Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1885-08-15
THE OLD CANPAIGNER'S RUSE

the year one thousand eight hundred and
thirty-iye, three raps were lightly struck
on the fourth floor door of house on the
Meigesero quay at Paris, orc of those tall
and ugly tenements that seem 20 make
cross faces down upon the waters of the
Seine, from morning til night, like so
many grinning budoons. The three raps
IN question caused u young girl who was
seated alone inside the door 70 start rather
hurriediy from her seat, and 70 throw u
piece Of embroidery On the floor at her feet
believing sincerely, however. that she had
out it in the chair beside her. Whether
this arose from emotions at the announce
Inent of an unexpected visit or an expected
one, will By and by appear but in the first
place, /; IS necessary to tell who the damsel
was, as the reader cannot be expected to
take such interest ~ we would wish in one
yet q stranger 70 him.
Pierre Bertrand, tAe father IT Maria, was
4 splendid specimen of the old half-pay
Captain Of the empire. such IS that per
sonage, or class of personages, became sub
seQuent L. the fall OF the empire. Rude
and rough though warm hearted; retain
ing the manners of the soldiers habit.
among which drinking and smoking held
go prominent place rs to swallow almost
all has pension p@rpctually grumbling,
yet constantly jolly; enormously proud of
various scars and cuts, and certain relics in
the shape of crosses of honor, hacked
sabers, and Tiddlei uniforms spending in
telling Old campaign stories and in playing
dominoes all the time that was not spent in
drinking and smoking; such was Pierre
Bertrand. and such was bis way of living.
n. t,sp g Ill L. L.
ing, two children, although one only had a
just claim OF paternity upon him as far rs
blood went But for his having an adopted
child. however, the old campaigner might
never have had an offspring Of his
own. On the field Of battle dying
oomrade had consigned an infant
boy to his arms and Pierre had
received the consignment with as much
consideration As others might receive
dowry of millions. It was to give this
protege a mother that Pierre had first
thought Of marriage, and il CHANGED that
the course which he took only proved the
means of bringing upon Pierre another
dying legacy, III the shape of his own little
Maria. But the veteran bore up bravely
under his burdens, and did his duty nobly
by both children. To tho boy, Jules. lie
contrived 10 give a good education, and six
months before the period of our story-six
months, in short, before the three taps at
she door-Jui then precisely p years of
age. had completed course OF studies. and
had been entered member of the Court
Royal of Paris.
It was proud day for the old Captain
when Jules dOnned the black cap and robe.
Maria WAS then Is, and rs pretty r blue
eyed, merrv-taCed maiden as could be seen,
with heart warm and open as the sunny
sky. Pierre had long settled in mis- own
mind that the two " marmots," as he called
them, should be married and that the
union should take place on the day that
Jules pleaded his first case. AboU. the
feelings OF the parties he had never thought
much, and in truth they had given him no
cause for uneasiness on this score
One day Immediately after Jules had
passed the legal ordeal. old Bertrand was
seated in his lofty but neat doIuicile, smok-
ing silently and furiously, as he always did
during any meditat0ns of special impor-
lance, when letter was brought him Let
ters were rare things with the veteran, and
ne looked long at the postmark, which was
that of his native province. Opening il
finally, he read this: Sir, hasten TO an
nounce 10 you the demise of NJ Joseph
Bertrand, your cIusin-german, the propri-
etor Of the foundry here He has left
fortune valued at 100000 francs. No di-
rect heir presenting himself on the paternal
side, It is pre9umeble that to you revertS
the sum of 10000 francs one half Of the
whole succession, and which the law des-
tines to that branch of the deceased rela-
tives. Of course, you will take the neces-
sary steps to secure your rights This
epistle bore the signature of provincial
Justice Of the Peace, and gave other partic
i,lsrs of the case.
Bertrand was struck dumb for five min
utes, and then broke out by way of thank
fulness, into a few of his common con-
versational phrases, which we're composed
of three or four thousand bombs, one or
two thoussad pieces of cannon, and a pro-
Portionate quantity of thunders. Five
hundred thousand francs u at length cried
he; Maria, my girl, read-read this.
Yes, units, tens, hundreds, thousands, tens
Of thousands, hundreds of thousands
All right, Maria, my girl! Hurrah for
the Emperor Hurrah" All was in.
deed right-aud yet all proved not right
in the end. Bertrand, soon after receiv-
ing the letter. set out for his native place,
concluding that he had but to appear and
take possession. But the collateral rela-
tons had taken advantage of his absence
from the spot, and prepared unexpected
obstacles for him. They had stirred and
intrigued most actively, and had bought
four or five consciences at some few hun
-lAENA ltdilNS dpAtCc. III snort, II WAS
found that Bertrand could not establish
his degree Of relationship to the deceased.
Certain extracts of birth and baptism,
with other indispensable documents,
could not be procured, notwithstanding
the heightened researches of the old
clerk Of the registry. to whom Bertrand
gave five thousand francs to prove his
titles-which sum, by the by III addition
to the twenty thousand received from the
other side, made the affair very profit
able one for the old fox. The necessary
documents however, could not be found,
and Pierre returned 10 Paris, totally dis
eeartenet, and smoking furiouslv.
Jules was the receptacle of the veterans
complaints. The Young advocate was not
slow TO pronounce that chicanery and
rogueTy must have been at work, and per-
suaded Pierre to pursue the matter at law
Within few months the cause came on
before the principal Court of b; Jules,
whose activity and research had been I'M
wearied, appeared for the first time as a
pleader. While the case was going on
Maria Bertrand was in a state of feverish
excitement. She knew not the issue on the
evening of the 18th day of December, 1s35.
It was then that she heard three raps at the
door of her dwelling, and started from her
seat to open it.
Jules entered. Maria sat down en- her
chair in silence, after one glance at his
countenance, which wore downward ex-
preston. You have lost the cause. then,
Jules?" she said at length "No, Maria, it
is gained-you are rich" was the reply.
The damsel raised her eyes in surprise and
exclaimed, "Gainedi What, then, means
this this"-Jules interrupted her 81
quit Paris this evening, and come to bid
you farewell. You will be wealthy and
happy Yes, go, but you will think OF
me sometimes, will you not ?"
The young girl looked at Jules to see il
he spoke seriously, and was stunned to be-
hold his eyes filled with tears. At this mo-
ment Bertrand entered. Jules went up to
him, and placing massive pocket book in
y =