Los Angeles daily herald. [volume] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1873-1876, 1874-03-22


eyonerated.) If he married, and he
certainly never should, but if he did,
he wanted to ka,oa0 the woman. Call
ing now and then, seeing her in the
parlor, going to opera and concert,
riding in Central Park and the like,
furnished no real clew to her charac-
ter Moreover, there was no way to
find out, unless one interviewed her
maid, or engaged in her employin the
guise of cOachman. Even if they
were angels, he was afraid of angels,
unless it was this French one with her
six cherubs. i.'.''
OF course he learned French with
vengeance. 1t was q wonderfully
courteous language, seeming fitted for
only lords and ladies. He was aston
ished that he had not learned it be-
fore. 1t was "Voulez-vous queluue
chose, madame ?" in fine morning and
at night. He charged himself with
commissions, and finally grew to TAX
ing the boys out by twos for walk or
ride. At the end OF three years he
was the only original boarder left. He
had corrugated the verb din1er through
all its moods and lenses, and instead
of looking further for Marie, decided
to sue for this one, including the sat-
elites, Louis, Colet, Gustave, etc. g
hone day he fell in with pair of his
bachelor friends. s3-" ~ -a-
"Where do you keep yourself, Tom?n
inquired one. III haven't seen you for
six months. In love, eh, old fellow?u
eyes, 1 believe 1 am" said Tom,
seriously. nFaAf .se9. IS iaH o. ,sa.
zone more unfortunate !" doled out
the other. "Y0ung, rich, and pretty,
suppose Pr VI g aa9snq 14i (
eyes, young, rich, and beautiful"
answered Tom. "No money, widow,
and six bOys.n .s 81 - sells - b.alHs
ooh, that-excuse me-but that's
too thin" llom aaai. 1l 9He
"But it's a tact,n said Tom; and the
friends sobered. ahd h.5le.
"Hey are you crazy old boy ?''
"Never less 80, old fellow" saE
"Six boys the dickens That's
beginning life at the top end, / should
say.' leat4les ld9lHq . % liaH 49,
livery likely; but if there Were
twelve, it would be all the same.
There isn't another woman in the
world like her She's French. pve
been learning French" adauq
"Y-o-s, 1 should sag so-by heart.
Did you propose ell Francois, a la
Francois ?n 5 volts li# ~ ansn.8
Haven't come to that YETI .Haam
"Ah! then you're not hopelessly
lost ~ u siolr78 l5aat3slss aoqr
eyes, am. It's a gone case. If
she says no, Pm hers all the same.u
Of course they had abundant reason
to think he was a fool. Anybody
would, when he could marry any one
of the twenty splendid girls" but in
stead choose widow lowered with
half a dozen boys! But then he had
got beyond public opinion. But what
would Marie think ? and what, would
Louis and Gustave and }olet and all
those other graded thinkers think !?
1t was no small thing to attack a
heart surrounded by such home-guard.
But faint heart, etc., including six
boys. -.., .l...ss r.....
One day Marie seemed unusually sad
and perplexed. "SOme of those horri-
BILE bills to meet,u Tom suspicioned,
and he couldn't offer her cent beyond
his board, which he made as high as
possible. Next day found her face no
brighter, and after the boys were all
in bed he knocked at madame's little
sitting-roOnn, saying he would like to
come in for a 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 he began, after
drawing chair vis-a-vis to her own:
MADAME, you are the only woman
in the world 1 knOW, and the only
one love. l am neither a fool nor
crazy. wish to marry YOU" y
Marie threw up her hands in true
French horror. II - ssE. IL
"Marry me! Pourquoi?"
"For yourself .......,
"But my six boys!-what can you
| think?" '"
III 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 l
want to marry you and the six boys is
proof that love yOusiX times as much
as it is necessary to love woman
without children. u 81 Va
ooh, but you will think different to-
morrow" sawFfB4nFea /.
"No; 1 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
need you. I hope I am not wholly
Indifferent to your"
"You have been very, very good.
But no one can be to me what my
Pierre was. l cannot allow you to
sacrifice yourself, and cannot marry
again. / must give myself to my
children-les pauvres garcOnsw and
the tears streamed down her cheeks.
"But 1t breaks my heart to see you
distressed, and have no right to help
you," exclaimed Tom, seizing the fair
white hand, that bore only worn
wedding-ring, and kissing it in des-
perate way. n
"Ah, then you must go away"
sighed Marie. "a .iII0sa 49,
And never see you again?"
"Only as my friend" 4
"And you have no other answer?n
"None other, monsieur"
'tPromise me one thing. If you can
at any future time give me different
answer, grant me the honor of telling
you again how entirely my life is
yours, and yours only.'
She smiled sadly. ''There is always
hope in such promises, and I would
not deceive you. You will thank me
for this some day, if not now" 1M.I T.
OF course Tom protested that he
never would, and avowed his loyalty
and devotion, and then, packing his
traps, went to hotel without word
to anybody. tA.v
When the fact of his departure be-
came known in the house the boys
were furious, and overwhelmed Marie
with questionings. Each one missed
him in his own peculiar way, and, 81