The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1865-05-06
Saturday Morning, May 6, 1865.
The Sisters Sacrifice.
TRANSLATED FROM THE FRENCH.

90 EsMSo Is ------ 10 B98t
'Oh, dear me, Maria, are you not tired OF
this work, work, work, day after day, and no
changer 0
These words were spoken by very pretty
girl, sitting In q most comfortable little par
lor, one side of which was formed OF wide
screen lined with green silk, which is divided
from another portion of the room fitted up at
ajeweiry store. @%'sYA
( Maria and Jeanne were the daughters Of
Pierre Gaioubet, q diamond ieweller, renown-
ed more for his taste and honesty than for his
fortune or his luxury. He was q widower,
with two daughters. s
Marie and Jeanne were the verg idols of
his heart Pierre had been asoldier In his
youth, like most Frenchmen, and during his
absence in Algiers his wife had died. When
he came back q kind neighbor took him to
her cottage, and leading him to q cradle,
showed him two little infants sleeping side by
side on the same pillow. Pierre knew that in
his absence child had been born to him, but
he had no communication from home for more
than year before his return. He therefore
turned from the children to his neighbor with
look of inquiry. Are they both my chill
dren p said he.
why, no. replied Jacquinette. There's
whole history about them, and, Pierre, as you
are q clever man, and have travelled all over
the world, you perhaps will be able to settle
point that has puzzled US ever since the death
Of your wife,
What 10 itT soy Agx a. daAog ~
why, which of these two is your daugh-
ter oe EsF Aaas gar gQHSA
which p-why, who Is the other?'
sOh, one day, about q month after the birth
of your child, when your vile opened the cot
tage door in the morning, she found on the
threshold one of these infants. She knew
which 1t was, but you know poor Nine. Pierre
died suddenly, and she never had time to tell
me which daughter was yours
Again Pierre leaned over the babies, and as
they opened their eyes and smiled on him,
Pierre felt as If both were appealing to his
heart, both asking his protection.
From that hour Pierre called both children
his, and Marie and Jeanne, as he christened
them, (for they had no names until his return)
became the idols of his life.
When they were grown up, Maria and
Jeanne, who both adored their father, helped
him in his business
Marie kept the books, and Jeanne, who had
great talent for drawing, which had been
cultivated, made the drawings and designs for
the setting OF the diamonds.
They were now both eighteen; at least,
knowing the age of one, Pierre had alwayg
put them down as the same age; their fathers
strict honesty had prevented his making for
tune, but, thanks to the management OF Jeanne
they were in easy and comfortable circum-
stances. akNat
OF late, Q cloud, however, had risen on the
household so full of affection. Jeanne had
grown pensive, and even looked pale and thin,
receiving her fathers caresses with indifier-
ence, and sitting for hours, pencil in hand,
without drawing a stroke. Now, on this eve
ming, when the sisters were alone together,
Jeanne had pushed the paper from her with
disgust, and declared her dissatisfaction 10 ner
sister.
Jeanne said Marie, looking up, you have
never Ielt dissatisfaction before !, but you are
unhappy, and you will be 80 until you connde
what troubles you to your best friends, your
father and your sister.
& Not to my father; dare not; but to you,
Marie. Oh, sister, am so wretched!
'Wretche0-why, what has happenedT
'Marie,' said Jeanne, sitting down on a stool
at her feet. listen, but do not look at me. =
Some mopths ago, you remember, came
home one sunday morning from church, where
had gone with our servant, with asprained
ankle
sIes, remember
sWelI, had fallen-slipped of the marble
steps of the church, and tainted from the pain
Well, as lay there, and the crowd began to
gather around me, a gentleman advanced, and
putting aside those Who crowded over. me,
lifted me up In his arms. Preceded by his
me to his carriage, and placing me In 1t. asked
: our servant our address, and drove me home
He was young. handsome, and In manner &C
fascinating as to. have been able to dispense
with being either. The next time went ouI
met him. have seen him often since; he
loves me: / love him.
sWell, if he is an honest man, true and sin
cere in his love, why should you be unhappy
You know your father will consent
a ie the Dno 0rtavn de RloesaC3
The Due de Blossac, Jeanne p
YES
'But not an honest man, or he never would
have dared to speak to you OF love-
He is an honest man, for when he spoke tc
me of love, he told me that he could not mar
ry me, but he offered to devote his life to me
but he offered naver to marry
But he did not offer to marry your
you know that is impossible. So we part
ed, suppose forever, and that is why an
Wretched.' s-s lasA
sJeanny,' said Maria, III he loved you-bu
no, | viii not talk thus to you; you are blind
ed by love-I will tell you to think OF ou
father, whose only hope we both are
yes, my father, my own dear tather, but hi
love cannot be the only love Of my life.'
At this moment the door opened. sad Pierre
himself entered the room. bis daughters rose
and both rushed up to him, throwing thsIl
arms around him. s.tFHr.s eM-
my dearest father, you look sad; tell me-
what is the matter with you
sAhl girls, girls, my own two chIldren-fo
you are both my children are you notT
Yes E
something has happened that felt wouls
happen one of these days. 1t Is proved to mi
that some one beside me has the right to tht
love of one of you.'
sAhI father, what do you mean?' :
rYou know your own hstory-you know
that one OF you Is not my daughter
sWe have never liked to think Of it.
well. children, this evening had an ap
pointment of which told you nothing, q
much did dread it. 1t was with an eminen
lawyer. He has proved distinctly to me per
son who claims one of you: told me thu
whole history; but how am to part Will
youp
Which of as, father, Is not your child = "a
Here precisely Is the puzzle; we canno
tell; but cannot give up either Of you, for
love one as well as the other
"The daughter that Is not mine has neithel
father nor mother; it is her mothers mothel
who claims her. But she will give her wha
cannot give--a great name, riches, and po
sition in society far above the one have plac
ed her In. Which OF you is itT
Jeanne and Marie both kissed bis cheek
neither spoke. Jeanne was thinking that th'
advantages he set before her would have re
moved the obstacles which separated her from
Octave, but she only sighed deeply; not for ar
instant did she dream that she could ever lal
claim to all this brilliant fortune; but Marie
taking her fathers hand, calmly asked him il
there was no sign by which they thought to
recognize the rightiul heir. n 81 ss.
sThe heiress of the Marquis de Valbourg ha,
sign-so says letter from her mother. ! dt
not think 1t Is love that makes them SO anxious
20 find her, but the Due de Blossac Is heir tC
he ,.ronortv and tha ravanuaa of all the es.