New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1857-02-16
Corinne nGontferon.
A STORY OF REAL LIFE.
TRANSLATED YRon THE FRENCH.

was thirteen years old, and all know Of myself
was that my name was Flayien, and that, since my
earliest recollection, had been kicked about the
great city of Paris like dog. knew not who were
nv parents. The memery which reached farthest
back was Of dark garnet IN the Rue de Ia Papinare
and OF an old woman named Barbe who used to live
amid heap Of rags, which she taught me how to
gather in the streets. a ~
But just as had learned to work, Barbe died. and
should have starved had not an old man who occu-
pied part Of the same house, come to see me- He
found me alone by the dead body Of the old woman:
and when he knew how things had turned, be asked
me if would come and live with him. / said yes.
Then he searched all over the room; and remember
very well that he found some gold in an old trunk,
In a little while some men came and carried away
the body of old Barbe; and then went down to live
with Gordien, which was the old mans name.
Gordien was a rat-catchef and he soon Taught me
to catch rats too After few years he used to send
me out alone, and he gave me sous for every rat
caught. had learned the way into all the old eel
lars and into the great sewers Of the CITY, and could
| arrange my traps with great skill. Some days /
caught as many as dozen in day.j 1915
One day, towards night, as ras going home with
five rats in Of my traps, man stopped me and
asked me if my name was Flavien. told him it was
and he then asked me to 60 short distance told
him must go and carry my rats home. He said he
\ would pay me much more than my rats were worth,
and intmated that If suited him, he might do well
| by me.
This thought started every energy Of my soul into
| life. For long time had been ashamed of nv
humble condition, and had longed for some more hon
orable employment. The last remark Of the strange
man started up a new hope, and told him would
follow him. He led the way to hotel in the Rue ST.
Denis, and conducted me to private parlor, where
| great lamp was burning. had never been in such
! place before, and might have stared at the grand
| things about me a whole hour, had not the man
spoken to me.
=" Flavien' said he, after he had regarded me for
some time 81 have been watching you for several
days. and think you are Just the boy want. Now
| W vou frnOn alI harp
will you do what want Of you, and ask no ques-
tions?"
I told the man should like to work for him, but
| that could not promise to do anything which
could not wholly understand.
"But you can keep secret, suppose 2" be said.
I told him that never would break a promise.
Then" said he, "you will suit me. have some
curious business for you to do Do you know who
your parents were !'
" No, SIR told him.
81 That is good. You shall sleep here tonight, and
tomorrow | shall want you to commence"
But Gordien will beat me if stay away all
night" l said.
e Do not fear on that account, my boy answered
the man. 81 will give yon my word that your master
back to him. If you suit me, and serve me well,
may take you into my service"
Thus the man Quilted my fears, and finally con
cluded to remain all night. He gave me some sup
per- and then conducted me to room where be sale
should sleep, and babe blow out the light wher
got in bed. 1#
After he had left me, gazed around upon the wall
and upon the bed felt almost afraid to get int,
such grand affair as that bed then appeared to me
But was weary, and did not hesitate long. Ipulle,
off my ragged garments and crawedinto the soft bed
and was soon asleep was fatigued enough to seel
soundy but the curious events of the evening KEEP
me dreaming, and so suppose i was more wakeful
cannot tell how long | had slept; but wa
aroused some time during the night by hearing tn
door of my room shut. started up, and found tn
moonlight shining through the window bnt Their
was no person there save myself. l..r
was on the point of closing my eyes again, whe
heard voices in an adjoining room and upon loof
ing around again, discovered that door, which
had supposed was a closet opening, really opene
into another apartment. / could see the CLEANS
4 candlelight through the crevices. l soon heard n
name pronounced, and also heard one man, who
| voice at once recognized as that of my guide. q
sSre another that was asleep.
OF course ! now had curiosity to get up al
listen, and did So | placed my ear close to t
o crack Of the door, and could hear every word tn
~ was spoken. ! soon learned that the name of n
strange friend was Gerald Ayentin, and the Other
. only could understand was Philip. .-.a ......
al tell you,'' said Aventin, rather earnestly, "1
= will punish her thus. Il know she once had chill
though she supposed we knew nothing of it; ant
= am confident her child was lost. think she gave
g. away, so that it might never come back to shal
:; her. . . ...-.
,! Twas interested now. remained there nearly
hour listening to the plotting of those men, and wi
learned from it was just this
] There was lady named Corinne Montferin, W
d. was very beautiful very rich and very proud. G.
III ard Aventn loved her, and she appeared to fay
1t him. but had lately refused him admittance to
s. presence. This had exasperated the lover, and
a had sought revenge. He had accidentally learn
that Corinne once had child ; and he had been
the department of the Upper Marine, where she tn
~ lived, to find out the particulars There he b;
Of heard story to the effect that she had child
p number Of years before and had given it away, al
d then moved away herself Of course the product,
i of child now, of which she the mother, won
crush her at once with shame and disgrace. And
was to be forced upon her as her child.
The last words that heard Aventin speak tn
night were these: ....,.r
!" 1t is all plain, Philip. This boy must be abo
the same age that her child would have been had
lived and have already taken measures for ic
| tous proof. For very small sum of gold the @
man with whom this boy has lived will swear to an
thing so we can easily fix up the proof. At lea;
we will bring the proud Corinne to the confessit
that she has been mother-and then, farewell
her airs ~ II, . .. -.a. .-z g ...l I-.=
I did not go to sleep very soon after this. At fl
very fatty resolved to have no more to do wi
Gerald Aventn. In the morning meant to tell b
that must go home, for that l would not be pal
to any such revenge as they contemplated. But
long new thought came to my mind, and it Cal
9, with strange force, too. ! had never known moth
~ but many and many long hour had lain awake
my loWly bed of straw, and wished that l might
some time find one. Suppose this woman sho
really prove to be my true mother!
The thought came to me with overwhelming for
and for q while my heart beat till it seemed ready
strange than that. I was not a bad looking boy a
knew that had been selected because my featu
were regular, and in some degree handsome. At
events, the thought was with me- and could
drive it away. Oh should she be my mother
willing to own her boy
So ran strange fancies until fell asleep and
the rest of the night dreamed of tindingmy mott
In the morning Aventn came to my room
having seen ME dressed, he babe me follow him s
get some breakfast. He conducted me to the sa
room where had been the previous evenir
and there | found breakfast all prepared. | sat do
to eat, and my host sat down with me. Little
said during the meal but after we had eaten
opened the subject upon which he had called me.
Suppose | should tell you where you might
your motherf' said he.
81 should be very glad if she was a good woma
| told him.
Well he added, the woman who l thlnl
your mother is not only very good, but '
wealthy
OF course professed to be very much surpri:
and very eager and after while Aventin went Oh
explain his meaning He did not say he was
the woman in question was my parent but he
tessed to believe she And he Furthermore
fessed to be doing all this for the good of the wor
as well as for my own. He said he had been to [
gres, in the Departmental Upper Marine, and he
there learned enough to convince him that Corinl
child was living somewhere in Paris. Then he as
ME if would 60 and see the woman and claim
for my mother.
This is the only way to do it, said he; g"