The Tiffin tribune. (Tiffin, Ohio) 1868-1887, 1869-10-29
ALICE, THE ORPHAN.

PAOhOJ AAOC 81 AOuE hAAS mOi uinS IS
said Monsieur Marcel to his wife, as
they sat talking together, after break
fast, in the long parlOr overlooking
the garden plat.
"She is gone to cut thee a boquet,
Baptist answered his wife.
"What a clever girl she is for her
age, Helen She il as learned as a
book she sings like nightingale /;
draws and paints beautifully; is a
clever needle woman, and is the best
cook l ever knew, except YOURSELF"
"Besides all this, my dear Baptist,
she is SO good, 50 kind, so gentle and
so affectionate.
"And so cheerful, likewise, my dear.
How her pretty songs ring throughout
the house"
"Not lately"
"How not latelyl You surt rise
me, wife,"
Have you not observed difference
in her of late ?"
''Not l, indeed"
'No depression of spirits p
depression Of spirits Nothing
of the kind whenever L meet her,
whether it be in the garden or the
house, her pretty face brightens up,
and her mouth overhows with smiles
that leap about like gold fishes in q
glass case. Depression Of spirits, say
you? What can you mean 2"
"I have thought of it often, Bap-
tist, and twenty times at least / have
been going to speak to you; that
girls mind is not so free and undis-
turbed as it was.''
Indeed are you sure of this ?
Has she said anything ?"
"We women understand each other
iustinctively. We never understand
ynu--nnrx Won pS1mhytT~SnAt, Baptist,
ever since our son Alfred came home
from college, three months ago, Alice
has Lot been That she was"
"You alarm me, wife; do you sus-
pect she loves the boy. She is over
young for that"
"She is almost sixteen, and he
twenty. Alfred is handsome. He
has free open manner"
care you certain wife that our
adopted Alice loves our son Alfred 2"
"Quite certain of it"
"Then she has told you SO, per-
haps p
''I have seen it with my own eyes,
as you might have done, Baptist !;
though, to be sure, she is more guard
ed when you are present."
II had other thoughts for Alfred.
I love Alice tenderly, devotedly, like
parent. Were she my own daugh-
ter, could not love her more. But
to have taken her, as 1 did, from a
very humble sphere, to have her edu-
Gated earefully-to have given her
the soundest principles, and the most
engaging accomplishments-this, I
thought, doing sufficient for the or
phan girl 1 cannot mar my sons
prospects in life. Does he love her
Helen? 1 hope not.'
"DO you hope not? Are you sure
of that, Baptist? Is it your heart
that uttered the wish ?"
"You sighed, Helen; you are a
woman, and pity lovc-sick girl. So
do 1, but 1 am a father, and do not
feel myself called upon to throw any
obstacle in the way of my son's pros
perity. Does Alfred love her? you
have not yet told me that"
"Not as she loves him, Baptist" ="
"Theu why do you sigh again so
heavily? We both love Alice as we
ought to love her; but there are lin
its to all such affections and l must
be candid and tell you, 1 for my part
zm selfish enough to rejoice at my
sons liberty. Go, Helen, and bring
the orphan to me l must settle this
matter directly it has discOmposed
me a good deal"
81 am going. Baptist, but speak
kindly to her when she comes. Poor
thing it is not her fault that she
loves Alfred. All our kindness to
her has prepared her to entertain that
feeling
Accordingly, after the foregoing
dialogue, Madam Marcel proceeded to
the garden, where she found the or
phan alone and weeping. She held
in her hand a very pretty boquet,
which she had gathered herself, and
more than one tear had fallen on the
flowers.
The two women looked at each 9TH
er when they nett was look full
Of meaning. On the orphans side
there was grief and humility in the
look sympathy, compassion and sor-
row were in the matrOn's.
"He has sent me, child, to bring
you to him, he is impatient to see
you
"Have you spoken TO him, Madam,
she inquired, bending her eyes to the
ground.
Il have told hlm that you love AL
fred, that was all.
In the meantime Alfred Marcel
had rejoined his father, and the old
man unceremoniously questioned him
about the state of his affections for
the old man had long meditated a
match between his son and the heir
ess Annias Gugrard, the eldest daugh-
ter of rich stock broker.
Alfred Marcel, who was not over.
burdeued with care and anxiety Of
any kind, had assured bis father that
his heart was entirely disengaged, and
that he was quite ready to marry
Madamoiselle Guvrard.
The txs ladies now entered the