Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1885-05-22

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my friend" said Mr.. Whitney kindly
"can assist you? You are III, sorrowful
may help you. DO you know this place ?"
Know the place, indeed Was he not ma
tive Of it2 Had he not lived there until the
| conscription came and when he was paid to
take the place Of another young man? Tue
money was welcome.
So much the stranger managed 10 gather
from the hAlf-indignant remarks of the sol.
der who at length yielded to the kindly in
huence the Engishman generally exercised.
He sat up, this young Frenchman, and, after
a few minutes recovered his vivacity. He
told how he had been treated.
"You went as a substitute, then p
| YES; my relatives were poor the man
had held out threats 1 loved my sister
| oh where is sheY Monsieur, we we're not
always poor we held up our heads once.
The Republicans brought our family down.
We were for the old regime we others, but
went. My poor sister promised for marriage
| by her enemy and mine. oh, Pulcherie
ma belle Fwur, ma pouvre petite"
'Pulcherie your sister! Not Pulcherie Ma
lais ?"
"The same, monsieur. How could you
know Your are English" said the aston.
ished Frenchman.
"Yes; but l am also interested in this
house and in her. An English firm owns the
property the rent has not been paid the
former owner, the EnRlishman is dead all
is chaos; but your sister"
'Yes, yes tell me Of her."
| "She ia in London-vas in London few
days ago."
Then Peter Whitney told the young man of
bis meeting with the young lady, and of his
having escorted her TO Lincoln's Inn Fields.
| ''Ah, yes it is there her benefaotor used
to live. She has, no doubt, gone to him.
| Our aunt knew him we'll. He was a lawyer
-un avocat !"
"what an English solicitor? What was
his name 2"
"Bernardin-M. jules Bernardin-he was
eur friend. He helped us be assisted my
father-my poor father-And lent him mon
ey on security. Then mon pere, he died,
aud nv mother already bad passed to heav-
en-. My sister and my aunt remained. Young
| NJ. Desmoulins assisted US, for he pretended
to love Puloberie, monsieur and l, like
fool, went away and left her. His attentions
aroused the fears of my aunt and sister.
| They wrote to me. l was in the south
could not come Then they found the
wretch Desmoulins had a claim on them he
broke up their home. oh, monsieur, wish
had died !"
Peter Whitney noticed that the young man
felt very bitter against the young Desmou-
Inns, and feared he would proceed to vio-
lence so he said
Never mind can explain all. NJ Ber-
nardin is dead. Julius Barnsrdin was the
partner in my patrons Office. have come
to claim the property. l will manage NJ
Desmoulins. Leave him to me"
A sudden inspiration had seized the mid
die aged bachelor lawyer. He had already a
| romance; be would fnd Desmoulins and
Pulcheris, and then. So he persuaded the
| vnnnn a0ldiaF IN With him and
sumo his civilian attire; to quit the army il
| he liked afterwards, but first to come to
| England and find Pulcherie and the kind
aunt After much parley, this was all agreed
to.
Next day the lawyer called on NJ. Desmou-
lins fond him q bully and a rOue quelled
him by stern threats of exposure in the tri-
bunal and in the village, where he was hated.
Finally, he succeeded in getting from him Q
| quittance OF all claims, and with the French
GDOeat who had accompanied him, took his
leave.
In fifteen hours he was in London. The
business had developed into a romance, and
Peter Whitney was as eager as boy.
/
Then you do not think the place will suit
me, 4" said Mr. BArnstone, after talking the
matter over. 1T is dull, quiet, not near the
sea. No; will let it TO some young couple
who want to live and love alone. They may
have it for q song. It's no use TO me, and
only 9 farmhouse after all u
"May-I-hsve the-refusal, sir ?" asked
Peter timidly.
"You, Whitney, yOp are you going to be q
Benedict, after ALI Well, l am surprised
My good sir, certainly. You are q faithful,
| good fellow. Take it as q wedding present
1t will cost me little, remember, and may d O
you good, he added hastily. mo thanks,
please"
'Miss MAllys wants to see you, sir, said a
lad at this juncture.
"Let her come up" said Mr.. Barnstone
my charming French client" he added /;
''you shall see her. She ia connected with
this very house--my tenant. All ! here she
| is."
As he finished speaking Mademoisells
Pulcherie entered with a little woman, whom
she called INA tante" She at once greeted
Peter Whitney, and in broken English and
more voluble French explained TO Mr.. Barn
stone and her aunt alternately how she had
become acquainted with the monsieur"
Then y0u actually directed mAdemoiselle
here 2" said Mr.. BArnstone. "If you had
known, you might have saved yourself the
journey. Have you any news of yonr neph-
ew, madame ?"
''Alas no he was in Africa, in the Hath
OF the line. He will come and find II desc.
late-our home. We must return, monsieur
to Dieppe. You have been an angel to us,
| indeed"
mot a bit, madame, only doing my duty /;
in this instance a positive pleasure. Have
yOu-pardon ms-all neoessaries for your
journey 2"
Madame need take no journey 10 see her
nephew" said Peter in French.
"How, monsieur? Is ii possible-he is
he is dead 2"
mo, madame alive, well, aud in London.
He returned with me will bring you TO
him. / met him near the old home yOnder. "
Then Peter, in his plain but sympathetic
way, told his story, and the ladies' eyes filled
with tears of joy and happiness
60" said Mr.. BsrnstOne, wipinR his
spectaoles. Run away, good people l am
busy"
SO they went and found Antoine, as had
been promised, and after awhile the three re-
turned to Dieppe. The following month,
plain good Peter Whitney again crossed the
channel and spent three weeks in France
near his new friends. Lo and behold the
year after the old farm house was again in
hAbited not by Antoine, who had gone
away on a promotion TO q committeeman
officer not by the kind aunt, for she lay in
the village churchyard; but by IN. aud
Madame Veetnes," " as they were called who
had come for their honeymoon.
So Peter Whitney, the ''old bachelor" met
his fats-a charming wife and some fortune
in Pulch erie MalAis-all, as some think,
''by the merest accident" but you aud /
know better. - CasselFs Family Magazine.
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