The Delaware ledger. (Newark, Del.) 1879-19??, 1886-09-18


leave it, The child calmed now,
looked up at him with dull gravity.
1t might be 10 months old, perhaps
6, possibly p; the old man was no
connoisseur of young children.
He laid the little one down near
the end Of the wall, but carriage
came rolling along
"Ha!H he exclaimed, suppose
that vehicle should passed over it,
lie growled little and then took
the child up in his arms again.
He noticed its hair, beautiful
blonde hair, just beginning to curl.
How very soft this hair 1t is Il
pleasure for an old man to stroke it.
Il will carry it to the police sta
tion,' he decided.
But suddenly during the journey,
the little one said something. Yes,
something very strange indeed
Papa"
1t said this with such strange
voice. Bernadon began to consider
And his heart, yes, his heart, which
he had not felt beat for so many
years
But these reflections were arrested
by his arrival at the police station.
He entered mechanically. He was
questioned, but he heard nothing.
His ears were filled with music, very
sweet music, whose only word was
Papa
Il want to know" demanded one
of the guardians of the peace, what
you wish to do with that child. II
you have found it and wish to leave
it with US, do so and 60 your way.
Hey? Leave it with you % de-
mandcd Bemadon.
And the music rang continually
in his ears.
no, indeed, he said.
And he departed, pressing the in
FAINT to his breast
Thus it was that Bcnadon found
an abandoned child, loved it almost
in spite of himself, raised it. and
thus committed, to his shame, to his
joy. as he termed it, an act of infidcl-
ity against Celestine.
Now, several years after these oc-
currences, Bcrnadon suffered severe
ly one spring morning.
All it was terrible. Bernadon
was loaded down with debts contrac-
ted for the maintenance of the little
one. He had vainly sought, invent
ed reflected, but no means had been
found to keep both Celestine and
the child. One or the other must
be- sacrificed
Then, with his eyes full of tears,
he compared them for long time
this spring morning. The terrible
moment had come. He must choose
between a levy on his house and
sending the little one to the home
for foundlings.
1t was lugubrious business. He
looked successively at the eyes OF
the child and the windows Of his pet
Celestine, the child's hair and the
head-gear of the old house. He
found them all charming, all adora-
bic, indispensable to his old age. He
wavered between the two, unable to
conclude which was preferable,
equally happy with either. All at
once the little one threw her arms
about his neck and murmured some
thing in his ear
What did you say?" demanded
Bernadon.
Il said you are my papa"
All he hesitatcd no longer No,
indeed. Houses cannot speak. Sud
denly turning his back on Celestine,
not daring to look at her for fear she
might suspect his treason, he crossed
the street and directed his steps to-
ward the little hotel on the left
with his heart ON fire, he went to
seek the man who wished to pur-
chase his house and land.
Six thousand francs he was offer
ed for them, and three thousand in
addition to take charge of the demo-
lition of the old structure
Come, come, said the old man
when he was back with the little
one, 81 shall buy you a beautiful
wooden horse.
And he jingled the coins in his
pocket with feeling of content
ment
Weeks passed and passed. Ber-
nadon grew lean. He had been un-
able to prevail upon himself to
demolish Cclcstine He had hired
lodgings opposite his former home
and spent his days in looking at it
from afar He had three months.
according to the written contract, in
which to raze Celestine to the ground
Three months Bernadon counted
! H. law, Il, ,,,.,,,;,I,