The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1886-01-02

ULdO WIS u uldUJbT VI lUims
Barbe like sensible. honest girl, set
very fair value on herself, and in her COM
Portable home, with all its luxuries, con-
scious, too, of satisfaction from its many
looking-glasses, did not at all feel as If she
was being lifted from the dust to throne.
By and by, she hardly knew how, she
found herself with Charles in the garden.
They were walking slowly along an alley
of lime trees commanded by one of the
drawing-room windows Charles carried
his hat in his hand; Barbe also was bare
headed. For some moments they had moth
ing to say to each other. Charles, knowing
what was before him. had prepared speeches
for several varieties of little bourgeoise, but
not one of them would suit Mile Duval; she
was too serene, too natural, too grave
Charles was not sure that she was not too
handsome and too charming. These doubts
were no comfort to him, however; they up
set all his arrangements A woman like
this would interfere with him terribly. She
could never be packed off to amuse herself
at watering place, or bundled away into
some corner at home. What was to be done
with her? Charles felt savage and bit the
top of his cane.
What do you think about the war; mon
sieurg" said Barbe, in calm sweet voice.
"Do you wish for it?'
Eyes, mademoiselle, with all my heart.
We are sure to beat the Prussians. Besides,
one can volunteer and have the chance of
dying in satisfactory way
Charles spoke with a sort of desperate
grimness 1t did not appear to strike
Barbe that he ought, under present circum-
stances, to have wished for life, not death.
''Ah yes,o she said. ''Of course war must
be terrible; but it is grand, too, and the
music gives one such a glorious feeling,
have often wished to be soldier. how
ever, there is one thing poor girl can do
for our heroes'
selle," said Charles rather more politely.
IF this war comes, and volunteer"
"Praying is no doubt beautiful thing"
said Barbe; "but as long as one is in the
world one must work, too. For instance
here are the hospitals. / love, beyond any
thing else, to nurse the sick. l have learnt
in our hospital here at Saint Jean. The
dear Sisters have taught me everything
they know, and we are hoping that if the
war comes some wounded men will be sent
here. When we are nursing them we shall
feel as if we were fighting for France"
"You, mademoiselle, with those hands?"
repeated Charles, who could hardly believe
his ears.
''These hands" repeated Barbe, holding
them up "Why nots They are strong,
and l have been taught to use them"
Charles smiled a little. 1t was becoming
absurd to hear this rich young girl talk as
If she was poor seamstress, He perceived
that she was an enthusiastic tete-erdltee 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 republic the
justest and most beautiful form of govern
ment. Charles received this horrible con-
fpGSInn ride aIIa
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
'Who3 II Neverr said Charles, shiver-
ing:
'Do you like them2"
81 detest them''
''Ahl Then what do you all daya"
81 read.n
'From morning till night?"
''Yes; / read.n
SIS it possiblel But what good does that
doc, said this strange young person.
Good! l don't know. Yes it does
great deal of good to myself. A mans first
duty is to himself"
SIS it? Ah you do not really mean
that.' said Barbe, with smile and sigh
Excuse me, mademOiselle; l mean it
most entirely. 1t was not by my own
choice that | came into this world full of
miseries, and quite decline to occupy my
self with them. Our views on this subject
are opposite
eff you mean what you say"
II am speaking as truly as youspoke just
now"
Barbe was going to plunge into further
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 APP
pearance, 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. Nine. De Mesni1 looked at
her sweetest smile, that she feared it was
time to go; there was long drive before
them.
AS soon as the formal farewells were over
and the party had driven away, M. and
Nine. Duval both pounced upon their
daughter
'Hey, then, little one, how do you like
him2 Can he SMILE or is he too much
afraid of wrinkling that handsome face of
hiss"
"Ah, you may joke, papa" says Nine
Duval; but he is a most majestic young
And Madame, his mother is charming
Never mind your old father, my little
chicken. Do you like him-tell me!''
''He smiled once,' said Barbe, smiling
herself thoughtfully.
She looked at her father and mother with
eyes that answered their question quite suf-
ficiently. Then she strolled out again alone
into the alley of lines.
That night her mother, going into her
room as usual, found the child crying, not
passionately, but softly and slowly. When
Nine. Duval insisted tenderly on knowing
the cause of these tears, Barbe whispered
into her ear a confidence:
''Mama, like him; but don't know that
he likes me''
''Ha, ha hap Nine. Duval's peals of
laughter made the room ring. ''Put such
fancies away and go to sleep, my little one
M. De Mesnil is young man of very good
sense-the thing is all arranged. No doubt
of his admiring my beautiful child. l only
think she is too good for him.
Under this consolation Barbe presently
fell asleep, with tears on her face.
II.
Poor Mile. Barbe She had, after all, as
the old nurses say, something to cry for.
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 smolling-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 hour and now
began, with more ceremony and milder
language, to talk in the same strain to the
elders.
on, comm, 70 WOW xro,, >, 10 oo;1 60 l;c