The Republican journal., 1885-03-05
A Capital Match.
FROM THE FRENCH.

FROM THE FRENCH.
Adiren Vernon, head cashier in large
linen warehouse, married young. He
was of humble origin, but, thanks to the
patient and weary efforts at the outset
of his career he had attained position
which allowed him some rest from the
fret and fever of business, and set him
above the rest of the shopmen. He had
found time to humanize himself-time
for little dreaming and little love.
His fair little wife, Renee, though the
daughter of middle class parents, was
an aristocrat by education. Her mind
had been cultured by the study of music
and modern languages. She could get
through Beethovens "Moonlight Sonata"
without breaking down, and discuss
Sully Prudhomme and his sentimental
school quite as well as most critics
Thanks to her, Adrien had entered upon
new life. He had had a new aesthetic
education which, though it had at first
seemed odd enough to his practical
mind, had given him much delight in
quiet way. Their little apartment in
the Cite Trevise was tiny Eden, in
which, after the drudgery of commerce,
he had found the double charm of ro-
nance and love. Both were orphans.
Alone and untroubled, they gave them
selves up to the enjoyment of their we'd
ded bliss.
For all that, Adrien had not quite lost
his business instinct. Not content with
his daily work at the cashiers desk, he
often INDUCED in Bourse specuations.
When he could, he kept his secret; for
Renee dreaded the excitement of gam
bling. She felt it was perilous for him.
AS or Adrien, he could not resist the
craving for wealth. Like many men
who have risen from poverty to compare
tive comfort, he rebeled against the
memory of his past misery. Easy as his
! circumstances were, be sighed for wealth,
though in other times he had been per
/ fectly satisfied with an income which
was barely enough to keep him from
| want.
| The spring had been mild and ener-
waiting, Paris was getting dustier and
! dustler in the summer air. Those who
were obliged to live in the impure air and
| noise of the great city were beginning to
! sigh for the fresh breezes and green
! fields of the country. Early in the hot
month of June the unhealthy smells of
/ the capital drove the young couple to
/ Dieppe. They started on one of those
I bright, moonlight nights which make it
a joy to watch the silvery and misty
meadows and distant hills and trees
from the carriage windows. One of
those nights which give new beauty to
the metalic glitter of the meandering
Seine.
1 1t was a new sensation to them to
awake in a room overlooking the sea,
and watch it sparkle as the dawn crept
over it. The walks in the shady holows
of Narengville, the long still sestas on
the beach at sunset the Casino, with its
symphonies and waltZes-all were new
to them. In the daily delight they lived
and breathed almost as in a dream.
Now and then Adrien seemed a trile
worried. His thoughts would stray away
to the rush and tumult of business. But
Renees tenderness soon restored his
serenity. Her voice found a ready echo
in his heart when she described the fair
ness OF the landscape. She taught him
to share her own ecstasy. He bowed to
her higher intelligence INTERESTINGLY.
yielding himself a willing slave to her
whom he had to thank for happiness
till then he had not known
One sunsbiny morning as the sea lay
outstretched idly rejecting the white
cliffs and the blue sky, Adrien went out
for d stroll alone. AS he was leaving
l1n 1,tt., l. s.,
clerks was handed him, He read it
hurriedly, turned pale as death and
vainly striving to hide the shock it had
given him. wandered down To the beach
like one demented.
He was oVerwhelmed-hor struck
His brain was on fire. But 10y a tremen-
dous effort he regalned his c0mposure,
and when, a few minutes later, he went
to meet Renee, his brow was almost un-
ruttled. She came toward him. smiling,
lovely and fresh as the day in her light
and dainty gray dress.
Though not unused to seeing her hus-
band gloomy, she guessed something was
amlss, and asked him what allied him. In
reply he smiled.
Wont you come for row, Adren :"
"With pleasure. The weather is glo-
rious"
On returning from a walk on the sands
how wet with splashing and silverv
Waves-they had a hurried lunch, and at
low tide set out in boat, alone Hard
ly a breath Of wind stirred. The iders
on the beach were few, and the sun beat
tercely down upon the still waters Ad-
rlan took the oars, pulling vigorously,
while his wife sat dreaming in the stern.
For some moments they were silent.
The shore began to fade. They could
still, however, see the outline of the
houses on the cliffs Round about them
lowered snow white sea gulls, uttering
shrill cries Dieppe, with its venerable
grey and brown roofs, grew more and
more misty i'll the sunlit yapor. Adren
slackened speed. Every now and again
he smiled at Renee, who seemed wrapt
in a reverie
They said little. At times the sight of
a gull catching fish, or a fishing boat
with its three cornered sail, or the APP
pearance above the horizon of some
steamer dragging its long smoke penant
behind 1t, would elicit remark, but that
was all
men tney were quite Oh the open sea
Adrien stopped rowing and sighed deep
ly.
"Iou seem tired, DEAR" said Renee.
"Aye, tired"
"And so carewon"
"Alas, yes" he exclaimed, vainly try
ing to conceal the bitterness of his an
guish.
Renee looked at him steadily for an in
slant, and then in a short, determined
tone, said:
something is wrong"
Il will tell you all, Renee" he answer
&c
The wavelets ripped on. The sun sank