Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1882-10-25

oil.
IL was in despair. On my way home
i stopped to see the wife OF Jean Potel,
who had not heard from her husband.
She was smiling, with letter in her
hand, as l reached the doorway, but
when she saw me she burst into tears.
'Margot," she said; my friend. thy
husband Then she put the bit of
paper in my hands and began to sob
aloud. sat down and held my baby
close TO me whilst read. Such short
letter! 1t was from her husband, say
ing that he had been i'll, but was now
recovered. and had good position and
would soon have enough money for her
to come on and join him, and that
Nicholas Cassin was lying in the hos
pital not expected TO live, having been
taken i'll on his arrival.
II did not shed one tear. Poteps
wife came and knelt down by me and
cried out; Weep, Margot weep, weep,
my friend, or thy heart will break'
Ono l said; tears are for light
grief. For such sorrow is only the
blood of ones heart
=" 'Margot,' she says, 1T is tho good
God sends it, and He knows best
Then / said, He will take care of
me, for l am going TO my husband
"'But the money! she said. 'One
cannot get pass, and ticket costs
81 shall walk said"
"Why, Margotr' Paul exclaimed.
''Walk to Paris! But it is u frightful
journey! We were long, long time
on the train when we went"
ut is nearly two hundred miles,
Monsieur Paul." Margot answered
quietly. "But if il had been two thou
sand l should have undertaken it. We
can do great deal when a well-be-
loved one lies dying. Then Susan
drew from her bosom leathern purse
and took out five-franc piece. Take
this she said. Jean has sent it to
me, but thou hast moro need of it,
And took it, for | knew God would
pay it to her double. That very day l
took my baby in my arms and started
on my journey.
"All the evening walked, and when
night came l asked shelter at peas
ants hut. l would have paid for the
food they gave me, but when they
heard my tale the people would take
nothing. In the morning | started
again and walked till night. felt no
fatigue, my terrible fears gave me
strength; but my little one seemed to
grow quiet and paler than before. She
smiled no longer at me, and she slept
almost always. The people along the
way were generally kind and charitable,
but some were very harsh, and gave
much of my money for food and lodg-
ing. On the third day, soon after
had started in the early morning, my
little child began to moan, but hushed
her and sang to her lullaby of Nor
mandy. and by-and-by she was still.
"At noon came to a house and l
went TO the door to ask for food and o
place to rest little. A woman much
older than |, forty years old perhaps,
met me and made me enter and sit down
on low chair, and l laid my baby soft
ly on my kness, not to disturb il.
She looks very ill., the woman
said.
Yes, madame l answered, she
moaned in pain this morning, but now
she sleeps
$50 she came nearer and bent down
and kissed the white pinched face &.
and then she looked at me with a
great, great pity, and she said:
"'My child q was but twenty, dost
thou not know that the little one is
deadp
The tears were rolling down old Mar
got's cheeks; the wheel kept up its
whirring; little Anna on the doorstep
was singing in her soft childish voice,
"1u clair dc Ia l,tRe;" Paul was on the
point of speaking, but the old woman
went on
"And had not known it! My little
baby dead! had thought her heavy
in my arms sometimes in my long walk
ing. Oh, but they ached with empti-
ness! My heart cried out for the dear
weight, the well-beloved weight that
should carry nevermore, nevermore.
"This kind, good friend had found
helped me TO make ready my little one
for its grave. | left il with her to be
buried in the churchyard of the near
village, and she promised me that the
priest should read the service over it,,
for could not stay. My husband was
dying, it might be, so / kissed the cold,
SUN ups tlstO ttdlll dS lllCI
had not for many days in life, and went
onward. Oh, how weary were the
hours on the long, dusty road! My feet
were bruised and bleeding, but l could
not stop. / seemed to hear the voice of
Nicolas crying: 'Margot, Margot,
GOMEZ and l said in my heart, Yes, my
husband, l come
ION the fifth day from tho morning
l left my home l reached Paris. |
must then ask my way to the hospital.
had no longer any money; had spent
my last coin. In this great, busy, joy
GUS city could not beg for food, and ]
was weak for lack of it.
1T was market day, and all the
streets were full. Fruits and vegeta,
bles were piled everywhere, and great
squares were covered with flowers in
baskets and in pots. 1t was like my
Normandy TO see so many fresh, grow
ing things. Here were cheeses yellow
and red, and white cream cheese, and
butter the color of gold; and little sugar
cakes; and gingerbread, such as little
Anna loves-and l was so hungry!
"But l forgot all that when saw be
fore me a great building, and an officer
said, when asked him, Yes, that is
the hospital
''Oh, how my heart beat when went
in the wide entrance and found my way
to the Office, where l might inquire fol-
my husband. A tall gentleman with
gray hair was there.
"'Well, he said, my good woman
and what do you wishp'
Monsieur said-and my knees
were trembling and my hands shook SC
that l caught hold of u CHART am
come TO ask if there is here a patient
named Cassin--Nicolas Cassin, mon
sieurp'
"He rang a bell and another came in
and the gentleman said, How is Nico
las Cassinp and the man said, 'Cassir
is dead; he died last night
"There / was, and my baby wa:
dead, and my husband was dead, and
had no money, and my Normandy wa:
miles away. And said:
Monsieur, Ihave walked all the way
frA,S. 70 h,to lo nd N