The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1851-11-27
AN ADMIRABLE WOMAN.

sei''O thO iohOWinS illCiCStihS ahu toutiiiiiS
story, extracted from discourse delivered on
the 2lst ult at the National Society of Agri-
culture, Science, and Art, held ut Ealenciennes,
in France
At Valencennes. in one of the small streets
in the neighborhood of place Verte," there
have lived for many years two old women,
now aged respectively seventy and seventy
three years, long reduced to the utmost pow
erty, but as tenderly devoted to each other as
sisters One of them who by her feeble eye-
sight and the primary education she had re-
ceived is prevented from participating in any
hard labor, attends as well as her infirmties
will let her. TO the household cares The
other. almost as infirm as her companion. but
evidently more accustomed to severe exertion,
is still able to do little washing and ironing,
and thereby adds small sum to the modicum
of nine francs Il month allowed to each of
them by the board of administration of the
public asylums. The first was once the wife
of respectable merchant of Valenciennes
well to do in the world; the second was her
bired servant The first saw haNfamily, thirty
,tite, years ago suddenly rumvS by reherses d
inrrnns: Inc seOelS Ss,as,ii ~ 49, 9;
years, ilas sO,,.,ss,r>,S 49, 49, .S,,,,.. ...>
providence Of her old employers and their chill
dren. The name of the first will not men,
ton but it affords me pleasure to tell you that
of the second, and relate to you some traits of
her life of devotion and patient courage.
Marie FRANCHISE Bultez was born on the
18th of August, 1878. She entered the service
of the family have mentioned at the age of
fifteen, and remained there until 1916. having
become noted for her honesty and activity, and
her fidelity to the interests of her employers.
The good qualities of this worthy woman had
not yet, though, attained their limits; and
number of sad events came to develop the rich
resources other labor-lOving character In 1916.
injudiciOus speculations bankruptcies, and the
sad results incidental to commerce that is SUBJ
ject to the caprices of Governments, suddenly
brought ruin and misery on the family of
FRANCHISES employers. They were no longer
able to pay the wages Of or even give sufficient
food to, the humble servant who for twenty
three years had faithfully and cheerfully per-
formed the most disagreeable and fatiguing
tasks of household labor Her services were,
Notwithstanding, of the utmost necessity to this
broken and disconsolate family FRANCHISE
felt it to be so, and she Immediately took her
resolution. She determined to remain and to
serve gratuitOusly, to nourish even, if it became
necessary those who were not accustomed like
herself to privation, labor and fatigue.
From that moment began for this noble wo-
man long life of absolute abnegation and
devotedness, continued to the present time
without cessation, without complaint with the
most admirable modesty. First all her little
savings were given up to satisfy the most press
ing wants of her masters family. This feeble
resource was soon exhausted. FRANCHISE then
bethought her of small house, sole inherit
ance left by her parents, which she owned in
common with her sister and which was stu
ated near Vendegies The little cottage was
sold without hesitation, with joyous feeling
even, and the portion of tho proceeds that APP
pertained to FRANCHISE was added to the dimin-
utive means left the l. family from the
complete wreck of their fortune. There were in
the family young children to raise to be taken
care Of to be dressed properly. The servant
girl without murmur, without letting any
one know the extent of any of her sacrifices,
gave up her rousscdu, or marriage dowry,
which she herself had scraped together during
many long years of hard labor; the clothes,
the linen, the modest ornaments ribbons.
combs, &c, of the poor girl were disposed OF
for the same purpose as her savings ana her
mothers cottage.
Thus passed the first years that succeeded
the ruin of the l. family: FRANCHISE had
given to it all she possessed, but she was still
her own mistress Those she had saved from
the depths of misery might at last create some
resources for themselves, and permit her to con
secrate to her own modest future her active
industry and inexhaustible courage Was it
not time for her to think of herself of her own
tomorrow No, not yet! Providence had
reserved for this admirable character all the
duties of Il mother, all the suflerings of friend
shin. all the trials of devotedness.
Mons. l., the head of the family and
its only hope, died, leaving widow and three
children without bread, without roof But
FRANCHISE was there, always present always
ready. like the guardian angel; and her hum
BILE abode was joyfully opened to receive the
destitute mother and her young children. Fran
coise had been only their friend before; now
she became their mother, their sister Her
sleepless. incessant labor, recommended The
hone that, aided by the small sum allowed her
bv the Board of Public Asylums she could
still bear up under the heavy burden she had
voluntarily assumed, sustained her strength and
patience: her proteges, endeared to her by 40
MANY wears of mutual kindness, suffering. and
sacrifice. were still sheltered and tenderly
cared for!
This continued whilst the young family the
children. were in need Of assistance, protection.
and education; until they grew up married.
and were able to take care of themselves
This was not all, however, The servant
girl the noble woman, had not vet accom-
plished her wonderful task. her singular des-
tiny. The children of her old master and mis-
| tress had grown up and married. but their
position in life did not allow them TO alleviate
| FRANCHISES position. They too were strug-
| Cling under hardship poverty. and family
cares. Sudden and unexpected catastrophes
| overlook them. Very recently n confagration
consumed in few hours all the products of
| the small farm of one of these children. now
himself the father of seven children But dis
aster and ruin, which seemed to perpetuate
| themselves in this family, were met in 1850 bv
the same courage and fortitude that oyercamc
them IN 1916. FRANCHISE is an infrm septa-
| genaran: her strength often proves insufficient
for her work; the only resources of the poor
old woman are few sous painfully gained
each day her moderate rent paid by a chart
| table hand, and the little sum she receives from
the board OF administration of the public asy-
lums. Still her venerable mistress now be-
| come sister to her, is the object of her vigil
ant cares, and shares her humble home and
modest repast; and still since the catastrophe
that overwhelmed her masters son. the old.
infrm servant the poor pensoner of the board
OF public charity, finds herself rich enough to
take care OF and to nourish one of the daugh-
tiers of this unfortunate husbandman.
And now, even now, she persists in raising
this little girl, in obtaining an education for
her and still struggles TO regain for the grand
child she has thus adopted, little Of that
strength OF her youth that enabled her to ac-
complish so many heroic sacrifices. The phys
zeal strength is not there but the moral cour-
age patience, modesty and perseverance,, yet
exist
KINDNESS IN LITTLE THINGs--The sunshine
| Of life IN made up of very little beams that are