The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1871-07-27


long summer and autumn months,
and NJ. Constantin despaired Of his
daring's life. Human skill and
wealth were powerless to arrest the
march Of the grim destroyer, and the
sweet resignation of the suffering
maiden was painful to behold. -
To escape the early chills' OF
winter, the family proceeded to
Nice, hoping against hope that
Bertha's health might be restored.
A hectic flush occasionally suffuscd
her pale face, as she. looked upon
the magnifccnce of Nature-the
fertile valleys, the hoary mountains,
the waxing farest, tic sounding
sea.
Her eye of prcternatural bright
ness looked as if kindled with the
light of a purcr life, while her pn-
complaining gentleness would have
touched Heart of stone. Her
heart.brokcn parents now bent
over her night aud day, smoothing
her pillow, and comforting her in
her last hours.
"Father," she said, edo you re-
member the poor woman who
sought you that stormy night, and
pleaded for her husband and chill
dren ?" . 81. -. ~
II do, Bertha"
"Please give her the hundred
franc note that got from Uncle
Eugene on my last tete day, which
you will find in my work box
81 will my child"
In the early dawn Of the morn
ing, she said: "
"Father, mother, embrace me.
I cannot see you. l feel we shall
nor he long together; but we shall
meet again" --
a few minutes afterward she
breathed her last, and her. spirit OF
innocence and purity winged Its
flight to the realms of peace.
The iron had now entered into
the soul Of the, prosperous banker,
and5he for once realizedthe trailty
Of human nature and the vanity'of
worldly hopes and desires. A link
was wanting in the family chain,
and Bertha's vacant cllar was Il
perpetual souvenir, of their loss.
The fathers face assumed a care
worn look, and the mothers an en-
preston of sadness. Years after
ward, when resigned to. their
bereavement, they lookedoack with
tender interest to the sweetness Of
Bcrtha's life, and fondly ,dwelt
upon the qualities that made her
memory fragrant. ::
In midwinter, II Constantin, in
deep mourning: was vending his
way toward La Champelle Saint
Denis, in quest OF the Renauds.
Their shop was occupied by wine
merchant, who knew nothing about
A grocer in the neighborhood in
formed him that they were most
respectable people, and had been
brought to misery through the hard
heartcdness of an exacting creditor
After much searching, he finally
discovered their address, and recog-
nized Madam Rcnaud on the stair
case before him, sadly altered how
ever since The first saw her. lie
followed her up six stairs to a mar
row attic and listened in the door
way. A racking couch soon told
what the matter was with the occu-
pant of the bed.
'The lady I sewed so much for
has not paid me; and tells me to
call next week: What we must do,
God only knows. 1 have neither
fire nor TODD. ...
And her children cried for
bread, while she had none to
give them. = n tear rolled down
the bankers cheeks, and he turn
ed on his heel and rapidly de-
cended the staircase.
On reaching the street, he pro-
ceedec to q restaurant, and order
ed a savory dinner to be sent mp
to the Renauds. Shortly after
ward, a smart boy, carrying a
heavy basketful, went whistling
up the same staircase, and knock
ed at their door.
Words cannot depict the as
tonishment Of the forlorn family
on receiving this unexpected sup
Ply, nor the happiness that reign
ed that night i'll tic miserable
garnet. -" = '-&.@
When they had finished their
repast, and were still Specializing
about it, NJ. Constaintin walk
in, and explained the motives Of
his visit. - Bertha's legacy, with
something added to il, he placed
in Madam Renaud's hands, while
to the poor broken-down book
seller he presented a check on
the Bank Of France for ter
thousand francs, telling him he
was to accel.t it as a loan, fol
which he would only. charge hin
with interest at the rate of two
]. LII >-l>alc ..>.. 49, a. !.