioles. The impatient drivers
were accoutred in devious ways some in leather
doublets, some in furs some in military manner
some in great woolen banket-coats of rich color.
And in all that group of contestants none was
more impatient than old Va-de-bOn-Coeur, COM