The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1880-05-24
MARIVS B)UGBARD'S AMNESTY.
A Story Of One Good Turn and
Another.
V L.

nave palQ MS ueDth, W ha'o oeSANSe
half ones nose for him, and then to lind
in him rival-this is fate which must
be pronunced hard. Pascal Ledouxl
was the most leng-sutfering of men; in
dnlgent in his Judgment of Others, and
slow to take efiense; but philanthropy
was hobby which he did not care 10
ride too hard. We have explained that
he was ambitious, and SO a consideration
for number one formed part of his reg
umr scheme of fife. When he discov-
cred that Marius Bougeard was begin
ming to supplant him in popularity, he
thought the time had come for asserting
himself as he had never done before.
The gallant Marius had gone to live with
his uncle; a public banquet had been
given him in Vil.e-Aubry; the Mayor
kissed him on both cheeks; and depu-
tation of working men had presented
him with memorial, begging that he
would come forward as a Representative
of the Radical democracy on the first
parliamentary vacancy. A vacancy op,,
portunely occurred soon afterward, and
Marius launched his addresses on scarlet
paper; Pascal Ledoux retaliated by is
suing some of his own On pink. He and
the ex-Communist had by this time
ceased to he on speaking terms. They
bowed when they met-that was all.
The Liberals of the town organized a
committee, which sat to adjudicate upon
the merits of the two candidates, and
Pascal Ledoux was summoned to appear
before it. To his anger and mortifica-
ton, he was told that, in order to prevent
the loss of a seat to the Liberals, he ought
to retire in favor of the ex Communists
favor. All the arguments which hecould
adduce to the contrary were listened to
with disapproval.
"But won't retire!' he exclaimed at
length. "The man is scamp; why
should ! make way for bimT
"How can you call him scamp, since
you fought to prove that he was an hon
orable man" ..
"And made countless speeches to per-
suade us all of the same thing"
Brother Ledoux's personal ambition
seems to be carrying him away into for
getfulness of his old friends,'' remarked
the President of the Liberal Committee,
sternly. ->-a
"That man is not friend of mine,"
shouted Ledoux, beside himself. II de-
pore my folly in wastinga nose for him;
regret the speeches made; l will new
er again make such dolt of myself as |
did on this Amnesty question"
Having said this. Ledoux resolved to
push on his candidature, hap what
might; but the consequence was that
the next time that he went to call on
Resalie, he was denied access to hen
presence very coolly, though he had
the modification of seeing his rivals
overcoat and umbrella in the front hail.
M. Marsault, however, on hearing hit
voice, came out and begged him to walk
into his study. Here the two had {
scene: et g'r "F- '}-
81 am sorry, for your sake, Ledoux
that you should persist in thwarting my
daughters Wishes" said the notary,
"for. this naturally makes her doubt thu
sincerity of your affection"
$50 it seems | can only prove my affec
tion by making way on all occasions tt
a rival, who is no doubt trying to stea
Mile. Rosalie's heart from mel" ex
claimed Pascal, bitterly.
"If you are losing my daughters hear
it is assuredly your own fault, for yol
know what an interest she takes in thil
poor young fellow, who has suffered 81
much" Z
"And you think this interest proper!
Perhaps you desire that M. Bougear{
should become your son-in-law, M. Mar
sault2. Are you sure that you are MOI
desiring to break off with me from in
ability to pay that dover of three hun
,dred thousand francs which you prom
me on the day when ! married you
daughterY" n, sn.. t.s.
IN. Ledoux, if you were going Il
marry my daughter simply Tor 'hel
money, you are not the man took you
for" observed M. Marsault, loftily. 81
wish you a COED morning"
During the days which followed this
tiff, poor Ledoux was the unhappiest mar
in France. He really loved Rosahe Mar
sault, despite her caprieiorsness, and h.
had founded no small hopes on thu
dover which he was to have obtained
with her. 1t seemed now as though al
his prospects were going to erumble dowr
together. Wifeless, dowerless, noseless
and, SO far as the Parliament was con
cerned, seatess perhaps, what should h
do in the future by way of fulfilling hi
ambitious dreams7 He would have II
go to work again drudgingly at tbe Bar
mastering dull briefs. and drawing small
fees on account of them. These wer
hard lines, as result of his spirited AM
self-denying advocacy on behalf Of
prisoner, and the musing over it almos
made Pascal weep. it.Y weH
i'' But there was a general cry for "Am
nesty" at that moment ameng all th
noisest sections Of the French commun
ity, and man who had been amnestied
like Marius, was naturally more intel
esting than one who had alway kept th
even tenor Of his way like Pascal. Tn
latter saw that every mans face wa
growing cold to him, now that he ha