, 1886-02-05

Rue des Martyrs seemed transformed
into a palace, SO happy were they, 50
bright the future pictured itself 10 their
minds, and the supper, with champagne
an attention of mother Martin-was
gayer than ever before.
The following evening, Nartin, not
w~ithstanding his success OF the previous
night. seemed ~preoccupiedj he acknowl-
edged the compliments of one and an
other with a constrained smile; was ir-
ritated and nervous; found fault with
the property man, hurried forward his
comrades, and tried all he could to have
the curtain up before the right hour.
-Why. what's the matter with your
asked one of his comrades, who knew
him to be kindness itself habitually.
~I?-nothing-'tis Mother Martin;
she coughs fearfully; must have caught
cold while waiting for me yesterday
evening"
Poor woman but-nothing will
rome of ityr
NO, nothing serious, I hope" replied
Martin.
At the thought that lit might after
all be something serious" he felt acold
chill run down his back and his face
turned deadly pale under its red paint.
At night, when he came home, al
though, as usual. the two covers were
placed on the little table, mother Martin
had gone TO bed and her state seemed
worse; she tried to laugh, however, so
as no TO alarm -her boy" asked ques-
tons about the evening, recalled yester-
days triumph, and, recollection once
more rOusing her enthusiasm, she lost
sight of the burning sensation she expe-
rienced about the chest; but II dry,
husky cough repeatedly interrupted her
speech, without however. once roofing
out the good humor Of that adorable old
woman.
On the following day the doctor de-
clared she had an inflammation of the
lungs. Eight days after, as he came
from behind the scenes, Martin caught
sight of one of his mothers next door
neighbors. A cold shudder ran through
all his frame as soon as he saw the
woman.
"Come quick, NJ. Chariot, your
mother is very i'll. She wants to set
you"
He was off in a twinkling. Running
at full speed, he iostled the passers-by,
whom he would have knocked down,
nay killed, if they had attempted to in
tercept his wayl What was that to
hims His mother was ill very ill
This was the sole thought that engrossed
his mind as he ran along; his mother
was very, very I'LL
He rushed up the staircase; but, on
reaching the landing, he stopped short,
not daring to enter, suffocated, stupe-
fled, without an idea. A tremulous
voice, from the inside Of the lodgings,
reused him from his torpor:
as that you, Chariot 2"
Yes, NINA ~ said he, quite softly,
scarce daring to open his mouth, lest
the tears should well from his eyes.
Mother Martin, pale as a sheet,
had raised herself in her bed; she
took her sons head in her two
wasted arms, drew him toward her,
kissed his forehead, and, with deaths
rattle in her throat, heaved u groan
full of the deepest anguish.
Chariot My Chariot My own dear
boyl
After which, as if, by a supreme
effort, she had chung TO life until her son
came home, her head fell back heavily
on the pillow, and she breathed her last
still holding in a convulsive grasp the
head of her darling child.
Sad, detected, with lowering brow and
feverish eye, Martin, without uttering a
word or shedding a tear, followed his
mothers funeral all the way to the
cemetery of Saint uen. Not until the
sable-coated men, surrounding the coffin
with ropes roughly lowered it into the
grave, bringing down a quantity of
loose stones upon the lid. did he make q
movement He stepped forward, but
paused, livid, his eyes fixed on the
yawning hole, his hands contracted, the
nails of his fingers entering his flesh
then, without saying a word, automati-
cally he allowed himself to be led away
by his friends, who, startled at his calm
demeanor, stayed by him until the hour
he entered the theatre.
Already, the previous night, no one be-
ing able to assume his part, the house
had TO put off the performance, and his
stage friends had been so kind 10 himl
Although far from rich, they had sent a
lovely wreath for mother Martins
funerall He could not really place
them in a dillemma-so, play he must.
He did play, and played admirably,
discovering effects which surprised
everybody, and bringing down the house
with roars Of laughter; an artist this
time he proved himself 10 be, in every
sense OF the terml The spectacle made
him quite an ovation. and some, to
whom he was a stranger. said with on.
thusiasm:
How side-splitting he is. 10 be surel
Only look, he laughs so heartily that the
tears are in his eyes"
It was the truth. All the muscles Of
his face were %puckercd up; his mouth, .
wide open, wa distorted; his laugh :
broke into hiccoughs, and with nervous
twitchings, small round tears flowed
from his eyes, adding white streaks to
the red paint on his checks: his whole
head. in fact. was 10 comical in its ex-
preston, that the good public were con-
vulsed with laughing.
At last the performance came to an
end
Martin went up to his dressing-room,
rapidly changed his dress. and went out
without ven washing the paint off his
face. His friends tried to detain him,
and get him to 20 along with them, but,
spite Of their %endeavors, he would
give them no answer, and seemed to
have grown deaf and dumb; he but half
opened his mouth, and. softly, with his
usual good-natured smile, whispered;
well, and mama that waits for mel
And all, deeply moved. made way for