The democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1868-1874, 1874-04-20

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at would haye happened" replied
Madame Desgranges, with mingled In.
dignation and pathos, ''that, instead OF
living in q state OF prfvation, rs they
have been compelled to live for three
years instead Of denying themselves
everything"
"stop, stop, my dear, permit me. It
seems to me-"
"It seems to you, indeedp Well,
then, would you have me tell you
When am with them at their home,
when I see their poor little modest table
Just q single dish Of meat, Just one
vegetable, and no sweets whatever
and when I come home and find you,
yes. you, seated there comfortably with
your chin almost upon the table.cloth,
with your excellent broiled chickens
and your partridges larded-for you
must needs have them larded now"
"What would you, my dear? As one
grows old"
swell, well, oil this hurts me much.
! reproach myself at every good mouth
full that I eat.p
81 DON'T"
"I find our conduct revolving"
"Be calm, my good wife, and como
back to the question, from which you
have completely wandered Of, Follow
my argument, Il you are able. We are,
to-day, ut the 18th Of November. Our
daughter, our son.in.law, their two
children, and their two servants, have
been here in our country.house since
the 18th Of August-thdt is TO say, three
months and two days; and they reckon
on remaining here-they, their chill.
dren, and their servants-until the
period Of our leaving, which will be on
the Goth Of December"
"well, and would you reproach them
for staying with us now? Are you
going to complain OF what their pres
ence costs your Have you any idea oi
exiling them from your home, from my
home ?-oh, wait moment, I beg"
"Wife, wifel"
HDepriying me Of the sight Of my
children-my only consolation in lifel'
"Why have our daughter and our
son-in.law been with us for three
months and two days, md why will they
stay with us until tho Goth Of De,
cember 2"
IA pretty questionl-Because they
love us because they arc happy Il
being with us because they know how
TO make their stay pleasant 10 US be.
cause they are warm:hearted, sensi-
tive"
"In short, Just the reverse Of myself
Isn't it SOP said NJ. Desgranges,
laughing, and adding, as he went up tc
his wife, "Come, come, let me give you
n kiss, I can't help adoring you, fol
you arc never more than twelve years
old n
7" "HowP-Ia-twelyesn
al mean that you are and always will
be the same good creature, simple, con
fiding, credulous, whom married will
so much satisfaction"
"Simple and credulouslp replied
Madame Desgranges, somewhat hurt.
Would you pretend that our children
arc noN2" .Ly
eyes, my dear, they are all that, and
more still But do you suppose that
yonr daughter, with her pretty face,
that she takes pleasure in showing be-
cause it is o pleasure TO look atit-that
your son.in.iaw, with his artistic tastes
and his Imagination, would leave Paris
and the enjoyment OF It's early winter
and, particularly, that he would 60
there for his business avery morning
and return every evening, oil for the
sole delight OF taking q hand OF f,iqttct
with q father who is beginning to be q
little deaf, and mother who would
gain something is being partially
dumb9"
"But, what else can you imagine
What motive can you assign for their
prolonged stay! with usi"
"My dear, answeredM. Desgranges,
laughing again, "when you were
young, and had very beautiful hair, you
were enchanted ut going into the coun-
try, 80 that the parting might have q
rest. Well, our children are delighted
to stay here and give q rest TO their
pursep
-|
tive no grudge against them for 1t.
I do not accuse them, either, OF ingrati.
tude or Indifference lam sure that,
il they had an income Of twenty thou.
sand francs, instead OF ten thousand,
they would love US always-but not
quite 80 long ut time. In tho same
way, for instance, j don't know any SON
in.law the like OF mine. II Is impossi-
Bile to show more Difference, to pay
more attention. He never allows one
Of my anniversaries c.day, birthday,
wedding. .day-to pass, without hasten-
ing forward with animmense bouquet" "
HAnd you believe that interested mo-
tiyes only-Y
aoh, no, my dear, not interest alone
-no-no-an interest made up, half af-
fectionate, half calculated-an uncon-
scious calculation, Of which one takes
no account, but the existence Of which
I surmise, originating in q necessity by
which profit, while II does not yex me
in the least r. nl
"Ah, you are really too bad. You
disenchant7you take the poetry out Of
every thing I One must be capable Of
such sentiments, in order TO Imagine
them in others | II is monstrous n
"By no meansl II is quite natural
Old people are very much in the way.
They must make amends somehow, /
make amends by hospitalityi7
"Say at once that our children take
our house for an innl -
"Ah, just so the Golden Lion \
Here are lodged and boarded certain