Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1855-10-27


truder strained, as if seeking some one follow
ing in his rear
Pardon, mademOiselle." )" answered the Wis
| ltor, " L have come by his wish. You per-
haps, know my name-Jean Rivarol-I was
Eugene's comrade for many years"
He has often written to me Of you,' re-
turned she, but you have expected to find
him too soon-he has not yet come-but be
| will soon be here
The young man leaned his hand on the back
| OF a chair. turned a strange look at the ex-
cited speaker and then cast his eyes on the
| ground.
In truth" continued Coralie, Il thought
it was him when you entered; and So" she
added, after moments pause with a sweet
smile, = to speak truly, the sight of you was u
Disappointment, and 1 was, perhaps. ungra-
cious 10 Eugene's best friend-forgive me !,
Think, l have been waiting for this day five
years-fve weary years.
| These last few words broke forth with a
burst of long pent-up feeling Then with
more compOsure she asked
Where did you leave him !i'
To this direct question. Rivarol. who was
still Standing in the middle of the room. muir
INJURED something like =. On the road. "
" He will be here to-day, then ?"
Not to-day, think suppose-that is
as be is not here yet"
. Tomorrow - persisted Carolie; morn
ing or evening, do you think ~
81 cannot tell, 4" said jean, evidently en-
barrassed, and looking very pale. - Pardon,
mademoiselle, my intrusion (; will take my
| leave
Coralie thought he was hurt by the ungrs-
clousness Of her first reception.
Nay said she gracefully, YOU must
look on this as Eugenes home 1t S;lI be
his-ours-in few days, and his friends will
always be welcome. See.' she went on
=" obair 4
cover myself; and, to tell you a secret, those
| slippers and that smOking-cap are for him
| While he, poor fellow, has been going through
toll and danger, it would have been too bad if
L had been idle. L think Eugene will be
pleased with Cur modest home.
Rivarol threw hasty glance around the
room, which seemed TO take in all and every
thing it contained.
"Sejogr fait pour lie bonheur,'
a home made for happinesS,)
ne exclaimed. He was strongly moved. his
voice was husky, and his color went and came,
Fixing look on Coralie's flushed, hopeful.
ezpectant face, he rapidly uttered some words
about pressing business and with one hasty
| bow darted away.
Monsieur, Monsieur" screamed Coralie
/ after him, on the stairs. She had some new
| question to put to him, to in what exact
place he had left Eugene, but Monsieur was
already out of hearing.
| "What hurry be is in shall tell Eu-
| gene, and with this determination the
| stranger vanished from her thoughts, which
| returned To their former train. Nevertheless
| she had gathered one certainty, that her be-
trothed could not be with her before next day.
Tomorrow how long Aad yet i; felt
| like relief Anticipation long on the stretch
| as the intensely desired meeting nears. be-
! comes sometimes akin to dread. So, the Dor
tress' who was always running up on one pre-
text or another, and other female neigh bors
| alsO-al in remarkably high spirts-were
told that M. Eugene could not arrive before
the morrow.
| The repeating this assurance constantly was
| Coralie's only conversation with her humble
| friends that day. Her heart was full Of dis
quiet, and when alone often muttered u her,
self some Of Rivarols speeches, harpins on
".SeJ0Wr far pOHr le b9Hheur," or counting
. over her little treasures in dozen sorts OF
way.
! On the Wednesday following, toward even
. ing as Madame Ferey and her daughter Pau
| line, one Of C0ralies former pupils, were sit
ting together, talking pleasantly ever Cora
i lie happy prospects, q ring came - the door
| of the apartment. Madame opened the door
! herself, and there stood figure which. for q
few seconds, she did hot recognize The
| sdrunken height, the stOop which brought the
| shoulders forward like two points, the shawl
which hung over them in p Wrctched dangIe
the baDch of cheek and lip, the sUnken eye.
the Premature lines and angles OF age-all
bore the Unmistak able impress of dire caIami-
| ty and forlorl despair.
Chere, Madcmoiselle C0raIie ," at length
burst from Madame Ferey, in a voice of sOr-
| rowing surprise. And taking her by the hand
she led her in silence to a seat by the freside
and then folding one of the girls hands in her
own, she asked in whisper, " What has hap
psned ?"
no, : ~
paper to Madame Ferey, and avettinS her
face as ii the sight OF it scorched her.
| 1t was a most touching letter from Jean Ri
| varol, asking forgiveness for his courage hay
| ing fliled before the purpose of his visit to her
on the preceding day At the sight of her, he
had not had the heart to speak his ton zue
had refused to tell her the fatal tidings. Eu-
gene had fallen in skirmish for which lie had
volunteered only two days before the regi
ment embarked for France Jean Rivar,I
had been by his side, and received his last in
structions. He had carried his friends body
within the French lines, and given it Chris
ti4n burial near Oran, putting up rude cross
bearing the name Of COralie's afianced hus-
| band, to mark the place where he lay, with n
| wreath Of immOrtelles, to show that friend
had mOurned over that distant grave.
God alone knew what the poor widowed
! heart went through, for COrRlie wreStled with
her first grief alone; no eye had been allowed
to watch those death throes of happiness
What can any one say to the bereaved, but
| Lord, We beseech the to have mercy"
Good Madame Ferey and Pauline cried as if
their hearts would break, but Coralie shed no
! tear She sat in a listless attitude, her eyes
fixed On vacancy, as if looking a: and seeing
only her own thoughts.
And when did you get this terrible letter
my dear 9 at length asked Madame
IL do not know-a long time aso-just when
| was expecting him
Madame Ferey looked up alarmed at this
| answer.
""I mean the day before yesterday" said
Coralie, making an effort to collect her
thoughts "rhe day before yester lay-Mon-
day. An age of grief has passed over me since
then" And now, having broke silence, she
went on talking: II have lived in him-a love
of so many, many years-it is very hard.
may say, no action of my life, however trifing,
not even the gathering of flower, but was
done with the thought of him in my heart.
lie was the rudder of my life. And 50 he will
be still. For, Madame Ferey L have thought