Cincinnati daily press. [volume] (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1860-1862, 1860-04-06

a.
what are your prospectst'
Conrad replied gayly, that as to fortune he
was lust where he commenced. SIN thearts,"
he added, "the beginnings are long, and the
difficulties numerous. Success is a cripple
which must often rest upon the road; but, If
am not deceived, see the dawn In the hor-
izon. In two or three years.
"Whatl are you talking of two or three
pears hence2' and without leaving his friend
time to reply he added, "ior myself have
been more fortunate. have sought for bus
iness diligently about the prisons. A Grim
inal suit gave me the opportunity Of making
my debut On reading my speech on this
occasion, some one remarked, This is
promising young man. You may have
learned this from the Gdzete des Tri6unaur.'
"Isthat all2n demanded Conrad.
"My brother lawyers begin already to
treat me with respect. Clients are finding
out my office. In three years--goOd heav-
ensl--in three years shall have moved the
world"
Conrad remarked that the complexion of
his friendn longer retained the healthy tint Of
former days. This discovery troubled him,
but, fortunately, Tancred was descended
from race of herdsmen, and had inherited
robust constitution. -.t .....
They passed the rest of the day very gaily.
After dinner they took turn in the Boule
wards At eleven O'clock Conrad said:-w
will not detain you longer, my dear friend; n
grasp of the hand, and we separate to meet
again in year.
We ask permission to leap over two or
three anniversaries at once. 1t would be too
monotonous to repeat details of similar meet
ings. In 1880, the thirtieth of October, Con-
rad wrote two lines to his friend:-"It is to-
morrow do not forget our annual rendez-
voUs."
Conrad, with his generous heart had been
concerned in all the preparations, both near
and far, for the Revolution of July. There
breathed among the artists at this period u
noble monomania for freedom and reform.
When the revolution broke out he ran to
arms with the students and populace, and
risked his life twenty times. Tancred, on
his side, following the path of prudence, did
not leave his oflice but when the combat
was over, he pronounced funeral discourse
over the bodies of the slain, and for this he
was made Knight of the Legion of Honor.
In breakfasting, Tancred, was eager to
show Conrad this mark ofdistinction, attached
to the button-hOle of his black coat.
SIT will add much to your reputation" 4"
said Conrad.
Reputation is nothing without money.
This little bit fred ribbon will not only place
Inc on par with all the celebrities of the bar,
but briefs will henceforth rain at my door.
But you incorrigible dreamer, have you
nothing pleasant to tell me-"
''Oh, yes. am going to be married.
''To a large dowry?'
''To young girl, who is very pretty, very
well-educated, and of excellent character.
] love her, and | have reason to believe that
she loves me. That is better than u great
dowry" ....
Tancred shrugged his shoulders. "Unfor-
tunate friend are you really in earnest? In
the nineteenth century,, at twenty-siX years
G1sgs, Of age, you will marry woman without a
Conrad cut short his sarcasms. "Do not
be troubled about me" he said. SIN the
first place, | can work. and in the second
place, we shall be contented with little"
"Each one to his taste; but my dear friend,
confidence for confidence. ], too, am about
to marry"
SIS the lady pretty?"
''She viii bring me on the wedding-day
three hundred thousand francs"
Has she intellect?' ...
Independently of her dowry, she has
great expectations"
'You do not understand me. Do you love
her and does she love you? that is the main
thing"
81 have never seen her but once.r
"Unfortunate triendW said Conrad, laugh
ing in his turn.
They separated a little less gaily than
usual, but agreeing 10 meet as-usual the next
year.
On the thirty-frst of the next October,
Conrad met his friend, radiant with joy.
"You seem very happy, said Tancred.
"1es, have been very successful of late
and have just bought me small country
house near ST. Germdin-en-Leye.
GLOW much is it worth?'
''Thirty thousand francs"
The sardonic smile of the lawyer began tc
heayensl OF what sort of clay are you
kneaded2 Why have five hundred thousand
francs and consider myself poor
I THAT is possible. One can be poor, and
yet have five hundred thousand francs"
"Onc must be wide-awake dreamer like
/ you to be astonished at that. In our modern
society, five hundred thousand francs, my
poortriend, is nothing or almostnothing. But
happily ! shall not stop there in a littl,
while / shall have double that sum. The
next year hope to become chief counsellol
of the Parliament of Paris; and then before
twelve months shall have a million"
As the weather was rainy, they separated
early. ..
'tAu reeoi,," said Conrad.
| "4u reroir, and be little WISER replied
! the lawyer.
! All that Tancred had predicted was real
ized He was elected by his brethren 6alioR.
have sufficed to any public man; but riches
were the end at which he aimed. He per.
formed prodigies Of labor. No peace, nc
truce, no .tetes, no dinners-he must be mil.
| lionaire; and he became one.
| On the day appointed, Conrad who ar.
/ rived first at the rendezvous, was struck by
the change in his friend. a premature bald
ness gave his head the appearance of age
Green spectacles protected the.eyes formerly
so brilliant. His hollow cheeks were i'm.
printed with that sickly paleness given t.
wax figures. When the artist pressed his
hand in his own, he could almost imagine III
was grasping the fingers of a marble statue
He did not, however, betray his surprise
! AS soon as they were seated at the table, he
raised his glass till it caught the rays of the
sun, and said, ITO themountains of MorvanP
! The lawyer did not appear to understand
| him. 81 have my million, Conrad" he said
81 suspect it, cried the artist. "No one
would be more rejoiced than !, if with 81
much more money you had not so much less
! youth Then softening his voice he said
''My dear Tancred, you are killing yourself
! For the sake Of being rich, you are bringing
ON yourself premature old age. You allow
yourself no time for sleep, or food, or diver.
| sion. see threads ofsilver already in youi
hair; crow's-fe are around your eyes; you
never smile. Listen, Tancred: | have Just
enlarged my house at st. German. | have