The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1874-06-26
THE MISER OF MARSELLES.
CHAPTER L.

CHAPTER 1.
eyes, you have been very i'll, my
child, said Madame Guyot, as she held
the mug to the boys lips.
81 can only remember that / seemed
to be burning up and my mouth is
still so dry and parched p replied
Jacques.
You called continually for water
and would sometimes scream at the top
of your voice But, thank Heaven, you
are better now, dear; and the doctor
thinks you will soon be we'll again"
"I am 80 thirsty and L do not be-
lieve another cup of water would do any
HARM" said the lad.
"No, jacques, not now," answered
the mother, soothingly. "You must
wait awhile"
There was knock at the front door.
Madame Guyot left the chamber, and
found the doctor waiting to be admit
ted. After conversing about the in
valid, she asked, lis there no means
of alternating his intense suffering from
thirst?"
You may allow him to drink freely
now, returned the physician.
But the water is exhausted, and the
authorities dole it out but once day. !"
The doctor paused thoughtfully, and
said: "They are compelled to do so.
The drought continues and it is feared
the supply will soon be wholly cut
off. "
"Jean thinks the fire last night might
have been arrested but for the scarcity
of water"
mo doubt of it," said the other,
curtly, as they went to the room in
which the patient lay
Many days passed, and jacques was
still confined to the house. His thirst
continued unabated and at length
Madame Guyot told him the reason She
was unable to satisfy it. He remained
silent for long time, and at last in
quired, tboughtfully, Mamma, does
every one suffer SO much from thirst as
/ do?"
"A great many people do, my son, >"
reJoined the mother, especially the
poor. :"
Why mamma, thought water was
free to all, like air and light Do peo-
pie have to buy it, like houses and
things TO eat?'
Not exactly" she returned, little
puzzled. 1t was evidently a new
thought TO her. After a minute she
continued, Water is free. jacques ::
but the labor OF procuring it must be
paid for. The rich can afford to dig
wells; and you know few of the
wealthier class have aque ducts, which
bring water from springs or lakes in the
cour try. When there is a drought.
they are amply supplied while the
poor depend on the public wells, and
these always give out first.
" Why is there no public aqueduct ?"
asked the lad.
Because those who feel the need of
it haven't the means TO build one."
Mamma" said Jacques, after
pause, YOU once told me that papa
was rich.
Yes, dear but his factory was
burned down at the time of the great
conhagration, ten years ago.
"Wby didn't papa build an aque-
duct for the poor when he was able ?"
said the boy.
"It would cost great deal of money,
my cbild,' she replied, "and we did
not feel the need of it then"
II OilCIC htu Dccu pAcHtJ VI WdLeT,
couldn't his factory have been saved ?"
Perhaps it might" responded the
mother; "for it was believed at the
time that the fire would have been ex-
tinguished if there had been a sufficient
supply of water. There had been a Sc
we're drought that summer and autumn !;
and the rieh were afraid to allow the
fremen to use their reservoirs.
At that time Jean Guyot entered !;
and, as he conversed with his wife on
household matters, jacques reclined on
a lounge 10y the open widow, absorbed
in thought
jacques recovery was slow and his
suffering made "A deep and lasting inn
preston on his mind Finally they
were compelled TO use water so muddy
and brackish that even the swine would
hardly accept it, save in the last extrem-
lty: The boys moral power came to his
aid, after the conversation above relat-
ed and he struggled manfully to con-
quer 10y patience what appeared to have
no other immediate remedy.
CHAPTER II.
"A dozen years have elapsed since the
event recorded in the last chapter.
Jean Guyot is dead His son is now a
young man of %, and is standing by
inc very bed in the little chamber
wnere we first made his acquaintance.
Madame Guyot is lying on the couch.
and the old doctor is at jacques side.