The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-01-16
THE GOLDEN WEDDING.
TRANSLATED from the French of Morand-,Copy-
righted.1

snow, neid herseit stu erect and proud
They were about to celebrate their golden
wedding They had been married fifty years
he was seventy-one years old and she was only
| sixty-eight And how they loved each other!
How well they understood each other!
Theresa knew ali the manias of the old follow.
cooked him nice little dishes and sent him to the
cafe to enjoy himself He too, was full of at
tention for his Theresa, was careful to shut of
the drafts from her, helped her in the GTudgery
of the household, and every day they could be
seen leaving the house, side by side in quest of
some sunny spot where they could sit TO warm
their old blood. They owned vineyard; it
was their treasure. At the time of the vintage
they installed themselves in their property and
| superintendent the gathering of the grapes.
Fortunately their vineyard had been preserved
from the inroads of the phyiloxera, and each
year the old couple harvested their little benefits
they economical with delight. not for them
selves. the good Did creatures, but they had q
soma dearly beloved son.
For him they had made all sacrifices, and when
| having twice failed he had passed a painful ex
animation and had become q bachelor of sciences,
| they had sent him to Paris, hoping that the
great city would make q rich and celebrated man
| of him.
Country people, particularly the old ones,
Paris can turn out nothing but great men, hon
| ored ard rich.
The little old couple had one great interest.
one passion in iifa-their only son, who had left
them long ago to go to the capital, as they still
| say in Avignon.
Every month there came letter with more or
| less details, always ending with demand for
money--demand put as postscript. discreetly.
| Still Rogers was stock exchange man, and
| these demands for money astonished Theresa.
For the last week Of the month the little old fell
low and his wife had heightened their daily walk.
| and went to meet the letter-carrier with hur-
! ried step.
The postman knew them WELL and, upon my
| word of honor. he doubled his pace whenever he
| had q letter from the 'Parisian,' as Rogers was
called; he knew, too, that there was always a
glass of wine waiting for him at the house of the
old couple. This time Rogers had promised to
| come homo for the celebration of the golden
| wedding of MS parents
Five years had passed since he had come to
embrace his relations always promising, and
always putting off his visit from spring to fall
| and from fall to spring. But this time it was
| sacred promise. The golden wedding
Every body knew it; the cure, the innumera-
| bic cousins. the neighbors, the friends. The
whole or Avignon was feJoiced; they had even
thought that the newspapers would speak of it.
They in the middle Of the summer, and
Notwithstanding the heat of the day the good old
| people had gone off on the highrosd. waiting inn
| patiently for the news of Rogerss arrival; his
room was ready, and at the other end of the eel
lar there were great many bottles OF excellent
wine and all sorts of preserves slowed away for
him. The old man wiped his forehead and the
poor mother seemed oppressed; but both went
| on vaiiantly to meet the happiness which they
| expected.
After while, at distance, notwithstanding
| their dim eyes, they recognized the blue blouse
of the letter-carrier; and on his coming nearer
they saw him wave letter over his head; its en-
| velope seemed to be made luminous by the rays
Vrf ftav HAayrc v,on1n
The postman drew nearer, and the old man
seized the blessed letter. while Theresa looked
for her spectacles and seated herself by the road
side near the ditch.
She was younger. she could read better than
her husband.
The envelope was opened carefully; the old
man took it, turned it over and smelled of it,
happy to hold this fragile paper which came
from the little one" they still were won't to
call Rogers, whose hair had been since a long
| time however. the color of pepper and salt.
Dearly beloved parents" began Theresa, in
slow and moved voice; 'this is the last letter
which you will receive from me, for I am going
to die'
Theresa stopped. her eyes yelled with tears
she is sick. said the father. Read on"
II owe you the truth. my good parents; am
lost man; have speculated in the Stock Elk
change; thought that / was sure to win, but in
one hour everything changed; the bulls made
rise
.Are there bulls in the Stock Exchanged asked
Theresa, thoughtfully.
"Go on" urged the old man.
1.-THE bulls made rise in the market, and in
one hour / lost everything I shall kill myself
/ have taken 80 GOO francs from money belong
ing to my employer. affirm to you, thought
was sure to win. was anxious 10 buy the
beautiful field of olive trees which is near your
vineyard; that would have been an assured for
tune for you; but luck turned gairst me- and
shall be called a thief! But before that happens
I shall be dead. Pardon and pray for me-
Only for that bull movement
There were still a few lines but Theresa could
not read them; she faint. Her little black
eyes were veiled and a visible shiyer moved the
muscles of her temples and her neck; the old
man shook his fist toward the horizon and muir
INJURED some curses against the bulls.
What dreadful letter, when we had hoped
for 80 much happiness
Theresa had said nothing for some time; she
was thinking.
There is a telegraph, you know, which carries
the news quicker than horse; let US go to tell
the little one that we will pay everything"
eyes, dear; but howe"
s'We will sell the vineyard! e It be-
longs to the child" said the mother. trying to
excuse her sons folly. and he is our only heir"
Then she read the letter once more
''Oh! good Lord Ii he were deadr
They hurried on, not exchanging single
word, lost in their thoughts.
They reached the city, and made their way
with tottering steps to the telegraph Office.
where the clerk had much trouble TO arrange the
following dispatch for them:
I'VE send the money. Courage! Come home"
The same evening the old man went on his
way to sell his property to neighbor who had
tried TO buy it for a long time; the neighbor did
not show himself generous; he felt that the poor
old couple needed the money.
He was willing to pay out his money, but he
wanted everything they possessed-the little low
house. the old furniture, even to the last sheet
The old couple hesitated.
The postman brought letter, again large
white envelope, which they tore open with
trembling hands 1t was dated from Paris
Thanks, my dear parents" it read; "you have
given me life for the second time. Your dispatch
arrived as was about to die. I shall come and
thank you, and we will celebrate your golden
wedding. Your afectionate son, ROGERS"
They hesitated no longer, and the next day
everything was sold for cash, except one old