The Northern Pacific farmer. [volume] (Wadena, Minn.) 1878-1885, 1883-07-12

fulfilling his duties conscientiously. He
was assiduous in his attendance at the
chamber, and took part in person in all The
votes, shouted enthusiastically when h
saw his group enthusiastic, and groanet
when he heard his group groan. In short
he was model deputy. His afternoons
belonged to his country, his evenings t.
Turlurette.
But in 1876 there was a real contest
Montsegur had to contend against radical
and against legitimist. He managed mat
tiers very we'll; he declared that the form OF
government was almost Indifferent to him
that he could accept the republic easily,
provided it inclined toward monarchy, or
monarchy, provided it inclined toward the
republic. He was elected by majority oil
six thousand; the legitimist polled two thous
and, the radical candidate five hundred.
Montsegur resumed his functions at the
chamber, and found Turlurette more blonde
and more greedy than ever. And SO he
continued to see his money slip through his
colleague, who was member and secretary
of the Left Centre; invited him to dinner.
Nine. Lambertin was delicious brunette
slender, and yet plump in places where
plumpness is pleasing. Her waist meas
ured eighteen and quarter inches; he1
shoulders were irreproachable. And sc
she took pleasure in doing the honors to
her guests; she even displayed a little more
than these dazzling shoulders; in this re-
spect, indeed, she went to the extreme lin
ii, and showed all that can be shown at a
political dinner.
It was political dinner. Nine. Lam
BERTH was q very intelligent woman, and
very ambitious. She was perfectly aware
of the insignifcance of her husband; all his
value and merit were due to her, Laure
Lambertin. Her name was Laure. Ii
was she, and she alone, who had made
I1ambertin municipal councillor, mayor,
councillor general, deputy, secretary of the
Left Centre, etc. Now she wished to make
him minister, and the way to the ministry
was the presidency of the Left Centre.
This was why she was working to increase
this group, and to stock it with her friends.
Nine. Lambertin took possession of
'Montsegur after dinner, and treated him
in corner to very eloquent political dis
course. The country was Left Centre!
Why was not M. de Montsegur Left Gen.
ire? Laure Lambertin talked with much
force and warmth. Her animation added
to her beauty. Montsegur did not listen to
Nine. Lambertin. He looked at her talk
ing. He remained there motionless, lost in
the contemplation of those ideal shoulders
and of their appurtenances. He had hea1 i
many orators formerly, when he used to be
neither Theirs, nor De Broglie, nor Gam
beta had succeeded IN producing upon hin.
such IN impression. One night at the
presidency, after dinner, M. Theirs had
celebrated at length the virtues and charms
of the Left Centre. Montsegur had boen
proof against the eloquence of Theirs; he
yielded before the eioquence of Nine.
Lambertin. But then Theirs was not
decOUete!
Montsegur felt himself softly attracted
toward the Left Centre, when Madam Lam
berlin said to him:
Believe me, monsieur, believe me, ours
is the only group
Laure Lambertin had an excellent Dress
maker; the corsage of her dress was mas
terpiece of boldness and precision. Mont
segur's eyes rested complacently on tue
clear indication Of the contours Of pretty
left centre and pretty right centre, form
ing harmonious group. Montsegur said
that he thought it would be very agreeable
to belong to the Left Center group. He
became one of the hab5tues Of the salon of
Lambertin. And he forgot Turlurette.
Finally. one day, Montsegur went and
had his name inscribed among the members
Of the Left Centre. There was a cry of
joy in all the liberal press! The monarch
lists were coming over to the republic! The
surprise and indignation of Montsegur's
political friends we're great. They pro-
nounced the word treason"
Pooh The replied, France has advanced +;
advance with France" -:
Montsegur's flop insured his re- election
at Saint Chamand. The district had adj
vanced; it would have rejected Montsegur
member of the Right Centre; it acclai med
Montsegur member of the Left Centre, and
gave him majority Of seven thousand.
The principal editor of the Saint Charmand
Liberal declared that Montsegur, with ad-
mirable political foresight, had seen the
reefs on which the chariot of the republic
was running" But yet, in reality, that was
not what Montsegur had seen.
he returned to The chamber mole deeply
smitten and more Left Centre than ever.
He little thought what was in store. If the
district of Saint Chamand had advanced,
the district of Bargeton, the constituency
that Lamt1ertin represented, had advanced
moro rapidly still, and in order to keep his
seat Lambert1n had been obliged to join the
Republican Left group.
When the electoral period was over-it
seemed eternal to Montsegur-his first visit
was made to Madame Lambertin.
and he showed himself very anxious to re-
sumo their previous friendship, but
Madame Lambe:tin stopped him gently,
and said:
Mon anna, which group do you intend to
join?"
(Which group? Can you immaeine that
1 have ever entertained the thobeht of
abandoning the Left Centre?"
"Oh, You knowly,sher replied, "ave have
abandoned the left Centre Edouard has
joined the Republican Left" {
THE Republican Left!' : J - - :
Yes; ana what Edouard has done YOU
cannot fail to do-you surely owe, him
that"
Madame Lambertin had such charming
and irresistible WY of pleading her causes,
that she always won in the end. Two
hours after this conversation, Montsegur
went and put his name down among the
members Of the Repu blican Left. .
i And so Lambertin and Montsegur passed
Republican Left. This group was more
important. Madame Lambertin was
obliged to double her zeal and ardor; she
was admirable; she displayed marvellous
activity. Success crowned her efforts, and
in the course Of the first session she
managed to obtain in her new group the
same popularity that she had so valiantly
conqu cred in the old one. =,
But poor Montseg,r was a little neglected.
Madame Lambertin had no time to spare
with him. He was conquered; she felt
sure of it.
During three years Montsegur remained
under the charm; broke his chain, resumed,
and broke it again. He was deeply smit :
ten' and very unhappy 49,
Finally, on the eve Of the elections Of
1881, after an explanation on his
part, cold on here Montsegur went off in
a huff to Saint Ohamand. His electoral
committee there was presided over by q
large manufacturer named Brinquet, who
had lived long enough to have been an ar
dent Philippist under Louis Philippe, ar
dent Cavaignacist uhder Csvaignac, ardent
Bonapartist under Bonaparte, ardent
Theirist under Theirs, ardent Grevyist the
day OF the election Of Grevy, and ardent
Gambettist now that IL was easy to see that
Gambetta would one day be . sort Of en-
peror Of the republic,