The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1874-06-27
From Old and New.
THE MISER OF MARSEILLES,
BY J. II. TEMPLE.
CHAPTER /.

Yes, you have been very i'll, my
child, said Madame Guyot, as she
held the mug to the boys lips,
" l can only remember that l seemed
to be burning up and my mouth is still
80 dry ana parched y replied Jacques
"1ou 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 he well again.
Il am so thirsty and / 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 a knock at the front door.
Madame Guyot left the chamber, and
found the Doctor waiting to be admitted
After cOnversing for a few moments
about the invalid she asked, &" Is there
no means of alleviating his intense suf-
fering 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 Ii 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.
ssNn lnuht If n - cni1 Tho ,f hon
CURLY, as they went to the room in
which the patient lay.
Many days passed, and jacques was
stu confined to the house His thirst
continued undated; and at length
Madame Guyst told him the reason she
was unable to satisfy it. He remained
silent for a long time, and at last in
CURED, tEoughtfully, mamma, does
every one suffer SO much from thirst as
| do 2"
A great many people do, my son"
reioined 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 y
:" Not exactly" she returned, a 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 a few of the
wealthier class have aqueducts, which
bring water from springsor lakes i'll the
country. 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 nopubllc aqueducts 2
asked the lad
because those who feel the need of
it haven the means to build one.
Mamma" said Jacques, after Il
pause, "you once told me that papa
was rich"
"Yes, dear; but his factory was
burned down at the time OF the great
confagration, ten years ago.
why didn't papa build an aqueduct
for the poor when he was able?' said
the boy
"It would cost great deal of money,
my child" she replied land we did
not feel the need of it then.
of there had been plenty of water,
couldn't his factory have been saved p
perhaps it might, responded the
mother; "for it was believed at the |
time that the fire would have been ex-
if there had been a sufficient
supply of water. There had been Sc
we're drought that summer and autumn |
and the rich were afraid to allow the
firemen to use their reservoirs.
that tina Tom fInynt entered
and, as he conversed with his wife on
household matters, Jacques recGued on
a lounge by the open window, absorbed
In thought.
Jacques recovery was slow and his