The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1884-11-22

muir. Poverty, sickness, and now til,
enlargement of my son, who no longel
loves me. But he must be in love-yes
that it is without doubt, and who, then
should it be but that black-eyed Lisette
A girl who has had all the young mo-
in the parish for lovers, and who mus
now charm away from me my Fran
co.'s" During those days of troubl,
and despair it was Marguerite who
cheered and upheld the family Sh,
soothed and pacified her mother, wa
most fond and affectionate to her feebl,
old father, and INDUCED Francois b
listening to his wild schemes when p
one else was by to hear. y
What will become of mep" was ia,
question she often asked in utter de
spair. IF could only do something.
but then, there is nothing I can do.{ If
| were only genius now, like Fan
co.'s"
Often she would be awakened at night
by hearing Francois, after his parints
were asleep, steal quietly outdoors to
stride madly up and down the mounain
side, and listening to the sound of bis
footsteps and the mingled rush and Har
of wind and waterfall, would fall ASLEEP
upon pillow that was wet with te&s
One day when Francois went to he
market town to sell his wood-carvirEs,
he accidentally found an American ON
tleman at the shop where he ususly
sold his wares, who bought all the pieces
he had at prices that seemed fabuloTto
the unsophisticated boy.
Il want them for friend of mne
who has fancy for this sort ofithirggs1.
| the gentleman SAID, IN rsrtIr1 ;i1nperfeet
French. 81 wish you had as many more.
| would like to have you carve m,ntel
for my library if you only had some Amer
lean designs to work from"
A sudden impulse overmaSterel Fran
co.'s. Il am going to America very
soon, >" he began, almost without know
ing what he was saying. "Welre very
pool at home, monsieur, and lear that
one can do well in your county. VIII
you, then, be kind enough to give me
some orders, monsieur, if g beyond
the seal"
IF you come as far west asChicago,
certainly" the gentleman replied,
kindly, Il shall be pleased also to
recommend you. Your wort is really
very fine. Here is my card. l see my
friends are waiting for me-"
That night when Jacques Godin re-
turned from the market-townle carried
soiled and crumpled note finn Fran
co.'s, which ran as follows:
DEAR MARGUERITE: send this b, Jacques,
who will give you part of the money
have to-day received. have keDt elough
to take me TO Chicago. | wish, ais, t. keep
your music-boX for few month"; which |
want to show as a specimen of my work. i
will soon, very soon, return to YOU'LL, rich
man. Until then, goodbye, francois.
jacques will give you my address iiChicago.
Great was the consternati0 in the
household when Marguerite, trmbllng
and sobbing, read it aloud. Cd An
tome broke down completely, aid wept,
the first tears Marguerite had Ger seen
him shed, while her mother lY with
her face turned to the wall andrefused
all consolation.
AT last Jeanne conceived the idea of
sending her daughte. across thu ocean
to seek out Francois and brinf him
back In vain the parish ministe and
all the neighbors reasoned with Ter on
the impossibility of sending a loung
girl alone to a foreign country. Worst
of all, Jacques had lost the address that
Francois had copied from the gentle
mans card, and they did not know
where to write.
Go, l entreat you, my child" sh
would repeat night and day; lin al
your life you have always done what
ever you undertook, though you are no
gifted like Francois is, it is true. 1t is
perhaps, as well that all are not geniuse
in this world since some of us must loo
after the welfare of others; and thougl
you have never planned any grea
things, have been very useful, which i
very well, too, is it not, Antoine? A
all events, you must GO"