The Douglas independent. [volume] (Roseburg, Or.) 187?-1885, 1880-02-07
Breton Parsimony.


Breton Parsfmony.
Jean, our farmer, is worth at least
10000 francs, or fs00, no mean sum
for workingman even in England,
yet his one desire is to increase his
stores and he never dreams of pro-
curing any winter comforts. His is
not at all special case, although he
is dying in rapid consumption.
Two years ago the doctor told him
that he must give up exposing him
self to cold and damp or he would
soon die; yet he has not given up,
and as consequence he is dying. a
few days ago I heard that he was
very i'll in bed, splitting blood, so l
paid him visit, aud found him very
bad indeed. His room was wet as
wet could be; it had no curtains, the
front door was wide open, the FIRE q
few hot Goals of wood, which were
kept there to be blown into fame
when needed for cooking or farm
purposes. He had no medicine, no
special food, but was living like the
Others on black rye bread and buck
wheat galettes or pancakes. / told
him how i'll thought him in the
presence of bis wife, and IN the night
he alarmed her by vomiting blood,
so that she came to me in the morn
ing crying, and asking what she
ought TO do for him.
I told her to get him warmth, meat,
soup and other comforts, and she
went just as far as this: she bought
two pounds weight of Uhite bread.
When this white bread came home,
her mother Jeans mother-in-law), J,
who lives with them, went INTO u
passion and sulked all day long, as
she declared that it was wild extrav
agance. You must know that for
days I had sent him soup, meat and
pastry from my own table, partly
because / could not bear to see the
man dying before my eyes from
sheer want, for he could not eat the
ordinary coarse food, and took moth
ing at all. They received all my
gifts almost without thanks, and
never stirred hand or foot to get any.
thing for themselves until the day
when Yyonne bought the white
bread. Well, on that day when her
mother was raging, she came crying
into the kitchen, and told my boane
how she was tried. Tho bonnie told
me at once, and protested that
ought not to keep on sending food to
a rich man, who was miser and sur
rounded by two misery women,
while real poor might be stretching
out their hands for help. | replied
that had never refused to help any
real poor yet, and that | intended to
continue my help TO Jean, notwith
standing his miserly behavior, as
could not see q man die of want
| while had enough. But | told her
to seold Yyonne well, and to tell bel
that she ought to do her duty by hel
husband, and if necessary turn hel
mother out of the house, especially
as she was rich woman and vel
| able to keep homo OF her own
Now mark Yvonne's reply: HAh,
can't do that, because my husband
may soon die, and then / shall wan
my mothers help" Mark, / say
this reply-its utter selfshness, AMI
say is there any real depth, any rea
worth in such characters as these
! think not.
The weather changed, and Jeal
has for o little moment got better
but he cannot live many months
already he has been out in the rain
. and in few days will be in bed voT
ting blood again. When very bal
indeed. his wife besought me- as
, was going to the doctor ten mile
away myself, to ask for some rerned,
to stop the blood splitting Of Jean.
did so, and explained also the condi
ton of the house and family. Th
doctor, who is very clever fellow
told me that he knew them all vel
and that there would be very evi
day for Yvonne soon. said, evil
the man die very soon !? Yesi
said he, but that is not the evil da.
l mean; there will be a far more m
happy day for her when she comes I
me after he is buried to to pay M
iN.n-7Ke Cornhitl.
LONG PARLIAMENTARY CONNECTION
The most remarkable instance Of . lon
Parliamentary connection is found in th
little borough of Caine, in Wiltshire, 70
Sir Lionel Duckett, who was Lor'
Mayor in 1917, purchased the hundr
of Caine, and his nephew, Ste
Duckett, was returned for the
in 1884. Caine was repres
bucket without interruns
reign of Queen Eliz
George III, when
in 1765 to Lord
of the Marur
fuence o.
para p