Mountain Democrat. [volume] (Placerville, El Dorado Co., Cal.) 1854-1860, 1859-04-23
THE MISSING WATCH.

1
and plunged into mourning and humiliation
one Of the proudeSt and most glorious Of our
children, and, In short, falned higher destinies
aud fortunes than those Of my hero, Captain
Garbault, though it did not reduce to abject
misery and misfortune any family more worthy
than his.
At the period when the Captain had an hon.
orable position in the army, Madame Gerbault
held situation a. pOStmtStress in the country;
those places being Government ones, are al
ways in France given to officers wives, widows
or children. Madame Gerbault had two lovely
little girls with her, only till they should attain
the requisite age for admission into the Impc.
rial House Of the Legion Of Honor, situated at
St Dennis, where officers daughters were cd
ucated. But ell the disasters Of 1915 did not
leave stone standing Of the cdif1ce Of his for.
tune round the poor Captain. lie was dismiss
cd with the army Of the Loire the school Of
81, Devils was elesed to his daughters, and the
poStotficc his wife had held was given tc a scr.
want Of the royal cause. While the captain
who had thus fallen from affluencc to almost
starvation, was seeking for some employment,
however humble, in some private office. he and
his family were living on their small economies
amassed with difficulty. Gcrbault, overcome
by his misfol tunes, fell i'll; for more than
year had passed, aud all their resources were
at an end. The poor fellow, thoroughly dis
couragcd, would have died for want of neces.
| sary things but for the courage of his wife.
who spent days and nights in a labor as pain.
tnl as It was insufficient to meet all expenses.
II was piti(ul, indeed, to see so frail creature
ovcrcharged with care, fatigue, and uneasincss.
Gcrbault suffered oil the pains which so deli
cate'minded man would undergo, and only
bore up against the weight of existence, sus.
taincd by hope, ever decciving, yet ever trust.
cd, as he sought for means to support his fam
lily by his toll
All Madame Gerbault's efforts were called
into play TO keep up decent appearance, and
they suffered in secret the most cruel priva.
tions to seem decent to the world. II was
more from personal sense Of the respect we
owe ourselves than from shame of their pen
nry; It was also not to afflict the captain and
herself by the spectacle Of their poverty
There was nothing miserable in their dwelling
it seemed more modest retreat than q peor
one, for everything was neat and In order.
Gcrbault would have undertaken any honest
employment to support his family but, at that
moment, a " Brigand Of the LOire"-as he was
termed, after the name Of the disbandcd army
was considered quite pariah. Though he
was no longer young, the captain would cour.
AgCouSly have set about learning some busi:
ness, il it could have been accomplished in
less time than he could afford to give, with
starving family around him, and the hope Of
every day meeting with some employment
Having good handwriting, and being an ex-
cellent accountant, he sometimes got ledgcrs
to make up, or works to copy, but this did
not often occur to him. But, however little
to do, it gave him courage and hope at heart,
and he returned happy to his home when he
brought the means Of atording few days re-
pose 10 his wife. The children, too, sometimes
had holidays, the more enjoyed because they
were so rare. With what delight the poor
father saw them dance aud play around him,
and his eyes filled with tears of affection when
their sweet faces 6eamcd with joy il, on enter
ing, he exclaimed
"Julic-Aglar-I have had lucky meet.
ing to-day"
And he would spread before their eyes some
iruit, or cakes, or bonbons, before which they
danced some time without vcntuIing to touch
/ them.
| But life was beginning to open to the two
children under q severe aspect, for they were
growing up. and were forced to assist their
| mother in the tapestry on which she was en-
carefully after the linen Of the house, and their
clothes, and though not very lively employ.
ment, it brought peace to the heart in the
satisfaction Of duty fulfilled.
The poor captain was the most unhapy.-
His wife could not bear to see how in secret
he frcttcd, he. so accustomed to life of &C.
dvity, now obliged to be charge to his fami-
ly; SO every day she invented prctcxt to
send him out on some excuse or other, rela-
tive to employment, Of which she had little
hope, but then it forced him for awhile to for
get himself, as one may say. But this man,
so brave before the enemy, was wanting In
courage to expose himself to humiliation and
riuSal. lie did not admit the extent of his
poverty, and possessed too much Gelicacy to
meet with success he was too proud to be
imporIunatc. lie had kept up an intimacy
! with several Of his old brothers in arms, and
especially with general, who was indebted
to the Empire for brilliant position. Once a
week the captain dined with the general at his
abundant table, and on that day poor Mad
amc Gcrbault might have been seen reviewing
her husbands somewhat thrcadbarc suit, so
that the injuries Of time might not appear
The children were gayer than usual, when
they saw their father so fine, and all thought
themselves less miserable. Nevertheless every
day made those miracles Of economy more
difficult, everything was disappearing, or wear.
ing out, and there were no means Of replacing
them.
One Thursday Gt was the gala day when
the poor captain was accustomed to dine with
the gencral) Madame Gerbault perceived with
inexprcssiblc pain, that the old black coat, so
religiOusly taken care Of for. great occasions,
was about to desert its masters service. and
then he could no more go TO the generals -
This tritiing circumstance, which recalled the
long series Of their troubles TO tho courageous
woman, almost made her yield I'M in despair,
for she could see no termination to them
She burst into tears, while repairing the old
coat in the best possible manner, for she thought
Of the days when It was new, SO nearly allied
to tho ridiculous at times is our kecnSst sOr
row.
She turned the little bit or red ribbon in III,
buttonhOlc, the insignia of the cross Of honor
but It had already been more than once turn
ed and benefited but little BY the operation
At length tho captain left, and he lookcC
very respectable to those who knew not al
the mysteries Of hidden poverty, and honor
able ways and means; besides which, th,
general wasa man who recOllected having
been soldier himself aad was not one 4
measure anO'hcr's worth by the Rneness o
his cloth, Moreover; he had sincere esteem
for the captain, whose honorable EhArActc
was appreciated by eli the officers Of his rcgi
ment
There wEre about dozen guests at the gen
erals on this day. During dinner the cORver
sation took mechanical turn. The industr,
I.RA L. u Il