Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1856-07-25

but her grief was not of long anSion.
| By degrees her brow became messe-
we're; smile appeared upon her ips
the color returned TO her cheeks her
eyes shone. /
"Yes," she exclaimed, sit is a saed /
duty, which 1 viii perform, Z land soon /
after she added, "a duty ] win mxe it
a pleasure. viii find my happinss in
it"
She did not 60 to her mother thatsyen-
ing as she had threatened.
Edouard did not pass a yegg uanapiill
night; though satisfied he ss ..etea
that he might have done it with little
less harshness but the evil was irrepar-
able now hemust meet the consequences,
with firmness and philosophy.
We may judge of his surprise the next
morning when at the breakfast hour he
saw Louise take her usual place at table.
He looked in vain for any traces of the
anger which had animated her the even
ing before. Her face was perfectly calm
though somewhat pale. Edouard at
tributing to illness what was the natural
consequences of sleepless night, though
himself bound at least to make the COM
mon place enquiry after her health, and
said
care you indisposed, madame 2"
II have been, but am quite well now, "
she replied, in a tone so gentle as to excite
Edouard's surprise.
At the close Of the repast, the cooks
came in to receive her orders.
Il wish you to procure some wood
cocks for dinner to-day" said Louise.
"But thought madame disliked them. -
"My husband fancies them, that is
enough"
1t was trifing thing, but it was the
first concession that Louise had made
since their marriage, and her husband
said, good humoredly-
"Since we are to have woodcocks you
had better invite your uncle Joseph to
dine"
Uncle Joseph was one of those on whom
monsieur had most frequently avenged the
sarcasms of madame.
Edouard had replied to the civility o.
Louise by civility on his part, yet h'
kept himself on his guard. "Women are
adroit," he reflected. "What they canno
gain by force they attempt to gain by art
Perhaps this unexpected difference is {
trap for my generosity: ] must be firm
as well as courteous"
The day had commenced too well t.
end i'll. Edouard, in the course of it, re
calling the aerial voyage of the unfortu
nate Ration, began to feel some remorse
and looked around for the poor animal t.
give it, at least the indemnity of caress
but the Angora was neither on the car
pet nor on the divan, nor on the law pa
pers, which had been the starting poin
for its perilous leap.
What has become of Ration ?" he aske
of a servant.
"Raton has gone away. | carried
this morning to madame's mother. Ma
dame has made her a present of it"
This was SO extraordinary, incompre
hensible, that it had TO be repeated befor
Edouard could believe it.
And his surprise was not greater tha
that of honest uncle Joseph, when on az
cepting, somewhat unwillingly, his niece
invitation, Edouard met him with a cor
dial smile, pressed his hand warmly, an
paid him many compliments; and, VIII;
was still more agreeable, there was n
snarling Tom to salute him as usual wit
a growl.
u "What have you done with Tom p b
asked at length. "Have you shut hin
II up"
II have done better; / have sent hi
to brother lawyer who admired him vel
much while / was glad TO be rid OF a tro
blesome animal who bit my friends ar
annoyed my wife.
Its necessary to say that during Il
ne rest of the day Louise was charming
a amiable, and Edouard overfiowing wi
frank gayety, and that uncle Joseph, I
al his return home, declared that now Oh
y that dog was gone, the house of his ME
was veritable terrestrial paradise.
s The next day, while at her toilet, Lo
as ise put her hand, by habit, on one Of tho
ld black dresses which Edouard particular
ce disliked, but, recollecting herself. she i
n Iected the freshest and most coqueti
dress in her wardrobe. placed a flower
he her hair and another in her eorsage, tn
ry yielding to the influence of the bril
er colors of her attire, she began TO 81