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


fanciful. She will make him a very good
wife. Her love of the poor and sick is a
fault on the right side. She is enthusiastic,
to be sure"
my mother" said Charles, sshe disgusts
me-"
s'But what is to be done?n said Mime. De
Mesnil, in CONSERVATION. ''We can not
draw back now"
"Listen to me moment.n said Charles.
Here is Louis. He and / have an idea.
Put him in my place. Let him marry
Mile. Duval. He admires her face and Is
more philosophic than | am. He saws her
talk will make no difference to him. Do
you see? | will gladly promise never to
marry. never should have thought of it,
except to please my relations | will con
tinue to live here and may find this lady
quite charming as my sister She certain.
ly has an attraction of her own. But
could not marry herr
''What do you say, Louis9n said Nine. De
Mesnil.
81 am ready to oblige my brother"
The discussion went on till midnight, fol
the Able highly disapproved of this change
| of plan.
| But Nine De Mesnil, who always had the
character of spelling her sons, was not
much inclined to take part against them
| In her own mind she had thought Louis
| with his open cheerfulness, more fitted fol
| family life than the misanthropic Charles,
| and now that Charles really wished to eff
| face himself for his brother, she could not
make any very strong objection.
| Early the next morning she composed
with great care a letter to NJ Duval, in
| which she felt obliged to praise Louis fal
beyond his brother, and to point out that
| the present offer meant a life of peYfecs
| happiness for the charming Mile. Barbe
| She also announced that her son Louis
would be the actual head of the family, as
| Charles had decided to give up the idea of
| marriage altogether. In excuse of his con-
duct, she could only say that he had been
| peculiar and changeable from his birth.
| The letter went, and for two days the
chateau was in suspense. Then came M.
| DuvaFs answer In the most fourishing
| language he assured Nine. De Mesnil that
he felt honored and delighted at the idea of
| giving his daughter to any member of her
family; that her praises OF Louis were not
needed, for his appearance was enough, and
SO forth. For himself, he saw not the
slightest difficulty in the suggested change,
but he was gTieved beyond measure to say
that his daughter opposed, herself. She,
too, like nj. lie Comte, seemed to have sud
denly set her face against marriage, and
was deaf to all the arguments of himself
and her mother Nine. De Mesnil would
understand that in such peculiar case
they did not feel justified in commanding
obedience. Thus, with real grief, the
good citizen was obliged to see his lofty
vision fade. There was to be no alliance
between the houses of De Mesnil and
Duval
"Well, dear monsieur said the comtesse
to the Able, "this attempt has failed, you
see. We must try again. 1t would be best,
you know, if we could find a girl who would
please Charles"
But while they talked and plotted, every
thing was being settled for them by greater
powers. War was declared, and in a few
weeks Charles / off fO
the front, to fight for France as volunteers.
III.
In six months, what terrible changes
Play turned to earnest, joy driven away by
sorrow; would Joy ever take its place again ?
Hardly, one would think, in the Chateau de
Mesnil, where those two lads had spent
their happy childhood. By this time it had
been twice or three times occupied by the
Germans, who had cut down the trees,
hacked the rooms to pieces and sent the
furniture away in wagon-loads to Germany.
No one was there.
The Hotel Dieu was an immense building,
with many staircases and long galleries
with windows down each side, all entirely
paved with white stone. Facing each other,
through these galleries, were the rows of
little iron bedsteadS. with white pillows
and red coverings now all occupied by the
wounded. In summer, sick people were
happy enough in these great airy places,
with glimpses of blue sky and green waving
trees through the many windows; but now,
when the windows were coated with ice,
and the trees were gray and leahess, and no
number Of burning logs would warm the
chill air, their teeth would almost chatter
as they lay in bed. There seemed to be no
warmth, not even under the piles of rugs
and blankets sent by all the kind women of
Saint Jean.
Yet the Hotel Dieu was real heaven to
poor wounded soldiers, who had been lying
out for hours, stiff and sore, on the hard
ground, under the iron freezing sky.
One afternoon Sister Madeleine, the head
of the ward, was going her rounds, followed
by young girl from the town, who was
special friend of hers. And this one who is
unconscious-he is an officer,n murmured
Sister Madeleine to her companion s'The
doctor knew his name, but forgot it: yet
think he came from this country. must
ask again and let his family know, for he
will die"
''From this country!'' said the girl,
making a step forward.
The tired face that lay thrown back on
the pillow was SO worn and changed that
his mother would hardly have known it.
An, ma SaWr, why will he die2" ex-
claimed the girl, catching her breath and
looking wildly round
My child, do you know him9n
Eyes, indeed" 1t is M. De Mesnil. His
u iioonOi ID III dIlSi ne can uoJ go noIue.
Shall he not be carried to our house!n
Sister Madeleine was one of Barbe
Duval's few dear friends and knew the
whole story. She had a very warm heart
full of sympathy, with all girls troubles
and with Barbe's in particular,
mo, my child. His only chance is to be
quite undisturbed. Come, little one," said
the good Sister, with a twinkle of fun,
here will be triumph of nursing, if yon
can bring him through. There, make him
over to you. You are responsible"
Barbe saw no joke, if there was any She
took chair and sat down at the foot of the
bed.
''Shall watch, ma scar, to see when he
movess"
Certainly. The very thing" said smil-
ing Sister Madeleine as she moved away
This was all very fine, but NJ. and Nine.
Duval, benevolent as they were did not
quite enter into Sister Madeleine's romantic
arrangement The next day Barbe did not
appear at the hospital. She stayed at home
and was scolded for her want of self-respect.
In two or three days, however, she APP
peared again. Her father and mother,
having nearly broken their own hearts by
their severity, gave in humbly and let her
man was hardly sensible, and it was New
Years Day, on which, from her infancy,
Barbe had always had whatever she chose
to ask for
Charles De Mesnil was not dead On the
contrary, he was slowly struggling back to
life through the dark ways of pain and
weakness. When Sister Madeleine spoke
to him he only answered by half-ahgry
groan. She went away, but he was CON
scious that somebody was sitting beside
him, and by and by he muttered in hoarse