The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1883-10-18
CFrom Macmillan's Magazine.7
FLEURETTE.
CHAPTER III.
(COncluded.

though L found much drudgery IN my
work, it was a paying practice, anc
which would eventually be entirely
mine, as my partner who was grow
ing old and rich. talked of retiring.
Once or twice in every year | hao
been down to Dalebury. All was the
same there. John was still unmarried
and if he had said nothing about her
[ knew he had not forgotten the
dainty little girl who had rejected his
love. Yet not word had Fleurette
sent him. She might be dead or mar.
ried, for all we knew. I often used
to wonder whether [ should ever meet
her again-whether | should evel
learn her secret trouble, for I felt
that Fleurette's sadness was not Sc
much from having to give up the
hope of being Johns wife, as from
the cause that compelled her to take
that step. could only hope, and say
word now and then to encourage
John to hope also.
One day while snatching hasty
lunch, | was informed | was wanted
at once. l found respectable SER
want waiting for me.
''Please to come to my mistress at
once, sir" she said 'She is taken
very ill, all Of sudden
"Where does she ive?" I asked.
The servant named a street within a
short distance, and in a few minutes |
was at the house.
It was in that description Of street
we term respectable-dull,q quiet, and
respectable-small houses on each
side letting at low rents-rents, most
likely, decreasing as an old tenant left
and new tenant came in; the sort of
place where the falling gentleman
and the rising clerk or workman meet
in their downward and upward course
On our way I asked the servant what
had happened to her mistress.
II found her sitting in her chair,
sir, looking so wild and talking such
gibberish, that l came for you as fast
as I could"
She led the way to sitting room.
Mistress was in there when l left;
will you please go in sir?"
went in, but no mistress was visi-
BILE. | saw, with a quick glance, that
the room was prettily furnished
many little feminine knick- -knacks
lying about. Hanging to an easel
near the window were two dead birds,
a goldfnch, and bullfnch, and on
the easel stood a China plate, painted
with a faithful representation Of the
models. "Decayed gentle folks" I
said to myself; but the servants voice,
calling me from above, put an end to
all further speculations. There was
evident alarm in the girls voice; so |
fastened upstairs, and, just inside the
door of bedroom, saw woman ly-
ing on the floor, either dead or insen-
sible.
With the servants assistance |
lifted her up and placed her on the
bed; then proceeded to ascertain what
was the matter. It needed, alas! very
little professional skill! to determine
the primary cause Of her illness. |
had before me one Of those sad cases,
unfortunately becoming more com
mon, of drunkenness in one whose
education and station in life should
have raised her far above such vice.
There is no doubt about it. Even if
the odor Of the weman's breath had
not told ME the truth, ! had seen too
many drunken women In my time to
be deceived. could do little to re-
lieve her, then; and after assuring
the frightened servant her mistress
was in no danger, | placed her COM
fortably on the bed, and gave the girl
instructions to loosen her clothes. As
she did so, I looked with pity and
some curiosity on the unhappy wo-
man. She was a lady, evidently-as
far as the common-sense of the word
reaches-delicately nurtured and well
dressed. Her features were pleasing,
regular, and refined, and in spite of
all, she lay here victim to the same
vice that urges the brutal collier to
pound his wife to death, and causes
the starving charwoman to overlie
her wretched baby.
did not like to expose her weak
ness to her own servant, so promised
to send round some medicine, and to
look in again during the evening.
As I stood with the door half open,
turning to give the servant some last
instructions, a girl passed me hastily,
not even seeming aware of my pres
ence. Before l had time to speak, or
even to look at her, she had thrown
herself on her knees beside the bed,
and was weeping bitterly over the
unfortunate woman. Her face as she
knelt was hidden from me, but I
could see her hair was black, and
something in the turn of her graceful
figure struck me as being familiar.
"Oh nv poor mamma! my poor
mammal She sobbed out. What
shall I do?-again, again! Oh poor
mammal
l drew near and said, 'You need
not be alarmed at your mothers i'll
ness; she will soon recover"
The girl rose on hearing my voice.
She turned round quickly and looked
at me. Lo and behold, she was our
long-lost Fleurette!
Fleurette- and, as I could see even
through her sorrow, as beautiful as
ever; | advanced with outstretched
hands; but the girl drew herself up
and waved me aside with the dignity
of diminutive empress.
"And so, as you threatened, you
have intruded upon my privacy. Go
I will never speak to you again"
"Miss Dorvaux,' [ answered, al
most as angry as herself, your SER
want will tell you how l happened to