The Sunday tatler and Jersey City express. (Jersey City, N.J.) 1883-1886, 1885-09-13

pneaa5 When We nave accur1uiste'l
| 70, $50 francs we shall part with the money
and then"
sThen, mademoisellef"
1--WE shall begin again" continued
Nina, with light hearts; for II we save
that sum we can purchase our fathers
libertvs"
WHAT cried the stranger. greatly
moved. is it possible that"
"Hushp Nina whispered, with hel
finger to her lip, as she glanced around al
the table where her brother and his com.
& panions were seated AGyer their game
ztswhenever Prospes hears this NsubJcG'
mentioned he is like mailman. II it In
terests you, monsieur, this terrible disaster
/ which has befallen us. draw your chan
closer and / win tell you in few words
how it all happened.
The stranger came nearer to Ninas side
and leaned forward In listening attitude.
His face assumed an expression OF deep
concern as she proceeded.
In a low voice, frequently choked by
tears, the girl confded to the sympa-
thetic stranger her sad story. always
anxious to assist his family = Nina. began,
ait one day occurred 10 father to buy "a
vessel for the purpose of trading along the
coast of the Adriatic. So he collected
together all that he was worth, made a
capital bargain, and set sail in his little
ship. confident that his venture would be
successful. He had traded in the Adriatic
for others for many years, and was well
known as brave and honest captain in
| those seas. But not many weeks passed
I before news reached us. that all was lost. !"
Her utterance became thick with sobs, but
speedily overcoming her emotion she con
| tinued: ga letter came from father. 1t
told us only too plainly what misfortune
had overtaken him. One morning, when
least expecting such. a mishap. be Wss 1T
tackled by pirates He made q desperate
resistance, but was eventually oyerpoW-
cred and taken prisoner. They carried
him to Tripoli. The sum which is de-
manded for his ransom is so exorbitant
that it will be impossible for him ever to
raise it. In his letter he adds that we
must, therefore, ,relinqush all hope of
ever seeing him again" The girls eyes
were Blinded with tears, &and for some
moments she could not speak, but, by
painful effort, she succeeded at last eve
are striving by every honest means in our
power, to collect the money. 1t is n hard
fight This sis only modest little cafe,
and our profits are very small. Prosper
gains few extra francs every week with
his boat in the harbor, but many more
years must pass before we can hope to
accomplish this trying task"
sHQw long," the stranger asked, "has
your father been asprisoner?T TT
Ten years" = =
els it possible?"
II was Is when he went away. At
parting he kissed me on both cheeks"
continued Nina, smiling thoughtfully
ss.Now,l am 25." aau scr,-Ts,.r Il,
"Poor child" said the stranger with
great tenderness.
"During these years we have managed
to save nearly 5000 francs. Perhaps in
ten more years, if we are very fortunate,
we shall be able to complete the sum, and
father will be sitting in the old corner
where you are sitting now, as | remember
seeing him when | was child. While
she was. speaking that dreamy look, which
the stranger had observed already, began
gradually to reappear in her dark eyes.
and she seemed gradually to lose herself
in thought
The stranger, who felt that his presence
at her side was forgotten, rose from his
seat with suppressed sigh. and, crossing
to where Nina's brother and the fishermen
still played at dominoes, he placed bis
hand upon the boatmans shoulder s'AIoh-
sieur Prosper, - he sale, ssit is almost tinie
we started. But before we go let US drink
a glass together; if" he added, looking
around. eff your friends will join us so
much the better"
The. fishermen depressed themselves
agreeable. So Prosper filled glasses
around. Every one rose, ''clinked" with
the stranger and wished him bon voyage.
Then Prosper OorniIlon assisted ''mon-
sieur to. enxelop himself once more in his
cloak, while Nina came timidly forward
to take his proffered hand and bid him
adieu.- And then out they stepped into
the wind and rain, followed by the
fishermen, leaving Nina all alone in the
cafe with her uhands clasped and wistful
look in her eyes.
1t was still stormy at Marseiles. For
some weeks, owing to the gales which had
visited the MediteTapean, the port had
been crowded with vessels driven in by
stress of weather. In times like these
Prosper Cornillon reaped a harvest, for
bis boat was in demand from morning till
night. It~vas firing. work, but a generous
impulse gave him energy. He was toilipg
with the direct object of Obtaining his
fathers freedom.
One evening, worn out with his unre-
mittipg labers, Prosper had thrown himself
down with his elbows on the table, in
corner in the cafe near the hearth; and
soon his head had sunk upon his arms and
he had fallen, -asleepoi5I trent of the fire
was seated his sister Mira, with a weary
look too, upon her face; but her great
dreamy eyes were wide open foralthough
late in the evening twas not yet the hour
for closing the Cafe Cornillon At any
moment a customer might enter; and
some customers, if Nina was not very at
tentive and, wakeful, were apt TO grow
impatient; indeed, she had SCARCELY less
peace and quietness. during, the, twenty
four hours than her brother Prospect At
the moment when IL became SO late that
Nina was on the point of rising to turn out
the lamps and lock up for the night, the
door was slowly opened. An old sailor in
a rough coat, the collar of which was
turned up about his neck, mysterously
entered the cafe. He touched his SLOUGH
ing hat with his sunburnt, hcrny hand in
feeble, hesitating manners; then choosing
table near the hearth, opposite 10 the one
upon which Prosper's head was resting,
she sat down and began to stroke his long
white beard thoughtfnlly, without raising
his eyes.
with what, monsieur, can serve you 2"
The old man answered in allow voice,
with his head still bent: Cafe noir."
h Nina, hastened. TO place cup of coffee
before him and when she had filled
little glass with cognuc, she resumed her
seat before The hearth The girls chair
was placed with the back toward the
door. On one sidezof her was the table at
/ whichthe old mau was slipping his coffes3
and on the other side wax Frpsper, still
fast asleep. Ldolibg dreannily intbs the.
| fire, Nina seemed to have forgotten the
presence of both these men, so deeply was
she absorbed in her thoughts.
"This is the Cafe Cornillon, is it not?
asked The old man, FL Z T9
Nina started as though the voice had
awakened her. "Yes, monsieur" answer