The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1884-09-12

The Vaiiln family were sitting nj the
table-eating very leisurly some big
crusts of bread, which they rubbed
parsimoniouslv with \ little butter, each
taking an almost imperceptible bit OF
butter at q time on tho end Ut knife,
from plate placed between them in
the middle of the table.
M. d'Hubicrcs recommended his
propositions. but this time more insin-
uatIngly. with ora.orical precautions,
pie at first shook their heads in sign
of refusal; but when told that they
would receive 100 francs q month, they
looked at one another; they began to
consult each others eyes, with their
resolution considerably shaken.
They kept silence 4 long. long time.
feeling tortured, hesitating. At last
the woman asked:
"Here! man, what do you say about
itP"
He answered with sententious pro-
nunciation:
Il say that it's worth sinking
about"
Then Madame d'Hubieres. quivering
with anxiety. began TO talk TO them
about the future of tho child, about
how happy she would make him, about
the money he would be able to give
them some day.
The peasant asked:
..And that allowance of ], 200 francs
you talk about. will it be pledge to us
before the notaryp"
nj. d'Hubieres:
.Why, of course, tomorrow you
draw it."
The woman, who had been very
thoughtful. spoke again:
GA hundred francs a month isn't
enough for giving up tho child; that
there child can work in few years;
we must git a hundred and twenty
francs"
Stamping her little foot with impa-
tience, Madame Hubieres acceded TO
the sum ut once; and as she wanted to
take the child away ut opce. ete gave
them present of 100 francs, while her
husband commenced to draw up tho
necessary papers. Tho Mayor and one
of the neighbors being sent for, gladly
gave their services as witnesses.
And the young woman, all beaming
with delight, carried off the screaming
child-just as much-longed for toy is
triumphantly carried homo from a toy
store.
Standing at their own door. the Tu-
vaches watched them 60; they said
nothing, looked serious-regretting.
perhaps. that they had refused.
Nothing moro was heard of little
jean Vallin. Every month the parents
went TO draw their 120 francs from the
notary; and they fell out with their
neighbo because Mother Tuvache
'agonizcd them with ignominies." in
cessantly going from door to door to
reiteratc that one must be inhuman to
sell ones child-that it WAS "horror, I"
80 dirty low thing" q corromperie. "
And occasionally she would take up
her Chariot in her arms, ostentatiously,
and scream out to him as if he was
able to understand:
Il didn't sell thee, didn't! didn' t
sell thee, my little soul! don't sell my
children, / don't. Pm not rich, but l
don't sell my children"
And for two years and more 1t was
the same thing every day-every day
coarse illusions vociferated before tho
doorway, SO that the neighbors could
not hel Up hearing them. Mother Tuvache
1T last really came to think herself the
finest woman in the whole country,
Just because she had not sold Chariot
Aud people would say, when speaking
Of her:
.'Of course, we know the offer was
tempting; but anyhow she acted like a
good mother"
They held her up rs an example, and
when Chariot, brought up with these
ideas perpe.ually dinucd into his ears
got TO be 1S, he also learned to be-
lieve himself superior to.all his COM
rades. just because dc had not been
''sold."
The Vallins meanwhile lived very
comfortably. thanks to their monthly
pensicsl. The indispensable fury of the
| Tuvachcs, who remained wretchedly
poor and miserable, was chiefly due TO
that
| Tho eldest son Joined the army. The
second son died. Chariot alone remain
ed to help the old father to work. and
to support his mother and his two
younger sisters.
He was just 81 years old, when one
morning n shining cafriago drew up
before the two houses. A young gentle
man, wearing a gold watch chain, de-
sccnded from the vehicle, giving his
arm to an old lady with white hair.
The old lady said to him:
''lt is there. my child. the second
house."
And the young man entered the Yal-
lin residence as If he was entering his
own home. III
The old mother was washing her
aprons; the father, now inlirm was
DOING beside the great hearth. Both
looked up, and the young man said:
| "Good-day. papa! good day, nam
mai" !
They rose to their feet almSt In
alright. The old peasant woma, in
her sudden emotion, even let her soap
fall into the water, and stammerel out:
''C'est-i to m efantp G. est-i te m dantp
Is 1t thou, my childp Is 1t thou, my
lchildp"
Ho took her In his arms and kissed
Incorporating, .'Bonjour, mamma'-
while the old father. though trenfing
/ in every limb. exclaimed in that Plm
accent which never deserted him: so
thou art como back, Jean" As no
had boen gone only month or less
And when they had got to know och
other little better, then the parats
insisted on going out. with their son to
show him all the country-folk. 10y
took him to see the mayor, the depay,
the priest, the schoolmaster-
And Chariot, standing at the threh-
old Of his fathers thatched cab,
looked as he went by. Il
That same evening, at supper tint
he said to the old folks;
i "What idiots you must have been b