River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1877-11-01

y .
For this purpose he had peculiar box
made which this key opens; the letters
contain very little of interest, but 7
should be sorry to have them fall into
strangers hands. May beg you to pro-
cure them for meg You will find the
little chest in his room. 1t is inclosed in
red leather, and can be known OF once by
the cover being stamped with my mono
gram, j. de ",
"lou forget that do not know where
the late Mons. Jacques Fromentin lived,
and have no right to intrude upon his
home.n
"He lived with his mother" She gave
me the address, 'As far as / know of
the old lady, she will accede to anything
that you ask her in her sons name. /
myself AN ugly smile fitted over her
features-"I myself have not the honor
of knowing Nine. Fromentin; or I'd spare
you the trouble of bringing back my let
tiers.
II shall cheerfully do everything to
fulfill the laet wishes of Jacques Fromen-
tim said l.
''She rose, as much as to say, "You may
60 now" and took the hint and with
drew at once.
In the bottom of my heart l was angry
with the dead man for having bestowed
his love on such an unworthy object.
80 that was the chaste Jeanner /
thought, and compared the reality with
the picture my fancy had painted.
madame de Villers, the beloved mis-
tress of Jacques, is simply one of the
countless Aspasias whom the modern
Athens has produced-a Margaret Bel
LANCER, Cora Pearl, Anne Lions. con-
graduate the dead man on his death!
He has certainly been spared much shame
and misery" Then / meditated more
deeply. "IIis blood was young and hot,
poor felloww / philosophical, land the
devil men call Venus could without diff
ficulty entirely beset him." What /
could not pardon Jacques was that he
had not appeared to have a thought for
his mother.
l went straightway TO her house, for
my stay in Paris was to be brief in spite
of the disappointment which my visit to
Nine. de Villers had prepared me for,
was resolved to carry out conscientiously
Jacques Fromentin's last wishes. Mime,
Fromentin lived in small house in a
quiet well-known street. The servant
who opened the door for me was an old
man with white hair. remarked that
he was in deep mourning.
''Mme Fromentin receives no one, said
he, as handed him my card.
''Tell her that bringnews of her son."
"Of her scn-of M. Jacquesl" cried the
man, and became as pale as death. "Does
he still live"
"No," said sadly. / bring only the
news of his death. l saw M. Jacques
der
The old servant remained silent for
moment, then slowly retired. At the
door which led to the house he stood still
an instant, as if he were considering how
he should announce me; then he heaved
a deep sigh, shook sorrowfully his white
head and entered the hall. Twas obliged
to wait several minutes before he return
ed to show me into the reception room. 1t
was a large comfortable apartment, filled
with old-fashioned, substantial, unpre
tending furniture, which formed strik
ing contrast to the parlor / had just left.
Two portraits struck my eye at once. In
one l recognized Immediately Jacques
Fromentin; the other represented love-
ly girl of marked, earnest beauty. The
in the expression of the faces
made me recognize the two pictures as
portraits of brother and sister. The door
opened slowly, and | turned around. A
venerable lady in the deepest mourning
entered the room.
II am the mother of Jacques FromeE-
tin: :" said she.
| made low bow and took seat be-
side her. Ny tongue cleaved to my pal
ate; l knew not how to open the con-
versation. 1t was clear to me that | did
not have courage, that could not have
courage, to tell the unhappy lady before
me the whole truth concerning the death
of her son.
''You are already aware of the misfor-
tune that has befallen you," began, in a
low voice.
She made a mute sign with her head
and covered her burning eyes with her
hand but saw the bitter tears on her
emaciated cheeks, and my heart felt as
though it would burst. | rose, seized her
disengaged hand which lay in her lap,and
reverenIly kissed it.
''Your son died the death o. the noble
and the brave" continued. II wish ]
could give you comfort"
"Nothine can give me comfort, replied
she, amid her tears. my God, how shall
/ liver what shall | do! Since the day
he disappeared, l have shortened my life
with grief and anguish longed to hope
that he still lived-that he was prisoner,
that he could not write; but for two months
I have known the worst, for / have found
his graven
She could say no inore~-her grief chok
ed her. l dared not break the mournful
silence. After few moments she asked
me:
"Whcre did you see him for the last
timer
related how Jacques had been carried
MORALLY wounded, into the hospital of
Ecouen, and that he had soon after died
there.
GLOW did you know my address9" she
inquired.
Then came the unavoidable falsehood
ale asked me to seek you out, and
inform you of his DEATH" | answered,
boldly.
Sod bless him for the thought of his
motherl' she said; sand God bless you for
the message and comfort You have brought
mer
| felt ashamed, but could not reject
the undeserved blessing. The eyes of the
unhappy woman suddenly turned inquir-
ingly upon me.
'Did Jaques say nothing else2"
"Your son gave me the address of a
lady to whom / am to deliver from him
a red box with the letters -. de W
which may find in his ROOM
The poor mothers face quivered IN
melancholy way, but she spoke no words
and left the room. After few moments
she returned, and handed me in silence
an exquisite little casket covered with
red leather, on which / recognized the