Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1874-04-03

tgue, always so courteous and ready to
talk, but always so very, very sad.
One day Gustave, the third boy, was
brought in from the street with the blood
streaming from wound in the head. II
had been nearly year since Pierre had
died, and until now Marie had thought she
had no heart. But the sight Of her bleed
ing child showed her that she had, and she
gave way to flood OF tears. Amer that she
was quite like the impulsive, vivacious,
and warm hearted Marie of old. She was
a Freuchwoman in thousand different
ways-so rich In tact, in expedency, in
helpfulness; but had 1t not been for all
those boys, ono might never have known
what character she had. One day it was
teaching little Pierre never to lie; another,
Louis the beauty of unselfshness; anoth-
err, courteous manners TO Colet, generosity
to Claude, or patience to Paul. She was
certainly the most wonderful mother these
men had ever seen and neither had they
forgotten their own. The sight of her and
her boys day after day developed their
own fatherly instincts and longing for a
home and freside and a madame of their
own. But where could such another Ma
rio be found? None of them asked him
self that question oilener than did hand
some Tom Sigismond. Women were so
tremendously dcceitful! He could count
up score of "periect beauties he had
1irted with, who smiled sweetly, sang and
talked like seraphs, and made bewildering
toilets but he declared he knew them to
be perfect Xantippes in temper. (That was
before Xantippes amiability had been eX
onerated.) II he married, and he certain
ly never should, but If he did, he wanted
to know the woman. Calling now and
then, seeing her in the parlor, going to op-
era and concert, riding in Central Park,
and the like, furnished no real clew to her
character. Moreover, there was no way 10
find out, unless one interviewed her maid,
or engaged in her employ under the guise
of coachnian. Even If they were angels,
he was afraid OF angels, unless ii was this
French one with her six chernhs.
OF course he learned French with ven
geance. 1t was a wonderfully courteous
language. seeming fitted for only lords and
ladies. lie was tonished that lie had not
learned it before. 1t was "Voulez-vous
quelque chose, madame?" in the morning
and at night. He charged hims,lf with
commissions, and finally grew TO taking
the boys out 5y twos for a walk or ride. At
the end of three years he was the only
original boarder lelt. He had corrugated
the verb dimcr through all its moods and
lenses, and instead Of looking further for
n Mario slanifn1 In ibiS In.
Guiding the satellites, Louis. Colet, Gus
tave, etc.
One day he fell in with pairor his bach
elor friends.
"Where do you keep yourself, TomH'
inquired one. ~ haven't seen you for six
months. In love, eb, old fellow ?"
ayes, | believe am" said Tom, ser-
ously.
zone more unfortunate !" doled out the
other. Young, rich, and pretty, sup
pose?"
Yes, young, riob, aud beautiful" an
swered Tom. mo money, a widow, and
six boys"
"Oh, that-excuse me-but that's too
thin"
"But it's fact" said Tom; and the
friends sobered.
"Hey! are you crazy, old boyH"
Never less 50, old fellow"
"Six boys! tho dickens! That's be-
ginning life at tue top end, I should say"
VERY likely; but if there were twelve,
it would be all the same. There isn't an
other woman in the world like her She's
French. I've been learning French"
"Y-e-s, should say so-by heart. Did
you propose en- Francais a la Francais7'
Haven't come to that yet"
"Ah then you re not hopelessly lost!"
"Yes, l am. It's a gone case. If she
says no, I'm hers all the same.''
OF coure they had abundant reason to
think he was fool. Any body would,
when he could marry any one of the tWen-
ty splendid girls" but instead chose a
widow lowered with half dozen boys !
But then he had got beyond public opin-
ion. But what would Marie think? and
what would Louis and Gustave and Colet
and all those oil er graded thinkers thiuk
1t was no small thing to attack heart sur
rounded by such hume-guard. But faint
heart, etc., including six boys.
One day Marie seemed unusually sad and
perple xed. "Some of those horrible bills
to meet" Tom suspicioned, and he couldn't
offer her a cent beyond his board, which he
made as high rs possible. Next day found
her face no brighter, and after the boys
were all in bed he knocked at madame's
little-sttng room, saying he would like 10
come in for while. Marie blushed, and
putting her finger to her lips, pointed to
| little Pierre asleep on a sofa. A low tone
suited what Tom had to say, and so lie be-
| gan, afler drawing a chair vis-avis to her
| own.
"Maddme, you are The only woman 10
the world know, and the only woman l
love. l am neither a fool or crazy. l wish
to marry you"
Marie threw up her hands in true French
horror.
marry me Pourquoi2"
"For yourself"
"But my six boys what can you thinkr'
~ think they need a father. You are
wearing your life out to care for them
Moreover as they grow older they will
need advice and guidance that you can
scarcely give. That want 10 marry you
and the six boys is proof that love you
six times as much as it is necessary to love
a woman without children"
"oh, but yor will think different to-mor'
row."
"No; l made up my mind to this six
months ago. l have only waited hoping
that time and circumstances would make
you need me as much as l need you.
hope am not wholly indifferent to you ?
"You have been very, very good. Blu
no one can be to me what my Pierre was.
can not allow y, Il to sacrifice yourself, and
l can not marry again. l must give my
| self to my children-les pauyres parcons ~