The news=record., April 09, 1910, Saturday Edition, Image 4

Springtime
Cer O
Novelized by
Porter Emerson
Browne
From th Play of the Shma
Nun by Booth Tarkington
and Harry Leoa Wilton
Copyright, 1910, by American Press
Association
(Continued from first page.)
plain about the butterfly. But would
these things, that explanation, be suffl
clent? She did not know. Her father
was a strange man, a proud man, a
man reserved. She loved him much,
But sometimes he wus strange. She
did not understand. She felt far from
bin), very fur. And Aunt Marguerite
was even the shadow of her brother.
, And so she hurried on.
In the great room of the bouse of
Valette, a room that once bud bud
even the splendor of the old chateau
In the Norman bills, but now time
; worn, sunk Into the dullness that
i marks decay, were tbey preparing to
- do their last dead slave the honor of
the candles, for old Christian hild been
obedient, faithful yea, even to the eud
of bis days. And for this be was
to have the bouor that comes to the
Valettes In their going.
It was old Louise who counted the
candles now for the last slave, the
slave that was dead. Stout, heavy fea
tured, clad In rough gray gown and
cap of spotless white, she bent over
the leather box tbut lny upon the
old table, taking therefrom the candles
and counting them as she did so. And
as Bhe counted there came to the kind
ly old face a look of worrlment.
At length she turned, bearing foot
steps. Came through the door the sis
ter of M. de Valette. Across the som
ber room she came, a highborn, high
bred woman of Hlxty, a woman of deli
cate, pale, gentle face and sleudur fig
ure. Old Louise courtesied.
- "You ure counting the caudles?" ask
ed Mile, de Valette, It wus a ques
tion that was not a question. Bhe went
on. "My brother tolls the bell for old
Christian with his own hands."
The old servant shrugged ber shoul
ders. "Who else Is there to do It?" she
queried.
Mile, de Valette said, "Le maltre will
V play the requiem." She was counting
Nthe candles Finishing, she exclaimed:
"My good Louise, there are not enough!
Old Clirlxtluu was sixty-three."
h ,'uin Louise shrugged her shoulders.
"Here are thirty-eight," she grum
bled. "Tbut should be enough. Old
Christian! He was but a black sluve,
after all." She shook ber head.
In the year of our Lord 1813, you
know, slaves, especially dead slaves,
were not of much value. Caudles were.
Mile, de Valette, pity In ber gentle
heart, would have made reply, but ere
opportunity was hers there bud en
tered the room Father O'Mara, priest
of the parish a kindly uiun Father
O'Mara, who lived much In the out of
doors, a strong man and rugged and
man of the kind tbut It were good
for Qod to have In his tabor.
He spoke In a full, deep voice that
echoed resonantly from the dim raft
ers with barely a trace of brogue. The
old servant courtesled. Mile, de Va
lette Inclined ber head graciously.
"You are welcome, Father O'Mara,"
she said. "We are preparing the can
dles, you see. - But there are not
enough. Louise!"
The old servant turned.
Mile, de Valette, with a light gesture,
Indicated where, upon tbe walls, tar
nished sconces upheld blackened can
dles. "Take those," she commanded. "I
will look through the bouse for oth
ers." Bhe bowed to Father O'Mara, who
himself bowed, and passed through the
door. Old Louise obediently weut
from sconce to sconce, gathering the
half burued bits of wax and wick. that
. ere to be the lust earthly tribute to
the doad slave. At length she came
. again to the table, laying the old be
side the new.
. Father O'Mara took a pinch of snuff,
watching ber with shrewd, kindly gray
eyes. . ,.
"Not enough candles!" he said at
length.
The old servant shook her head.
"No, father," she returned, "not un
less you can convince the master that
old Christian was much younger than
be said he was. Wouldn't you say,
now, that be wouldn't have been more
than" she atopped. counting the new
candles and the old "forty-four T" she
flulshetV
"Much more (ban forty-four, Louise,"
Wagons Now Here
Return 35 worth of cash tickets
to, our stoe and receive one of Uiese
wagons F1UCE,
W. J. FUNK ft CO.
said Father O'Mara, smiling a little,
"But what has his age to do with It?
Four candles are enough for your
chnpel altar."
'Ills age has all to do with It." she
replied. "You haven't been long in
this parish, father, or you would
know."
lie lifted his hands.
"Long!" he exclaimed. "My soul!
I've been priest of this parish sixteen
years come Easter!"
"It is seventeen years since the last
death In the De Valette family. That
wns Mile. Madeleine's mother. She
pass' to the blessed saints when Mile.
Madeleine was born, the year before
you came, so you do not know our
custom here tf Valette, father."
"Your custom?"
"The custom of the candles. In this
family of Valette they call it the hon
or of the candles. They have that for
hundreds of years. Since the time of
the Emperor Charlemagne, In France,
one beurs, whenever death conies to
visit oue of this family candles to the
number of his years, one caudle for
each year, were set upon the altar of
the old chapel at' the chateau in Nor
mandy. No matter how or where one
of the family died, perhaps at home,
perhaps far away In battle, there were
tho candles upon the altar. It Is a
curious custom, father. And tbe old
tales say it led to a tragedy once.
But because of that do you think that
the De Valettes abandoned It? Not
theyt The De Valettes do not aban
don custom."
"A tragedy?" The priest was inter
ested. He leaned forward, resting his
elbows on his cassocked knees. '
Louise weut on:
"It was a De Valette who went to
the crusades, tbey say. He was a
lover, father, and the woman be loved
was bis wife. He left ber there a
bride and very beautiful, ne was a
great soldier, and King Philip, in tbe
Holy Land, made him count of all
Valette, in Normandy. Bo be rode
home gayly all the long Journey to
kiss his bride again. But as be passed
by tbe chapel before he came to tbe
chateau be saw by the lighted win
dow there were caudles on the altar.
So be went In to count them. They
were twenty. His wife, she was twen-
GILBERT STEELE
ty, father. So he know. And then he
sot his dagger at the armpit where
the breastplate does not meet " tho
shoulder piece, reaching bis heart that
way. Next day the caudles were for
him."
She finished. The priest sat back in
his chair, folding his hands.
"But that," he said, "was in the old
world and hundreds of years ago."
Bhe turned a little to him.
"What Is that to the master r sha
demanded, "It is enouirh for him
that ho Is a De Valette. Here are we
In Louisiana. But what difference has
the new world made to the De Valettes
wheu they come- here and bring their
customs with them? They build our
chHpel yonder." Bhe thrust ber arm
behind her. Indicating the window
through" which one might see tbe
heavy spire of stone "like the one In
Normandy." close by the house. "Yes."
she went on grumbllngly, "they must
uuve ineir cunpel-eveu an organist,
old I.cnuiltro. the master keens here-
one more mouth to feed! Aud he can
do nothing in the world but piny
the organ. And now the muster has
said that old Christian, though he was
a slave, must receive tho honor of tbe
i a miles bevftuso ho has been a mem-
r of tho household all his life."
Father O'Mara said:
"That does honor to your master's
heart."
In his place." muttered Loulsn. "l
would rather save some for my stom
ach. Old Christian was alxty-three
years old. Here, with these others
from tho sconces, I can make no more
thau forty-four candles. If the master
makes us buy more to nil thn
there will be no more than salad to
eat tomorrow,"
Father O'Mara rose, wandering to
tho window.
"So Christian was thrt Inst 1va ha.
longing to M. de Valette r he said.
K I
.e.!!feMg!gga!! - - ...... lfegSfjfK
"Tbe very last of all the hundreds
that were in other days. All are sold
or dead. Ah. these few acres that the
Americans have left the master! It
Is good that these few acres don't die!"
Father O'Mara opened his snuffbox.
J Deliberately be took a little of the
puugeui powaer ana placed it to his
nostrils. .
"The chapel bell has stopped," he
said.
Louise, hastily gathering up the
candles upon the table, placed them In
the box.
"Then the master will be coming,"
she cried.
SIXTY years had come and had
gone since the birth of M. de
Valette. They had been years
f Joy. years of sorrow, years
of wealth, years of poverty. But alike
they bad failed to move him from that
which be was a De Valette.' A De
Valette, you must know. Is a De Va
lette, find when one has said that one
has said all. And now be stood In the
doorway, tall, erect, quiet, command
ing, possessing lu all its fullness the
innate dignity mothered of birth, fa
thered of pride, a spare, unbending fig
ure dressed plainly in black, with cam
bric stock, collar and wristbands. His
hair was gray, yet his eyebrows were
still In their primal black.
Father O'Mara turned and bent to
his quiet greeting. To Louise turned
the master.
"You have the candles for the chap
el?" he asked.
"Yes. Miche. all of them."
"There aro sixty-three?" . "!.''
The old servant paused hesitatingly.
Bhe said:
"Miche, I think Christian was not
as old as be looked. He bad to me
AND MADELEINE.
the air of being not more than forty
four." "Which, means," stated M. de Va
lette, "that you have but forty-four
candles."
"Miche," cried Louise extenuatlngly,
"Mile. Marguerite looks for others."
"That will not do. We must have
no burnt ones. Throw out those that
are burnt."
Louise raised ber hands protesting
ly - ,
"But, Miche"- ,
"Go to the village and buy, more.
Take the box. See that It la filled.
You know where the money Is kept,"
She made a gesture of Imploratlon,
but the master stood before her Inex
orable. Slowly sh opened the drawer
In the table. 8h took therefrom a
few coma of small denomination. ,
"It Is the last." she whispered "the
very last."
lie said simply;
"Have the box fllled," He turned
from her. saying to the priest:
"Father O'Mara,,"
The latter turned. - "
"Touching the matter of masses for
old Christian"- he began, but M. de
Valette Interrupted him.
"It Is In regard to another ceremony
that I wish to Instruct you. One of
he quick. It Is, not of the dead."
O'Mara said, smiling:
"1 have but christenings and wed
llugs. I apprehend that this Is not a
.hrlsteulng." ,
"A marriage. Father O'Mara."
"Your sister. Mile Marguerite, has
xtudescended at last?" exclaimed the
priest fu apparent surprise.
The other shook his head. ' -
"My sister has not condescended."
he returned. .
"But." cried O'Mara, "it to not your
daughter not little Madeleine!"
"And why not?" -
The priest queried slowly;
J Chapter J
Professional
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ATTORNEY-AT-LAW
Office first door south of New A
Fraternal Bldg., Enterprise, Ore. 5
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ATTORNEYS-AHAW
Practice in all State Courts and
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LAWYER
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Practice In
State and Federal "T
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"nns she done with her dolls r
"Mile, de Vallette." stated the other
evenly, "Is seventeen.1' , .
"Seventeen?" returned O'Mnra light
ly. "All of . that? She carries her
years easily."
"Her betrothed is here," said De Va
lette, unheeding. "I wish to present
you." He turned. Thromrh tho ntn
i door he could see his sister gathering
canuies rrom tbe dull scouces by the
fireplace.
"My sister," he called, and then.
"My sister will ask M. Haoul de Va
lette If he will do me the honor of his
presence here?"
O'Mara, fist burled lu hand, was
looking at him, his gray eyes half
closed.
He said, at length, slowly:
"Upon my soul, M. de Valette. you
take my breath! Little Madeleine be
trothed!" De Valette smiled a little.' his fin
gers playing with the cover of his
snuffbox.
"An arrangement of many years,"
he said. "M. Raoul de Valette Is my
cousin."
"And," queried the priest slowly,
"Madeleine adores him?"
"That will be her duty when she
shall know him."
"She has never seen him?"
De Valette replied:
"This Is M. de Valette's first visit
here. He came late last night They
are to be presented to each other to
day." "And." nerslsted the nrlest "Kh la
docile? She accepts this betrothal to
one sue has never seen? ' - .
De Valette smiled a little Rnrolv
this good priest knew little of him and
of bis.
"Could there be any question of
that?" he asked. "It is so that the
demoiselles De Valette are brought up.
She has always understood the ar
rangement." . . '
The good priest shrugged his shoul
ders a little. He said:
"Faith, I have known young ladies
of. seventeen to make their own ar
rangements." .....
"They were not ladles of this fami
ly, Father O'Mara," returned De
Valette quietly. "Madeleine has never
even seen a young man of her own
class. The first, my cousin, is to be
her husband.".
The good priest said no word. He
raised his eyebrows. There came with
in his glance an approaching figure. It
waa of a man of thirty-five or so, a
MxrutLinrx aoobbs him J"
man dressed carefully, even foppishly,
with graying hair elaborately arranged
and well turned calves set off with
stockings of black silk. His coat was
of dark, rich material, his waistcoat
white with stripes of yellow, and his
stock was of white silk, while his
collar, frills and wristbands were of
delicate cambric. , With head erect,
chin held high, he sauntered toward
them slowly, indolently.
Father O'Mara, watched him closely.
He Waa wont to read men by their
faces, yet here was one that puzzled
him. He was worried a little, but
nothing of his features might hare
shown. 1
. Entering the room, M. Raoul de Va
lette turned to his cousin, bowing elab
orately. "At your command, behold me," he
said. His voice waa well modulated.
It waa a voice that, even as bis face,
ponded. -
De Valette turned to the priest, then
back to his consln.
"M. Raoul de Valettu I have tbe
honor to present to yon Father Joseph
O'Mara. abbe of this parish."
Raoul acknowledged the introduction
with formality, the priest with dignity.
O'Mara said:
"Yon are of the younger branch of
tbe family, I believe, sir."
Merely tbe cadets Kaonl returned.
"None the less of purest strain." as
serted De Valette. "M. Raoul de Va
lette la tbe namesake of that other
Raoul de Valette whose portrait Uee
yonder" he Indicated to where upon
the wall rested a time dimmed figure
of oils "to my mind the greatest of
our ancestors," .-,;..
Raoul threw back his head, lifting
clean llmued brows, with a touch of
Directory of Wallowa County
; W. A. RIGDON
ARCHITECT AND BUILDER
ENTERPRISE,
OREGON J
A Nautical Explanation.
' The officers were on tbe quarter deck
looking at a comet and noticed an eager
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The captain called one of the men aft
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pointing to tbe comet
"And what do you imagine it Is?"
"Dunno, your honor, but Bill Jones
here, as knows most things, says as
bow it's a star that's sprung a leak."
London Telegraph,
See the E. M. ft M. Co. fsr Rye.
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"Eh-but with Yespeet, mjr cousin."
he protested. "It waa he who lost us
our estate In France."
De Valette said quickly, gravely:
"But he saved th fair fame of bis
sister, whom a klur . of France de
sired too greatly to honor. He put an
ocean between ber and the king's pur
suit We lost tbe estates In Norman
dy, but we kept the good, name of our
women." He stood a moment, con
templating. In silence tbe scroll upon
tbe bottom of the old frame wherein
lay the portrait of him who bad done
these things. He said, at length, slow
ly: "Untarnished! That la the motto
of De Valette. We keep our women
acred. And that la our proudest tradition-Dot
even the breath of a
king."
Raoul. gating disinterestedly at the
point of his shining pomp, aald lightly:
"The world knows that, my cousin."
De Vallette turned to him abruptly.
. "Raoul." he aaid slowly, gravely,
"you are to receive a bride whose ev
ery moment since her babyhood baa
been guarded, protected and cloistered
from tbe world from all knowledge of
that noisome beast, tbe world. She
comes to you In that white Innocence
wlih b Is tbe Immemorial heritage of
tbe drraohtvlle De Valette."
Raoul said aoftly:
"A Jewel never taken from Its
casket."
"Ah. not a Jewel." asserted O'Mara.
rising; ""not a Jewel, U. Raoul. for.
though they shine to dasale you, Jew
els are hard. Of Madeleine 1 never
know which she Is the more a flower
WT-Jt-EWM- tejfJ" joa .will decide
W. C. KETCHUM
nrirricr
"ENTERPRISE
X Office Borland Building. Home I
iuueycuueu. ruuuo.
. -
J C. T. HOCKETT, M. D. f
I PHYSICIAN AND SURGEON . I
f vulva uyoiiurs in cans uuilu- T
ing. Ind. Home phone In office X
T ana resiaence.
luiaiuAii Ann aiiKutun
Office in Bank Building
Horn phone both office and!
resiaence. .-v
Both Phones !.
Home Independent 40
..Pacific States '45. . .;
Our bus meets all
trains. Fare 25c.
within city limits
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thai for "me when' you meet her." : !
Raonl said, smiling, "I grow a little
Impatient for the moment sir." -
"The moment cousin. la at band,"i
aid De Valette.
"Not quite yet," declared. O'Mara. V
"I passed Madeleine an hour ago deep
In the woods." ' .:'
"On her way home?" asked De
Valette quickly.
Father O'Mara shook his head. His
gray eyes twinkled.
"No," he returned lowly.' "I be
lieve she waa chasing a butterfly."
. (to bb co.ttikued. . .
' SUMMER NORMAL.
The. annual Summer School for
Teacbera will be held to, the High
School building at Enterprise, com
menclog July 6, 1910, and continu
ing five weeks.
All teachers who are planning to
take tho August examination should .
attend, aa special review work will
be given In all ubjecta- required for
county certlflca'e. Methods of
teaching a specialty.
If a auffiwent number to Justify
anroll a special primary teacher will
be employed. Tuition for term 110.
Please notify the mstructnr. f
your intention to attend.
J. C CO.VLEY. County Supt,
HARL H. CJtONSON.
Principal Wallowa Schools,
97b13 . ' Instructors'.
Jap-a-Iac at Keltner'a.