The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1885-12-31

You, ~mademolselle, with those hands ~
repeated Charles, who could hardly believe
his ears.
These hands?" repeated Barbe, holding
and 1 have been taught to use them"
Charles smiled a little. Ii was becoming
if she was a poor eamstress. He perceived
that she was en- enthusiastic tete-erdltes per
son, with vague ideas of general fraternity
and doing good to all mankind. Mile.
Duval seemed to him to be possessed with
a very madness Of charity. Her sentiments
were SO primitively Christian as to be
almost ~communistic. She was ready, in.
deed, to confess, when Charles limited the
question, that she thought a republic the
%justest and most beautiful form Of govern
ment. Charles received this horrible con
fession very quietly. Afterwards Barbe
repented of her candor with tears, but at
the time she had no idea of giving offense.
She thought, in fact, that this grave young
man sympathized with her, and presently
asked him innocently whether he often
visited the peasants.
"Whos II Neverr" said Charles, shiver.
do you like themn,
81 detest them"
"Ah! Then what do you all dayi"
81 read"
From morning till nighta"
eyes; / read
us it possible, But what good does that
Doc s said his strange young person. d.
great deal of good to myself. Aman's first
duty is to himself"
as it? Ah,- you do not really mean
thats" said Barbe, with a smile and a sigh.
Excuse me, mademoiselle; l 9 it
most entirely. 1t was not by my own
choice that l cam into this world full Of
miseries, and I quite decline to occupy my
self with them. Our views on this subject
are opposite"
"Tf you mean what you say"
81 am speaking as truly asyou spoke just
now"
Barbe was going to plunge into a furthe,
argument, when something suddenly re-
minded her that she and Charles were sup
posed to be making up their minds to marry
each other. This reminder was the ap-
p~earance, at the other end of the alley, Of
Nine. De Mesnil, the Able, Louis, and her
father and mother. She caught herself up,
hesitated, blushed scarlet and walked in
silence beside her companion to meet all
these people. She did not look particularly
happy, and as for Charles, his gravity was
unchanged. Mime. De Mesnil looked at
them rather anxiously, but only said, with
her sweetest smile, that she feared it was
time to go; there was a long drive before
them.
As soon as the formal farewells were over
and the party had driven away, M. and
Mime. Duval both pounced upon their
daughter;
Icy, Gucu, lIUbI0 Out, uO" 10 you llk6
himi Can he smile, or is he too much
his?n
"Ah, you may joke, papa. says Mime.
Duval; but he is a most majestic young
man. After all, there is nothing like birth.
And Madame, his mother, is charming.
Never mind your old father. my little
chicken. Do you like him-ten me!,
81 smiled once" said Barbe, smiling
herself thoughtfully.
CL- - -
eyes that answered their question quite suf-
iciently. Then she strolled out again alone
the alley of lines.
That night, her mother, going into her
room as usual, found the child crying, not
pa~ssionately, but softly and slowly. When
the cause of these tears, Barbe whispered
n her ear a confidence:7
MAMA, l like him; but don't know that
he likes me-"
laughter made the room ring. "Put such
fancies away and go to sleep, my little one,
M. De Mesnil is a young man of very good
thing is all arranged. No doubt
of his adrnirfng my beautiful child. I only
think she is too good for him"
Under this consolation Barbe presently
fell asleep, with tears on her face.
Poor Mile. Barbel She had, after all, as
w OIu hu1oOo say, oVu1CuuluS W lily w.
At Mesnil, late that evening, the Com
tesse was sitting at her tapestry-work en-
Pertaining the Able, who was staying in
the house, when Charles and his brother
came in from the smoking-room. Charles
looked eager and excited, Louis very grave,
but with an air of something between alarm
and amusement. His brother had been
talking to him for the last o and now
began, with more ceremony and milder
language, to talk in the same strain to the
elders.
II am sorry to vex you,' - he said to his
mother; 'but is there no way of escaping
from this marriage?"
"My dear son! Impossible =" cried Nine.
De Mesnil, while the Able made an angry
exclamation. "What can you mean? We're
you disappointed in Mile. Duvala Now, 1
was agreeably surprised. I assure you she
will look well when she is properly dressed"
81 have no fault to find with her looks;
she is handsome said Charles; ''but I can
mother, you have not talked to her as l
have. Her ideas are monstrous. She loves
nothing so much as dressing wounds. l
tremble when 1 think of her."
"She is a very good, charitable young
girl said the Able.
every well, monsieur, 1 believe you. I
did not say she was wicked. But her opin-
ions are those of the Jacobins. She prefers
a republic. She talks of the hospitals and
sick-beds and all the horrors in the world.
one UulnkS SUCH SuDJecUS aSTeedDie. WnaU
is to be done with a person who is terribly
brought up?'
"Dfd she talk like that to you, my poor
Mime. De Mesnif.
cat the same time, Charles is bound in
fanciful. She will make him a very good
wife. Her love of the poor n sick is a
fault on the right side. She is enthusiastic,
to be sure"
p-r- -I
me-"
"But what is to be dones" said Mime. De
Mesnil, in CONSERVATION. "We can not
draw back now"
"Listen to me a moment" said Charles.
Here is Louis. He and l have al idea.
Mile. Duval. He admires her face and is
more ~philosophic than l am. He says her
talk will make no difference to him. Do
you see? l will gladly promise never to
marry. Inever should have thought of it,
except to please my relations. l will con
quite charming as my sister. She certain
ly has an attraction of her own. But l
could not marry her"
What do you say, LOUISE" said Nine. De
Mesnil.
Il am ready to oblige my brother"
The discussion went on till midnight, for
the Able highly disapproved of this change
of plan.
But Mime. De Mesnil, who always had the
character of spelling her sons, was not
much inclined to take part against them.
In her own mind she had thought Louis,
with his open cheerfulness, more fitted for
family life tina the misanthropic Charles;
and now that Charles really wished to eff
face himself for his brother, she could not
make any very strong objection.
Early the next morning she composed
with great care a letter to NJ. Duval, in
which she felt obliged to praise Louis far
beyond his brother, and to point out that
the present offer meant a life of perfect
happiness for the charming Mile. Barbe.
She also announced that her son Louis
would be the actual head of the family, as
marriage altogether. In excuse of his con.
duct, she could only say that he had been
peculiar and changeable from his birth.
cb aae lee Was M in s,s ana aor Two TMo GAYS t NJ
Duval's answer. In the most fourishing
language he assured Nine. De Mesnil thai
he felt honored and delighted at the idea OF
pivinp his dauphtar tO any mamber of her