The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1874-01-11
THE MISER OF MARSEILLES

Marseiles is a city of fountains, and has q
fine aQueduct, almost entirely su bterranean, by
which pure water Is brought from the little
rivers Huveaume and Juvet. But this was
not always the case. Look back with me many,
many years. and l will show you how ill it
used to be supplied with water, and how in
the fullness of time it came to be otherwise.
once upon !, Hm nc n Know NOS Inc exact
Guyot, with his wife and one son. They were |
but humble people, and at the time my nara |
tongue cleaving to the roof Of his mouth, and
his little hot hand pressed to his still hotter |
forehead, while he ceased not to cry in plain |
"Aias, my chiid,a said Madame Guyot, in re-
you already the ois =, is empty. Not drop
neighbors are as badly of as ourselves. See,
take draught Of milk: have naught else to
give you"
the boy lit makes me only the more thirsty,
and almost chokes me, it seems 80 thick while
water is 80 cold, and refreshes me for o long
II it would but rain, for am burning; Oh,
if were rich, I would care little for the finest
vines, i had but plenty of ffesh' pure, cold
Madame Guyot, with q true maternal love,
strove to pacify the young sufferer and hav
ing succeeded in partially relieving his ora
a kind neighbor, scarcely better off than her
self sent by the hand Of her little daughter,
he ct length slept. Even in his dreams, how
ever, the memory of his feverish longinGs
haunted him, and his plaintiys cry for water
at oft-recurring intervals brought tears to the
mothers eyes and che trod softly, dreading
to awaken the boy, lest by 30 doing she should
also awaken his desires to greater activity,
when she knew she was without the means of
satisfying them.
Seven ycars later, and the fever-stricken
boy had gro wn into u fine, thoughtful youth of
sixteen. No longer dependent on his parents,
the young Jacq ues Guyot cheerfully performed
hi in gain n o.
after his return from work, as Madame Guyot
was busily engaged in placing the evening
meal on the table, she said to her son, JAG
ques, you must be content with less than your
usual quantity of water tonight, for again the
cistern is nearly dry"
g. sorry for that mother" replied JAG
ques; " but though we have often since been
very scarce of water, Mt least we have mover
wanted it 80 badly as when had tho fever"
80, Jacques, can you ever forget thatW
"Never, mother. No day passes, but the
torture 1 su iered then for draught of water
comes into my mind, and envy no man bis
wealth in anything save his moro abundant
supply of that one good gift. Is there no way
of relieving this want by which the poor OF
Marscilles suffer 30 much and so often 7"
" 1t is just because the poor are those who
suffer that they must continue to do so wealth
might remedy the evil" answered his father.
How so 7" asked Jacques.
Easily enough. Only let an aqueduct be
constructed to bring pure water from distant
river"
fatherr'
"More money than you could count my
son." replied the elder Guyot; " so let US t.
our supper before it is cold the water yor
always dreaming about"
The meal over, Jacques wandered in the gar
den thoughtful and silent, but not unnoticee
by his parents. They converted together il
an undertone about the extraordinary name
in which his mind dwelt on the one night o
suffering from thirst so long gone by.
"It is strange" said Madame Guyot, Il hov
the lad ia always thinking of it. quite fear
ed to tell him how little water we had left to
night, for it seems to grieve and trouble hin
so much not for ourselves alone, but les
some unfortunate should have to bear suffer
ings like those he experienced seven year
ago"
the chief object of his anxiety"
"Whv. surely he does not fancy himself il
love yet" said Madame Guyot in an accent o
alarm. "Our neighbours daughter, Madeline
casts sleeps eyes ut him, know, young as h
is; and Jacques often tells her low like u littl
gel sHo seemed to him when her mothe
made her the bearer of that draught of water
But it is doubtless only nonsense, for ho is still
a boy, and she is u full year younger"
"Iwa not thinking of Madeline, wife" re
piled Monsieur Guyot; Gin nay opinion, JAG
ques loves something else better than all thu
little damsels in the world mean money
He is always boarding every sou he can col
lect, and trying, by all sorts of extra services
to earn more than his daily wages and al
most fear our son will turn miser, since h
spende nothing he car. avoid"
lob, if that be the case, he is doubtless
thinking of some girl, aud trying to saw
against the time when he is old enough Il
merry; but he is q good yOuth," added MADAME
Gpyot' brushing y tear from her eye at thu
thought of having rival in the love of hel
only child.
All, wife," said her husband, you are al
most Jealous of little Madeline; but remember
you cannot expect to keep this one lamb OF
yours always by your side; and say, that il
tho thought of having some day to provide fol
q wife makes the lad so saving, for one an
we'll content"
The return of Jacques here stopped the con
versation. Hours after his parents were al
rest, the youth sat by the lattice in his little
chamber. A luxuriaut vine hung over the
easement, and waving backwards and forwards
in the moonlight, cast fantastic shadows on