The Ottawa free trader., 1871-05-13


your large fortune), which my friend Hubert,
No. II rue de rEcote de Medicine, will pay IN
your name, 1t you will remit him the funds He
is the only one of all my friends who opposed
my marriage You can, therefore, have conf.
dence In him. Adieu. my noble fathe.. quit
life without regret, for, If have found on this
earth the fatal severity of father, shall doubt
less md again in heaven the indulgent kindness
of my mother. Your respectful son,
RAYMOND, VIsCoUNT DE l. FREsNAYE.'
The old count let fall the letter, and dropt his
head on his hands, while torrents Of tears flowed
from his eyes. The last wsrds of the letter had
literally pierced him. His son fled to heaven,
his arms extended toward his mother, who
awaited him there had he not left behind him
flash OF light, sword of fire, to burn and ram
kle in his fathers heart? The old valet, who
could not comprehend such depth of sadness
after such height of Joy, asked:
MY good master, what is tho matter
The count replied, sobbins: See, here is the
last letter Of my SOM
The old servant bowed his head and mentally
breathed prayer
AT that time the old noble was man of firm
character, strong as tempered steel. A few min.
utes after reading that terrible letter he arose
and, accompanied by his valet went to his sons
late domicile in the rue 10u,nOn There they
had no other news of Rsymonds death than the
letter to his father, which they had found in the
closet where he was in the habit of placing his
lamp and key.
The count then went to No. II rue de ! Ecote
de Medicine, to the Mr.. Hubert who was to
liquidate the debts of his son. Although it was
four O'Clock in the morning, he found him in the
middle of his chamber, without fire. shedding
tears over the fate of his unfortunate friend
The heart OF the poor count was deeply touched
at the sight. lie remained long time convers-
ing with him about his son. Hubert answered
his thousand questions with so much emotion
that the poor father was moved to tears A to
his last moments he knew nothing. lie had re.
| ceived through the hands Of messenger letter
which he presented to the count, and which cen.
tanned these lines:
MY friend, pardon me for dying. I was
ashamed to lveP
This lacouic letter was followed by state.
ment OF debts minutely detailed, amounting, as
Raymond had said, to thirty thousand francs
The count took from his pocket-book thirty notes
of thousand francs each and handed them t.
| the young man. The latter offered receipt,
| which the count refused Hubert was unwilling
| to accept 90 large q sum without acknowledge
ment (he was merchants son), but the parent
insisted. The young man inclined himself out
OF respect for the father of bis friend and ac.
cepted.
Seven O'Clock in the morning struck when the
| count quilted his sons friend.
At the end of three months he had grown old.
or by ten years; his fine black hair had become
gray. At the end of six month. he had grown
older by fifteen years his hair was white. At
the end OF year ne had grown older by thirty
years he was bald
On the anniversary of bis sons death he re.
ceived from the post.ofice department the fol.
lowing letter:
Count: The misfortune which has befallen
you has found too deep aa echo to be unknown
to him who dares sign himself your respectful
and devoted servant. In accordance with the
law which orders the opening of unclaimed let.
ters remaining in the post.ofice at the end of
year and day, have opened one addressed to
one Lady Josefa do la Fresnaye Seeing at the
end OF the epistle-dated the day of his decease
the signature of your son, l thodght that,
whatever its contests, the reading Of it might
soften the severity of your grief. 1 send it to
you, therefore, and pray you to count me one OF
your most devoted servants. 49,
We can comprehend the old mans emotion on
seeing the letter He opened it tremblinyly,
and read as follows:
"A famous idea has come into my head during
your voyage to Havre, Josefs Of my soul.
shall kill myself tonight! This will make you
laugh, my Joseta. 1t makes mo laugh still
moro; but they lsugh hest who laugh the last.
know one who, firm aad solid as he il, will no.
laugh at this. Well either one is father or ono
is not. l want money. Here are the ingenious
means shall employ to test the paternity of the
count shall write him that l am going to kill
myself. If he is a father he will weep. Good
!! shall say that l owe thirty Thousand francs
II he is softensd, he will pay them. Very good
l shall give him confidence in Hubert, our wit.
ness, by saying that he was opposed to our mar
ri.ge he will naturally remit the funds to him,
who will hand them over to me. Better and
better, eh! On thirty thousand francs we can
live, with economy, for two years. And further,
| II the count il not so disobliging a father, he
| cannot go very far. He must die soon Return
| then, lore of my life, and find me at the Cafe du
cirque, anxiously awaiting you. Hubert hss
dyes my hair and eyebrows, shortened my
| whiskers and shaved my moustache
Yours till DEATH
'NIscoUNT DE LA FRESNAYE'
We said that the tempest cannot bend the oak,
| but the thunderbolt can tear it by the roots So
| was the count torn and liberated by that letter
liz fell, cold aud insensible, to the floor. The
servants raised him, but seeing the face purpled
| and the eyes injected with blood, they believed
him struck with apoplexy. They carried hlm
to his chamber. a surgeon, called in the nick
Of time, saved his life but he lay ten week- on
his bed. At the end of that time one evening
about nins o'clock, he demanded his hat, cane
and gloves, and, despite the entreatics Of his
faithful valet, sailed from his hotel, firm,
.traight, and with head erect He seemed to
have regaiued ell the vigor of hi. earlier years.
The night was feartuily dark ; the rain iell in
| torrents, and the north wind howlcd and whiS.
tied. But he heard not the wind, nor felt the
rain. lie looked the walking statue of Inscnsi-
bility.
1t was nearly ten o'clock when he arrived in
front OF the Cate du Cirque. Through the f..
which enveloped the square he perceived at the