. Happy holidays . theygalloped without so much as a look into the littlewood where monsieur himself reclined luxuriouslyat the foot of a big oak tree. When they had passed, Monsieur le Marquisdrew a breath of relief. Now indeed he felt quitesafe and master of himself for one day of freedomand delight. Thoughts of unperformed duties anddiscourtesy to the good people of Lexington ceasedto trouble his soul. The vivifying morning airwas becoming languorous under the noonday sun,and as a beatific dreaminess descended uponMonsieur le Marquis, patriotic duties and civicfestivities assumed the shape
. Happy holidays . theygalloped without so much as a look into the littlewood where monsieur himself reclined luxuriouslyat the foot of a big oak tree. When they had passed, Monsieur le Marquisdrew a breath of relief. Now indeed he felt quitesafe and master of himself for one day of freedomand delight. Thoughts of unperformed duties anddiscourtesy to the good people of Lexington ceasedto trouble his soul. The vivifying morning airwas becoming languorous under the noonday sun,and as a beatific dreaminess descended uponMonsieur le Marquis, patriotic duties and civicfestivities assumed the shape of unsubstantialspirits which floated away on bespangled gauzewings into the blue ether, to be seen no more. Monsieur le Marquis may have slept for tenminutes or an hour, but suddenly he was awakenedby feeling that some one was near him. Lookingup, he saw before him a small lad of perhaps twelveor fourteen years of age, with belted blouse and &£• - •-•rS •iltt^mi B-W*/ .-SV • .. lV*S^Ei_?\j*i*?-^ A lifurjic dreaminess descended upon Monsieur le Marquis 346 Happy Holidays cap set rakishly over one ear. In spite of thejaunty attitude of his cap and a rather exaggeratedease of manner, the boy seemed troubled, and hiseyes looked as if he had been crying. Monsieur le Marquis sat up very straight andlooked at the child, who moved quickly came back, though, willingly enough, whenthe stranger called to him in particularly gentletones. The lad liked the look of this old gentle-man in riding clothes, with his fine, benevolentface, and kind ways to truant schoolboys; andhaving been tramping along the road for twohours quite alone, the boy was glad to see afellow-being again. So he came back, and seat-ing himself at the foot of an oak, near his new-found friend, plucked at the shy bluets in embar-rassment, and gazed at the gentleman wrhom hehad come upon so unexpectedly. Where hast thou come from and where artthou going, my child? inquired Monsieur leMarquis, kindly.
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1920, bookidhappyholiday, bookyear1921
