The Toledo chronicle. [volume] (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1873-1924, 1874-10-08
A LEGEND OF OMAN.

larger dot than any girl in the village
reputation not without value even in
SO primitive society as that of Dinar
some sixty-five years ago.
The effect of these combined attrac
tions was that before Marietta was sew
enteen years old various offers had beer
made to the Widow Dubois for her fail
daughters hand The blacksmith. the
apothecary and the inn-keeper were al
her declared admirers. But the widow
seemed hard to please.
The inn-keeper, burly, well-to-do
parsonage, veteran with an armies
sleeve. did his very best to combat tht
objections Of his hoped-for mother-in
law. But in vain.
The hero Of dozen battles was toe
much man of tie world to lose his TEN
per visibly. He only shrugged hi.
shoulders with an air of dsdain.
So be it, then, Madame; but'-anC
this he knew to be a grand stroke of re
venge-" if it is indeed upon that young
ne'er-do-well, Jean Lerou, that you have
fixed your heart for son-in-law | would
have you take care. 4 brainless youtl
such as he is no fit protector for TIN
mademoiselle your daughter. And if a
the next CONSUMPTION his name should b,
drawn that would be nice for her, woult
it not? All. HUI. cripple indeed! 1t il
something to have fought the battles O.
ones country. 1t is not every man VII,
returns to tell the tale. Jean Lerou
Ugh!'
The widow was for a moment startle,
by this sudden attack but quickly recov
cred herself
And if it is upon Jean Lerou that m,
choice is fixed, what business is it o.
thine, Monsieur Fire-eater?n she retortel
angrily. And if the poor lad SHOULD
be unlucky enough to be drawn for til,
next CONSUMPTION dost think have not ;
little bit of money put away somewhere
in an old shoe, perhaps-ehs Jus
enough to pay for substitute, or per
haps few sous over"
And so the old soldier was fairl,
beaten off the field 1t was as he hat
said however.
BY peculiar sympathy, NOT perhap,
unprecedented, between mother an,
child, the widows choice had fallen OF
the man whom her daughter would Ger
tainly have preferred had the matte
been left to her. And the sympatheti,
chord must have had a good deal to d,
with it, for, with the exception of
handsome face and fine, manly figure
Jean Lerou had little to recommend hin
as an eligible pa1ti for the young heiress
But youth and good looks have won thei
way with pretty maidens and romanti,
mothers, both before and since the tim,
of Marietta and Widow Dubois.
At least they were handsome couple
every one said that when the whole
village turned out en- fete to celebrate The
welding, and Jean was pronounced or
all sides to be a fortunate fellow, but
one who at the same time would nc
doubt prove kind husband TO Marietta
and good son to the widow. Indeed. ;
happier trio, as time went on, it woult
have been difficult to find until the trio
was one day turned into quartet, ant
the happiness SO increased by at leas
one-tourth Surely, never before hat
there been such a delighted boy father
such contented child-mother and sucl
an absurdly happy grandmother. But
unfortunately, 1t is given to few in Thu
world to live long in state of bliss; ant
soon after the birth of the little Babett,
an occasional cloud appeared on the hori
zon Of the small household.
A certain change came over the pooc
mother. Lines of care and anxiety tixeC
themselves upon her face Her very
character seemed to change From the
most open-hearted and generous of be
lngs she became close and parsimonious
always preaching economy, and urgin.
upon lazy, light-hearted Jean the neces
sity Of working and providing for hi
wife and family. Rumors went abroad
that this change in the widow was il
some way connected with a scapegrac,
son OF hers by a former marriage, 81
whom no one had heard for a long while
But of this the widow said nothing.
So another year passed on happily
enough in spite of occasional clouds anC
threatenings of storms, until one dav {
terrible blow fell upon the little house
hold. The health Of the widow, neve,
very strong, had been undermined b,
secret worry and anxiety. An epidemic
startled the village, and almost befor,
her children could believe that she wa:
i'll the good mother lay dying
Then she spoke of this trouble which
had SO oppressed her
" 1t grleves me, children, that do moi
leave you as could wish, rich and indie
pendent she said, holding hand OF
each. But the last few years have
been sadly disastrous. We have lived
we have enjoyed our life, it is true; bu,
the times have been hard War, scarcity
you know of these things, and then nv
poor boy, too, must bear his share of the
blame -"
Dear mother, do not trouble yourself
now about these matters" interrupted
Jean
"We have been so happy" sobbed
Marietta.
But | must speak, my child" the
widow went on feebly. "The little that
remains is yours. There is the farm.
You must exert yourself now, Jean-you
must work for-for her sake. Will you
not?"
Yes, mother, yes" said Jean, pressing
the dying woman's hand.
And then see, in that old bureau is a
little sum put by for thee, Jean, if thou
shouldst be drawn for the CONSUMPTION.
800 francs and more. But if thou
shouldst escape then it is to be dot for
Inc little babette. Dost hear, my son?
Here is the key of the bureau. Put II bv
the cord about thy neck"
! will do all as you wish. good
mother"
"Ahl that is we'll"
A few more words of tender. loving
counsel, and then the death came with
voice not to be denied, calling the good
mother from her weeping children and
from the little home Of which she had so
long been the center and support.
y =
Marietta and Jean had been married
just five years, when, in the year 1918,
n N Anw 90 81