The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1876-03-08
The HUNCHBACK.
A STORY BY ALEX. DUMAS.

In SOLITARY CuaGoau Ou buo DOTOoIs
of the Rhine there once lived q young
knight who had Just returned from the
wars and married his cousin Yseult.
The bride was beautiful and young.
The blended tints of the lily and the
rose are not more lovely than was the
delicate bloom Of the girlish chatelaine.
After a time baby son was given to
the cavalier, and, as you may well think,
this arrival made no end of rejoicings in
the old chateau, for the new conner was
the one link that bound still closer the
knight and the fair Yseult.
All the friends of the happy couple
were now hidden to the estate, not for
getting certain magician who lived on
the other bank of the river, and who3e
life had once upon time been saved by
the knight. Turning toward the frail
creature after his baptism, the magician
said: "Thou wilt be brave and love
thy parents, long years will be thine,
and great strength and riches, and great
beauty shall not be wanting, but The
magician plused.
"But what 7" asked the whole circle
Of listeners, whose curiosity was raised
to the highest pitch. -
"But thou wilt be a hunclback, "
was the sad answer.
Yserlt cried out, while her husband
grew pale with anger.
$50 it must be-" said the magician,
spreading his hand toward the child.
Yseult snatched up her bady-but it
was too late-its little back was already
deformed.
But the young husband and wife re-
solved to hide their misfortune and the
better to accomplish this, they prayed
God to send them another son. In an
other year their prayer was granted.
The deformed boy was given entirely
to the core of an old servant, who for
tupately was devoted to him; so hegrew
apace in his poor, crooked way.
Sometimes the beautiful proud moth
er, moved by an impulse Of natural af-
fection, came on tip-toe to the door OF
the boys chamber, praying God to give
her courage to embrace her son, but
when she saw the little fellow with the
hump on his back, crouched in corner,
she always sprang back, murmuring
"Was there ever anything 30 dreadful
I cannot, cannot kiss him II
"Who is the lady who looks in at my
door Z" once asked the boy of the old
servant.
"Your mother" was the reply.
"And what is q mother2"
"She who brought you into the
world, my boy"
"Why, then, does she not love me il
I am her childa It see Us to me that
she should care for her own flesh and
blood"
"She does not care for you because
you are hunchbacked."
sis it wrong, then, for me to carry
this hump9" .2
"No, but it is misfortune, anG
wrong doing is pardoned oitener thar
misfortune"
"Then bccause my bnck is round, in
stead Of straight, I am not to be lovedF
"It seems &c, my poor child"
"But you love me, though"
"Yes, with all my heart"
"Bnt why2"
"Just because you are unfortunate.
''And why do You, stranger, love
me for that VIII ch causes my mother
who should care for me most, to hate
the sight Of met"
"The world is 80 made, my boy"
"Then the world is like me, lily
made" replied Herman, with a sac
smile.
As the boy grew, his infrmity also in
creased, until he was frightfully deform
ed, while his brother sprang up into
beautiful lad, 30 beautiful that they
called him Phobus. This young gen
tleman was quite aware of his good
looks, and passed whole hours in march
! ing up and down before mirror admir-
ing himself.
The little hunchback also looked il
his mirror, but only to laugh Mt his pool
plight. One day he saw some children
playing in the court of the castle, anG
aid: 81 should like to play, too."
"Go down then," said the old ser
want. The child ran off eagerly, but {
few minutes after, he came back, hi!
eyes full of tears.
"What has, happened 2" demanded
the old man. "They made fun of mt
and threw stones You see / am wound
ed, but that is nothing. And then the,
called me bad name Esop.' Wha
does it mean2"
"Esop is the name OF man."
"Of q wicked man. Is it not3"s.
"No, Master Herman. Esop was /,
very good man."
"Why then did they call me Esop ?"
"Because he was q hunchback ik'
you"
"And his hump did not prevent hi
growing to be great man3'
"No."
"But what did he do9"
"He wrote fables, in which the mai
who was physically deformed mad
moral deformity ridiculous.
"He was right. And was he borl
rich 2"
"No, he was slav
"Why, then, should 1 complain,
wfo am free and rich? I want to rea(
these fables, it will amuse me more thai
playing with children who throw stone
at me-"
T. old servant started off to find th.
book of fables. The boy was SO de
lighted with ."Esop." that for severa
nights he hardly slept. Then he triei
to explhin, to his companion what hs
understood of the meaning Of the fables