The St. Cloud journal. [volume] (St. Cloud, Minn.) 1866-1876, 1870-05-12

arrived, for Lady Fare5rother, taking
alarm at some chance expressions ir
Catharine's letters, wrote in her flowing
capitals to tell her that she felt she
would not be justified ia exposing Rosa
and Totty to the insidious and poisson.
Cd Influences Of Jesuitism, aud that,
acting upon Mr. Blan's suggestion,
she had determined to make other ar
rangements for the children during the
holidays. And poor Catharine's eyes
filled up with bitter tears as snc read
the heattbrokon little scrawls incloscd
10 her aunts more elaborate epistIe
Aad yet she could scarcely have borne
to see them unkindly treated. For
herself she did not care. She looked
upon it as an expiation in some sort:
Often and often she felt ashamed and
guilty as she caught the maire's kind
and admiring glance. So much atfec-
tion and devotion deserved some better
return than the grateful federation
which was all she had to give. A lit
tie patience, a few small services
this was all she could pay toward that
vast debt she owed him. As she began
to love her husband little, she found
out how little it was. She ought new
er to have married him. She knew it
now, although at the time, in her asita-
ton aud excitement, she Fad tancied
that she could at will forget where she
would, love where she should and
that, by finging away a poor faded
rose, she could cast from her all memory
OF the tine when it was sweet and red.
Alas the worng was done, and could
not be undone. She could only do
her best now, and repair as much as it
lay in her power, BY patient effort, the
harm one moments weakness ha6
brought about.
Cstharine's gentleness maddened the
old lady, who was afraid her victim
would escape her By sheer obedience
and sweetness. Why didn't she laugh
and make jokes? Why didn't she get
angry? Why was she SO Indifferent !?
Even when she gained four tricks run
ming the night before, she did not seem
to care. The elegant veil Fontaine
presented to her might have been i'm
itation for all the pains she took, wear
ing 1t out in the garden, with no one
to see. 1t Catharlne had only scolded,
and worried, and complained Of MI
graine, and lived with her husband ins,
way Madame Merard could understand,
she might in time have got to like her,
but all this good temper was insupport-
able.
The time passed on. The people at
Petitport heard but little from without.
The Tracys were still at PARIS Charles
Butler fingered still, although the po:-
son IN his system had already attacked
some vital organ. It was a long sad
watch for Dick. In the beginning of
the winter, at Charles Buffers own re-
quest, Catharine Butler had been mar
ried quite quietly to Beamish. The
news the of the marriage came across
the sea to Cathariue Fontaine, but it
all seemed very distant and hard to re-
alize.
AS the mater went on the people in
the cottages lit larger fires in the deep
chimneys, and huddled round the blaze,
The winds seemed to shake the very
foundatlops Of the wooden house, and
the maire auxiously inspected MS en-
barkment against the expected on
slausht OF the carly spring,tides. Out
side tbs chalet there was cold, and drift,
and storm, and low mists come rolling
over the fields and along the edges OF the
cliffs inside, fires of wood and charcoal
were burning, stew-pots simmering on
the hob, and the daily pendulum of life
swung on mono,onously. Old Merard's 8
taper burnt With quiet flicker as be
warned himself in his chimney corner.
Madame Merard's light blazed, and
hissed, and spluttercd it was not set
under a bushel; nor vas Justine's, as
she sat below darning away the long
winter evenings, whilo Fontaine busily
raped, tapped, conversed, practiced
his cornet, settled his accounts, came
and went, cheerfully humming little
snatehes from operas, or with alacrity
Joined the inevitable pariie. That hor-
rible, greasy pack Of cards which was
brought out every afternoon inspired
poor Catharine with q morbid feeling
Of disgust that would have been absurd
if she had not struggled 50 hard against
it. When they al! noisily insisted tha,
she must join them, she would put
down her hook in silence and come to
the table. No one noticed the weary
look in her dark eyes, or would have
understood it any more than did tht
knaves Of clubs and spades, with the
thumb.marks across their legs, starins
at her with their google eyes. Some.
times, thinking of olher things as tb
hours went on, she would forget an,
hold the cards so loosely that old
Mera'd, in his old little piping voice,
would cry out, ''Take care take care
NY ~ -