Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1886-03-31
IN TIMES OF TROUBLE

We grew up side by side, Madeleine
Constant and I-AntOnio Michael.
was an orphan when ten years old, anC
was sent from Italy to my Aunt Peron
l had then-I have now-all the fault.
and some of the good qualities of the
Italian nature.
l saw Madeleine for the first tims
one autumn evening when l had wan.
dered away in disgust and bitterness
l had been witness to a quarrel be.
tween my cousins about a franc, in
which quarrel they launched against
each other every coarse epithet it was
possible to think of, and finally turned
on nse because l would not take part in
the matter. 1 left them contemptu.
ously, and wandered across the field to
the Chateau, and stood for while al
the gate. l often paused there, look
ing at the costly entrance and we'll
kept avenue, at the stately trees and
distant castles, which seemed so lordly
and powerful.
As l stood there that day, Madeleine
came out with a basket on her arm.
She looked so good, so joyous that at
once l set her in my mind in contrast
to the two ill-bred ours had just left.
The basket seemed heavy; she set ii
down moment outside the gate to
rest.
''Shall carry it for you?n I said
quickly stepping up to her.
She looked up and smiled.
Thank you," she answered; 81 shall
be very glad"
"Where shall L go?' 1 asked, as !
walked by her side.
''To the little cottage by the road as
you turn to the village. L am Made
leine Constant" !" she added. 81 thought
you must know me, for I've seen you
several times. You are the Italian
who came TO live with the Perons?"
l nodded. We walked on silently
for while, but did not care for this
l wanted to hear her talk-her voice
sounded pleasant and soft. 1 never
was shy with man or woman.
"What have you in the basket?"
''Things they have g( zen me at the
Chateau for my sick sister,"
'Do you like to accept aims from
rich people.
/ know my eyes f1ashed-I was al
ways soproud. She looked at me with
surprise.
"They are very good to ME at the
Chateau; I love Alademolselle Adele:
why should be angry at their kind
ness to poor Hortense?" Perhaps / had
a sneering expression; Madeleine flush
ed, and added, 81 don't live on what
they give me; work very hard: every
one knows / work hard"
felt ashamed of myself, and very
sorry for having hurt the poor girl
We were scarcely more than children;
but suddenly felt mans contempt
for my own cowardice in wounding her
by word.
81 beg your PARDON" l said; ''of
course, If they care for you, it's all
right; but hate the MOBILES"
"Why?'
Her large eyes looked at me in Won
derment.
"They are cruel and unjust; they
think US dogs to kick, beat, or starye;
and what have they done?"
"Ab, they do many good thlngsl
MademOiselle Adele, she is kind to all,
and the old count, he is not cruel, I'm
sure; he looks good; and he loves his
son and daughter.
1 smiled at her ignorance.
"You don't know; you are petted at
the Chateau because you are pretty and
harmless. The count is cruel; he turn
ed old Francois Lorraine from hishOme
the other day; he struck him too, in
rage. l suppose the young count will
be like his father.n
Madeleine's face clouded.
81 am very sorry If this is true. very
sorry."
"You are only a girl, of course; you
don't know; and I'm glad they are kind
to YOU"
1t was pleasant to me to be with this
girl. remember wishing that had
sister.
When we came to the cottage, Made
leine asked me to come and see Hor-
tense, and went in; and l think L sat
quite an hour with the poor cripple.
She was a woman who had read and
thought a good deal, and she seemed
wonderful to me, for l supposed in my
foolish youth that women knew moth
ing.
Many and many an evening after
that worked III the garden with Mad
eleine. When fine, Hortense was lift
ed out and talked to US; when it grew
cold she watched us from the window
Those were happy days. / was an
iron-worker, and had an inventive
brain; night after night l used to lie
awake planning machinery. 1t was
the dream of my life 10 perfect ma
chine, the first crude notion of which
had flashed into my mind one day in
the furnace-room. After 1 knew Mad
eleine, the joy of telling her when was
successful was added to my dream.
There vas one little difficulty IN my in
vention which L could not get over; for
months and months it haunted me. 1t
was one cold moonlit night in Decem-
Der, as lay in bed looking out at the
clear frosty sky, that the difficulty van
ished. Suddenly, as clearly rs possible
l saw how my invention could be work
ed out in It's entirety.
1 spraDg cut of bed-.he others were
fast asleep-and in the cold moonlight
worked out my scheme roughly with
pencil and paper. | think l never had
such moment of triumph as on that
night. Of course l kept silence on the
subject; had never made my cousins
nv conGdants-thank Heaven. 1 had
too sharp wit for thatl They had dis
covered how often l was at MadeleiDe's
cottage. and had amused themselves by
calling me gay cavalier; but ] took no
notice Of them.
Coming home from work one day,
rather radiant perhaps. BECAUSE That
morning had quite compleEd my IN