Waterbury evening Democrat., 1888-12-06

III q DSSk0U, DeTIleLlCdlI9 ClOStu dl10 bAesAs he carried away his purchase, regained the train, and then Maissons as soon as possible. Truly, he had done welll Jim was re- stored-Jim No. 2; everything would be right now with that pretty creature, Armande; whom, truly, he adoredi and thinking thus, as night had come, he approached the villa. Not soul was to be seen. He seized his burden by the neck and with a vigorous hand launched it across the wall that surrounded the Plagnolles garden
 t'Jim was foundl Jim had returnedr' Such was the salutation of his beautiful. sweetheart at the usual morning visit.
 And he was-where?n demanded M, de Gramont, calmly. s'Stolen, of course, and beaten besides, for he's savage and wicked, hides from every one, gets under the furniture, and refuses to remain upon my lap at any price. No mat ter; he is hereI It is all I care for. Be sides, I'll caress him so much he'll forget the fright he has suffered. And now be friendsl I was wrong to be cross with you, but you see thought you had done an evil turn to my poor, dear Jiml"
 Roger stuffed an "ohl" of fright in an "oh of horror. Thus was peace signed that en- dured this time at the Villa Plagnolles.
 Roger simply swam in tide of tenderness, and Armande was growing almost melan-
 
 lover, who suppicated her ceaselessly. She had not as yet pronounced the sacramental yes, neither had she said him nay.
 One evening, when M. de Gramont had shown himself unusually urgent and passion ate in his wooing, she allowed him to take her hand and murmured, with a voice that was slightly tremulous, ''To-morrow, Roger, tomorrow, I will give you an answer; promise itI' and, ma foil M. de Gramont was reasonably certain this response would be the one he had so long desired and awaited
 The night was long-the morning more so, and as soon as les convenances permitted it Roger presented himself at the villa What else could you expect him to do2 It was a case of marriage, you see, and he was in a hurry.
 But the villa; well, the villa was topsy turvy. Mile Armande could see no one," was the announcement at the door, and in the garden the domestics were all assembled curiously regarding something in the middle of a great cluster of peonies in the corner of the parterre.
 Jim, the false Jim, or rather Jim No 2, as he saw the moment he approached, accom- panied-his legs trembled under him as he counted the catastrophe-by six little cats, evidently just brought into the world and
 
 NJ. de Gramont had not made sufficient in quiries. Pressed by the train hour, and with out second to lose, he had contented him. self with asking Chow much?" and now scar let with embarrassment, thunderstruck at the turn of affairs, he stood there, the gaze of the servants bent upon him curiously, an inner voice crying in his ear:
 "A nice mess you've made of it What will you do nows What will become of youa The kitchen and the office laugh together; they accuse you already; they knew before you the habits of the true Jim, his passionate taste for the chase. Deduction is the sim plest thing in the world; they devise instinct lively the facts of the case; the death of the poacher, the substitution of this interesting mother
 Poor Roger! poor unhappy loverl He dared not lift his eyes for fear of encounter ing Armande's at the window and remained there unable to tear his gaze from that young and interesting family! Maternity had plainly sweetened the nature of the cat; it was no longer the least in the world ferocious, but lay there continuing to caress her chil- dren and to fix her yellow eyeballs upon Roger with an air of positively thanking him for having shaped her lot and landing her in so comfortable place.
 All these thoughts buzzed in the brain of
 
 struggle against fate was useless; this last stroke finished him. He yielded; he aban- doned everything, and, tearing himself from the spot to which he had been nailed, he ran without word, without Q gesture, without turning his head even; yes, ran with all his legs, gained the gate, the outer road and dis appeared. Returned to his room he fell upon chair and wiped his hrow, from from which the sweat ran in streams. An hour later there was knock at the | door and a servant entered with an urgent letter from M. de Plagnolles. My death sentencew thought Roger, holding out a hes itating hand.
 My dear Roger" began the letter; ''all is discovered; your embarrassment, your fright, your flight betrayed you. Armande was furious, cried historically; swore she would never see you again. Then she de scended to the garden. She has seen the substitute for Jim and been seized with 6 sudden affection for the new born. She is mad about them already; intends to raiss them all, and awaits your coming to find fol them a collection of good English names the only suitable ones, she contends, to be stow upon the feline race. Come quickly all will be forgiven. Thine,
 PLAGNoLLEs
 Happiness is not to be described, ane Rogers was complete.
 A month later the marriage was solem nized, and year later the young Mime de Gramont renounced of her own accord tn, education and bringing up of cats.
 One doubtless divines why.-TrapslateC from the French of Praedel by B. c. Wag gener for New York Mercury.