The Union and eastern journal. [volume] (Biddeford [Me.]) 1854-1858, 1857-03-13

euuoiosohu oil Srieis oiuo0 sneh oniy ssue
Is to solaco and assuage them.
"By and BY" said he, "whsn reflection
shall have rendered calmness necessary, yo'
shall eco this girl, and be- o witness Of hel
happiness" .
"Why not now? lam strong. l shall
know how to DO silent. will stiae tn
bcatings Of my heart, / promise you. will
not betray this fatal secret; will respect
that happiness Heaven refuses me, and my
silence at least will prove to you that am
. good mother since I cannot prove Il other
wise"
To introduce herself in the house Of Jules
Leonard was easy. Nine. d'Alva presented
herself to ask the artist to take a bust Of her.
Thus the husband Of Fernando was the first
person Of that family, to her 30 interesting,
whom the Marchioness saw. She examined
him with an inquiet curiosity, wishing to
ascertain II the man in charge ofhcr daugh-
ter's happiness wero oil she wished. He
was young man Of gentle bearing, good
faith showed itselfin his eountenance, his
manners were easy, his language modest,
and the mother left him ut her visit sure of
her child's welfare.
In the atelier Of the artist one subject e.
pecially attracted her notice; 1t was the
plaster mode, life size, Of the statue Of st.
Vincent de Paul. That image in the studio
had for the poor mother mysterious signi.
Gcation, and caused 80 lively an emotion
that on her first visit sho had not dared to
ask any question IN regard to the destina-
ton of the work. 1t was not 80 on her sec
ond visit. As her eyes were constantly fix
ed on the statue, the artist hastencd to an
ticipate her inquiries:
i" That image, Madame 10 hlarquisc, is
the most important which as come from my
hands," said Leonard. "This model, which
obtained success at the last exhibition will
shortly be cast in bronze II is destined to
ornament the Chapel Of the Founding Hos
pital at Bordeaux. 1t is upon that work l
build my hopes of becoming great artist |;
therefore all my family take great interest
in it my wife, her father and her mother
have followed my labor with anxiety, and
wait with impsticnce the casting of the
statue"
These words made it easy for Mime. d'Alva
to ask the questions she wished, which she
did without exhibiting too much emotion.
The artist had nothing to dissimulate |; ho
replied with simple sincerity, and after
that interview presented his wife to the
Marchioness. She had need Of all her cour-
age to prevent betrayins herself-so much
did the countenance Of Fernando recall to
her that of Don Sebastian. In few days a
sort Of intimacy was established between the
Mnrchioness and the married couple. Fer
nande was in the atelier every leisure mo-
ment, and the Marchioness constantly hold.
ing in her arms Fernande's infant, seemed
to find pleasure only in the sculptor's fami'
Ily. Soon she was made acquainted with II.
and Nine. Dumont, and was witness of the
lively and touching affection they both ex
hibited towards the child Of their adoption
The sight ofthe tranquil felicity Of the
honest people only increased the secret de-
spair of the Marchioness. She saw tina,
what the almoner said was true, and that t
reveal to Fernando her origin would be t
T destroy with one word all her happiness
She had wished at least to find in that fami
ly some misery to solace, some grief to con
sole, but now saw herself condemned to 70
main perpetual stranger to her child shoul'
she keep silent. She felt that to produc
the proofs of the reality OF her rights woul'
be to render herself odious in oil eyes. TIL
letter of Pedro Gomez and the half Of tn
medal did not quit her bosom she coul
not part with these two objects. dumb wit
nesscs of her unknown maternity, hopinl
, always that the time might come when Sh
oould show them and vindicate her claims
Ono day Leonard announced to the March
ioness that he could not give her sitting o
the following day, because they would the
cast the statue of st. Vincent dc Paul.
1 "a family fete," he also added, ''woul
take place on the same day with this grca
event of my artist.lifc-the baptism of IN
!, child. asked my aunt who lives at DJo
to be his godmother, but she Is too old
4 travel, and must make another choice
!. "Nlonsieur Leonard, >" said the Marchior
ess, "accept me as the godmother OF yor
child" Then, turning towards the youn
, woman, her eyes moist with tears, "Do 20
wish 1t, Fernando? Itwould make me q
. most your raother. Do you wish III"
I This unexpected proposition caused IN II
! de6nable emotion to each Of the marie
couple an instinctiy 70 movement threw fe
nande into the arms Of the MarchioncS'' %
] voice Of nature spoke It's trucst ot'eranc'
and Heaven granted she des'la'e mo'n'
, that moment of infinite JOY to eiace oil III
troubles Of her life.
Thenext day all went to St. Su lP'ce; .
! Dumont and the Marchiones presented u
child to the benediction Of the priest; fnsi
about midday, oil went also to assist at q
casting Of the statue ofSt Vincent dc Pa't
Mime. d'Alva was ovcrjoyed at having gain
ed legitimate place near her daughter
, The metal had attained Us highest degree o
fusion, and they only waited the signal t
give it passage into the straight canal whicl
should lead it into the mould.
"In Spain" said the Marshioncss, "whe'
VIC cast bells for churches, we always, 70
charity, throw some jewels in the compost
ton let me follow the customs fmy conn