The River Falls journal. (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1857-1861, 1857-11-11

THE .MAEeSETLLES MISER.

has fine aqueduct, almost entirely sub
terranean, by which pure water is brought
from the little rivers Huveaume and Ju-
vet But this was not always the case
Look back with me many, many years
and | will show you how i'll it used to be
supplied with water, and how in fulness
Of time it came TO be otherwise.
Once upon time-I know not exactly
the date-there dwelt at Marseilles man
named Guyot, with his wife and one son.
They were but humble people; and at the
time my narrative begins, the child lay
sick of a fever, his tongue clcaving to the
roof of his mouth, and his little hot hand
pressed to his still hotter forehead, while
he ceased not TO cry in a plaintive tone TO,
a draught of water
"Alas, my child" said Madar,e Guyot,
in reply to his moaning, "you know 1
have told YOU already the cistern is emp
ty. Not q drop of water have | in the
house, and | fear all our neighbors are as
badly off as ourselves. See, tako a
draught of milk; | have nothing else to
give you."
a "But, mother, it is not like water" re-
piled the boy; ut makes me only the
more thirsty, and almost chokes me, it
scenes so thick; while water is so cold,
and refreshes me for a long time. But,
alas. you have none to give me. If it
would but rain, for l am burning! Oh,
| if were rich, / would care little for the
finest wines if had but plenty of fresh,
pure, cold water"
Madame Guyot, with true maternal
love, stroye to pacify the young sufferer;
and having succeeded in partially relev-
ing his cravings by means of a draught of
water, which a kind neighbor. scarcely
better off than herself, scntby the hand of
her little daughter, he at length slept
Even in his dreams, however, the memo
~ of bis feFer;sh longings haInted him;
and his plaintiye cry for water at oft-re-
curing intervals brought tears in his
nlothci's eyes; ana She tr5d softly, dread
ing TO awaken the boy, lest by so doing
she should also awaken his desires to
greater activity, when she know she was
without the means of satisfying them.
Seven years later and the fever-striken
boy had grown Tito fine thoughtful
youth of sixteen. No longer dependant
on his parents, the young Jacques Guyot
checrfully performed his part in gaining
living. One evening, after his return
from work, as Madame Guvot Yves busily
engaged in placing tho evening meal on
on the table, she said to her son, "Jac-
ques YOU must be content with less than
your usual quantity of water tonight, for
again the cistern is nearly dry"
81 am sorry for that, mother" replied
Jacques; 'but though we have often since
been very scarce of water,at least we have
never wanted ii so badly as when had
the fever" .(I
30, Jacques, can You ever forget that
| timc!"
''NeYer, Mother. No day passes but
the torture | suffered then for a draught
of water comes into my mind and l envy
no man his health in anything save his
more abundant supply of that good gift.
Is there no way of relieving this want by
which the poor of Marseillcs suffer so
much and so oftena' q
1T is just because the poor are those
who suffer that they must continue to do
so; wealth might remedy the evil, an
swered his father. s.l
.'How soy asked Jacques.
Easily enough. Only let an adue-
duct be constructed to bring pure water
from distant river"
"And what would that cost, think you,
father?"
'More money than you could count,
my son." replied the elder Guyot; $50 let
us to supper before it is as cold as the
water you are always dreaming about"
The meal was over, Jacques wandered
in the garden thoughtfully and silent, but
not unnoticed by his parents. They con-
yersed together in an under tone about
the extraordinary manner in which his
mind dwelt on the one night of suffering
from thirst so long gone by.
at is strange" said Madame Guyot.
show the lad is always thinking of it. L
quite feared to tell him how little water
We have left tonight, for it seems to
grieve and trouble him so much; not for
ourselves alone, but lest some unfortunate
should have to bear safferings like those
be experienced seven years ago."
well" replied the father, ''esen tina,