Year: 1879




sound of her mothers voice, singing merrily
an old French song in q room above came to
her ears. Once more she dashed the tears
away.


He despised you, my darling mamma
you. No, no. will never pardon him."


Her parents questioned her in vain. She
had quarreled with Louis that was all they
could learn. And before a chance for recon-
ciliation came Elise was smitten with mortal
illness and died in three days, and Adele,
overwhelmed by the awful calamity, was pros
trated with brain fever


At this juncture a summons came to Louis
from France, demanding his immediate pres
ence there. Strange changes had taken place.
Two of the three lives that had stood between
him and the title and estates of the Marquis
dc la Riviere had been suddenly swept away,
and the third frail delicate child, lay dy-
ing. The present marquis himself, feeble
old man, was also at the point of death, so
they sent for Louis as the heir of the dying
nobleman.


The news bewildered him. His heart
swelled with exultation and delight, but it
sank again. Adele Had he lost Adele
Il care not for rank or wealth unless she
shares them Z" cried his heart. 81 will beg
and implore her pardon"


lie made the attempt, but in vain. He
bOhBilt Lei lhllitE uul bdll lew MOIuh "
him, however, that might make all well
again had she ever heard them but she new
er did. When her long and wasting sickness
was over at last and she began slowly and
feebly to take hold on life, she found herself
an orphan in very truth Walter had fol-
lowed Elise to a better world.


Nor even then had she drained the cup of
sorrow to the dregs her fathers affairs had
been terribly involved. When all was settled
she was penniless.


Poor Adele Truly might it be said that
her sorrows "came not single spies, but in
battalions :" father, mother, home, all gone :!
What had life left to offer her but patience
and pains


And Louis! He would have written her
Immediately upon his arrival in Paris, but
that he felt so blssfully sure that her father
would make all well. A few weeks later he
did write, informing her of his strangely al
tered fortunes, and begging her to pardon
and accept once more as her true lover the
Marquis de la Riviere.


And the letter never reached her. The
house to which it came was empty and de-
serted, the lately happy home was broken up,
and the little English girl, for whom hus-
band and title and fortune were awaiting in
France was earning sorrowful living as a
lace-maker.


Such are some of the strange reverses of
real life. more wonderful than any fiction.


So. the marquis waited for an answer in
vain. Then pride rose up in arms. ''She
scorns me" he thought. 'She, a poor peas
ants child. / am punished for my folly"


And he resolved to drive her from his
heart. But after many months his letter to
Adele was returned to him, crossed and re-
crossed with many addresses.


1t was a messenger of hope to him. She
had not slighted, She had not scorned him
perhaps she had not ceased to love. Before
another day and night had passed the mar
quis was on his journey to London.


Need l tell of his welcome there? When
did wealth and title fail to find warm one
Or Of the friends of former years who focked
to claim acquaintance Has not prosperity
always hosts of friends But none could tell
him of Adele, beyond the history of her bit
ter sorrows She, being poor had fallen from
their bright world.


And after three months search he had
failed to find her. He had money, influence,
deepest heart interest to aid his search, and
yet, in spite of all, he failed.


"She is dead" he thought with anguish.
Il have come too late-it is i'll the grave
shall find my darling. If it be so, and
prove it so indeed, 1 will live and die single
for her sake"


lul suCn WAS Ills resolve, unsupported Dy
any one many brilliant beauties spread
their nets to secure the splendid prize of a
titled husband.


Foremost among the many was Rosalind
Hale; she was the fairest and wealthiest of
them ALL and her golden hair was not unlike
Adele's 1t was this that attracted him toward
her more than the others-the memory of
his old love.


She never suspected that, however her
vanity made her sure that he was in her tolls.
She arranged tableaux in which he should
sustain a part with her. 1t never occurred to
her that he was too good natured and too in
different to refuse.


The characters were suggestive enough.
One upon which Miss Hale had set her heart
was that of a bridal Need it be said that
Louis was the bridegroom, herself the bride.


'He will speak now, surely" she thought
as she blushed and trembled beside him while
the curtains came slowly down.


But no, he only bowed as he led her from
the platform, and then one of the buttons oi
his coat caught in her bridal veil.
1t has been said that trihes make up the
sum of human happiness.
1t seemed so now. AS the marquis stoop
ed to disengage the lace suddenly he uttered
a strange cry.


II borrowed it of lace maker, Miss Hale
said in reply to his anxious questiOnings. -
Lad ordered one like it, but her health is 81
bad that she failed to have it finished in time
| So then / made her lend me this She wa
| quite unwilling, too" she added, pouting
'just because it was her mothers work. Sucl
fancies for poor person."


"a young girl p


"Oh, no very thin, and worn, and sad
with fine eyes, but too dull and pale to bC
called pretty. But an exquisite lace-maker
l shall be glad to give you her address if yoI
have any work for her"


Yes, he had work for her-work that they
would share together; the blessed work o
binding up an almost broken heart, of restor
ing love and happiness to both their lives.


Miss Hale never received her veil-th'
marquis claimed it.


In its stead he sent her a complete set OF
laces that made her-in that regard at leas
the envy of society and Louis married
Adele.


Pale and thin and somewhat careworn still
was the bride of the marquis on her wedding
day but to his eyes-the eyes of faithful
! love-it was still the sweetest face in tn
whole world that smiled and wept beneatl
Elise's bridal veil.


And he kissed the old lace and blessed it
because through it be had found her again.


Il love it now," said he. 81 prize it mex
to yourself, dearest 1t shall be kept as {
treasure always"


And so it was. Many fair and high-borr
bride wore the bridal veil of Riviere" in tn
years to come. 1t and its story passet
through many generations of proud and hap
Ply wearers. But among them all none wer
more blessed than she who through sufferin
had attained to JOY" the poor lace-maker
whose mother was a peasant girl, but who
| for true loves sake, and for love alone, wa
chosen from all other women to be Madam
la Marquise de la Riyiere.


FoX's Martyrs-Poultry.
| ImDortant il true-a wife.