The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1880-08-13

before leaving. However, I am able Il
procure my flowers, and am waiting fOl
some change, when, looking over towards
the church, see q group which interests
mo. Marthe il standing on tho steps
beside Stirling; she is holding something
in her hand which he has just given her,
and is looking up ut him with such gen.
uine delight written Oh her face, that
can read it even Mt this distance. Then
she says something to him, ut the same
time putting her hand into his. He
raises it laughingly to his lips, and in
another moment she has turned away and
is Fastening in the direction Of the Trois
Etoiles. But there has been another
spectator Of the scene besides myself
for to my CONSERVATION see Oscar
emerge from the shadow of the church
and follow her quickly.
"Never mind the change" Icry TO the
market woman, "yOu can give It to me
tomorrow" for something tells me that
there will be "scene," and that it will
be az well for me to be ut hand. But
when l arrived ut Trois Etoiles, I find
that am day after the fair-Oscar and
Marthe are already shaving it out un-
der the lime tree.
have no pretext for interrupting
them, ID 60 up to my own room. My
window stands open, and ! can both see
andhear them, for every word reaches
me distinctly through the still evening
air. Round Marines neck is q silver
chain and locket, handsomer than mine;
and Oscar is pointing to them angrily.
81 will not have lido you hear, little
traitress ?" he cries passionately. "You
women would sell your souls for hit of
finery. Take off that horrible necklace
and give 1t to me-do you hear? If you
are to be my wife, You shall accept no
presents from fine gentlemen (my poor
painter fine gentleman y; emo; nor
yet hire out your face to be stared at.
Take it off" he repeats.
But Marthe puts up her hand to her
silver chain and holds it fast. az will
mott will not?" she says. "What
harm have l done? Monsieur brought
me this from Gannat, and this ut all.
~ saw him kiss your hand" cries the
incensed lover; "and you allowed him !"
and he utters malediction. He is in a
frightful rage; that l can hear by his
voice; but Marthe is angry too, and will
not heed the signs Of the coming storm.
"a pretty thing truly" she says, "if
] am to he watched and suspected like
this. You have no right to do it; you
are not my husband yet, thank heaven T.
Oscars face darkens. But there is q
terrible anxiety in his eyes she says with
an effort Mt calmness: "Then you do
not love me-"
Marthe pouts her full lips, but an
swers not.
"If you love me-" says Oscar, "you
will take of that chain, and give it to
me-"
"No, no." she repeats; cit is mine.
The child clings to her bit of finery, and
will not give it up.
"Then you do not love me?" says
Oscar, once more.
"No!" says Marthe, vehemently
stamping her foot and flushing scarlet.
81 hate you--hate you--do you hear ?
And l will never marry you-never!"
And with sudden food of tears, she
jumps up and rushes into the house.
When l 60 down in the morning, I
find she is i'll bed with the headache.
81 do not know what il the matter
with the child" says Madame, unsus-
pectingly, c0ncocting her Hsanc, "she
il 30 hot and feverish."
"Where is Oscar? / ask
"He has gone to Gannat to see the
consumption drawn says Madame Pet
it. Poor Mere Gomel! God grant her
Rene good fortune"
| am glad that Oscar is out of the
way, for finding that Martho is unable to
sit for him, Stirling made up his mind
to leave by the diligence. which passes
through ST. Pourcain in the course of
the morning, so that by the time Oscar
returns, my task of effecting reconcil-
iation will, feel, be comparatively easy;
and when young Stirling proposes that !
shall /" set him" a bit on his way, and let
the diligence pick him up, I assent with
much satisfaction. I have not the heart
to tell him ut the Inst moment the mis-.
chief hislocket has wrought; and we part
with mutual expressions of good will and
hopes of meeting again before long; and
! return to the Trois Etoiles, hoping to
make oil things straight between the 1--we
lovers before night. But my hopes are
destined to disappointment. When ]
arrive at the TrOis EtoilGs, I find the
court yard full of people, oil talking Of
once with French vo'ubility, while
madame is standing in the centre of the
group, crying and exclaimiug: cit is
not true; / do not believe it."
"What is it?" ask.
Every one answers me Mt once; and il
is some time before am able to arrive
at the cause of the disturbance, which ID
this: Madame Gomel's son had drawn
IN unlucky number, and she had nc
money to buy substitute "Well,
that we knew before" say.
"Yes, madame. But here is one come
from Gannat who says that Oscar Petit
has volunteered to go in his place, and
been accepted"
"Of course, Of course! l begin
hastily, but the word die on my lips rs
/ see Oscar standing in the gateway,
with stern eyes and pale compressed lips.
"My son, my son say it is not true |!
says the poor mother, rushing toward
him.
But Oscar turns away. eyes, mother,
it is true!" he says; and with low
moan, Madame Petit staggers back and
sinks fainting into my arms.
We carry her into the saiLe, and man.
age to send every one away but Oscar
and Babette. $50, go, my friends"
say; 81 will see what can be done. You
have been quarrelling with Marthe,"
say angrily to Oscar when they are gone
"and so You propose yourself to break
your mothers heart-a fine revenge
tulyT
Oscar looks rather ashamed of himself
but says simply: 81 love Marthe too
well to live in the house with her if she
will not marry me. She cannot leave hel
home; therefore must.
Ono, no says the poor mother, who
now begins to recover. "She shall 60
l cannot lose You, Oscar, my son, my
only son and she falls to bitter weep
ing. ...
Oscar kneels beside her and buriei
his head in her lap; 30 he does not see .
little figure which comes stealing in al
the door with tear dimmed eyes anG
white cheeks, and holding silver chain
in its hand. Oscar" says Marthe
edo forgive me; do, do! Take the chain.
I love you'll love you, only love-
and she too falls OH her knees, crying
bitterly.
l feel very much inclined to laugh al
the couple OF young fools who have sol
themselves into this scrape-were il moi
for the grief of the mother, which is al
most tragic IN it's intensity. =
"Can Oscar not get q substitute?"
ask.
81 do not know, madame, but even il
he could, should have to pay heavily
and ! have no money laid by-timet
have been 80 bal since the war;"
"rhere is my dot" says Marthe