Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1890-10-26

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aBut that man-your father-you must
detest him, do you not ?"
ssNo, pity him. If | have had no
father, he has had no child"
elbow do you know? You have become
acquainted with him, then ?"
"No more than heretofore replied the
soldier. "But, without telling me his
name, my grandparents told me his his
tory, and know that he has not been hap
by. Yet he was not really wicked; it was
his mother who did the wrong"
"His mother?' repeated the Captain,
quickly, at the same time refining his horse
SO tightly that it came to sudden halt.
"Did you see anything, CapitaineF" de-
manded the estafet, seizing his carbine and
gazing searchingly at the road. at was
in the bushes, perhaps"
mo, mop replied the officer. My horse
saw the moon shining in that pond Of
water, and was frightened. You were
saying that your fathers mother was the
cause of it alp"
$50 it seems. He was of noble birth,
and rich; but, in spite of that, he wished
to marry the young girl whose affections
he had won, and-betrayed. Unfortunately,
he was fond of gaming, and one night he
lost at play sum so enormous that he
could not pay it. He had recourse to his
mother.
"sI agree to save you, on one condition"
replied the naughty dame, and that is,
that you leave the woman who has en-
shared you, and marry the lady | have
destined fer your
'In vain did he supplicate. The old
woman was infexible. Not to pay his
debt would have been dishonor. She
knew it, and made use of the unfortunate
position in which he was placed TO compel
his obedience.
"At length, having no other resource, he
was obliged to accept his mothers con-
ditions, and he went away without again
seeing my mother, to whom a lawyer
brought 10000 francs and a letter asking
her pardon.
'That was like plunging dagger to the
heart of the poor girl who had put all her
faith, her hopes and her happiness into
the hands of this man. Never had it en-
tered her mind to doubt the being who
had promised her a life so beautiful and
left her a reality so cruel. She never re-
covered from the shock. A few months
afterwards she brought me into the world,
but she never regained her strength. Her
fresh and laughing giIlhood faded like a
broken flower, and just two years after my
birth she died, clasping me in her arms,
without ever having breathed to me the
name of the one who had killed herw
"And what was your mothers name %
asked the Captain, in a voice which,
despite his effort at unconcern, betrayed
strong emotion.
"Claudine Senechal," replied the young
man, his eyes trimming with tears II
call myself Pierre Senechal, since = do
not know my fathers name; and also, as |
have already said, for the reason that l
have no right to adopt it,
The officer made such an abrupt move
ment of the hand that his horse almost
reared. Then, as they reached the summit
of the mountains
"This is the place." said he, CURLY.
"Let us halt"
His son This was, indeed, his son
The Captain leaned his head on his
hand, and saw pass like flash before him
all the years that had gone. He found
himself once more in conflict with his
mother, and obliged to bow before her
merciless exactions in order to avoid the
shame which threatened him. And, as he
could not bring himself to fly from the
arms of the woman whom he had deserted
to those of another, he had left for Africa.
where it was agreed he was to receive
news from Claudine. None came, however,
nothing but letters from his mother, which
constantly deceived him as to the real
state of the forsaken one (who, she averred,
was gradually becoming reconciled to &
desertion which she had certainly long
since foreseen), and almost imperceptibly
the young man was led to the denouement
which she desired When, therefore, she
one day informed him that Claudine had
gone away. and added, at the close of her
letter, that she was herself very i'll, and
begged her son not to let her die without
the consolation of seeing him married, he
bowed in submission, and sent the long
expected Eyes"
Claudine gone away He knew now
whittier she had gone! Perhaps even ac-
cusing him and cursing him, as she was
justified in doing, had the poor child bid
den farewell to this world, wherein she
had been promised so many joys, only to
find despair and death
But, on the other hand, had he been
happy? No, indeed Even while Clau-
dimes mother was still wearing robes Of
mourning for her daughter, the wife
whom he had been inveigled into marry
ing was, in single night and without any
premonition, suddenly taken away-he
now understood why. For, is not mar.
riage celebrated over an open grave itself
predestined to death?
And the son whom he had so ardently
desired, as a supreme consolation, and
| whom his wife at her untimely death had
carried unborn to the tomb-the son fol
whom he had so often wept-behold he
had come to him suddenly, as if from
heaven-handsome, strong, brave-sucL
as he had pictured him in dreams, and
bearing on his forehead, Notwithstanding
his humble and mysterious origin, the i'm
print of nobility, the stamp courage and
honor, in place of a name!
"Well, mon Cdpitaine. since we have
reached the place, win you please to give
me my orders?"
The officer gave convuisive start. Lost
in the memories Of the past, and overcome
with the desire which possessed him o
clasping the young man in his arms and
begging his pardon and love, he had for.
gotten the present and all that surrounded
him.
But there was the stern reality. The
dispatch was to be carried, and to accom-
plish this it would be necessary to brave
death ten-yes, many times ten-times
Behind those suspicious bushes, in the
turns of those gloomy passes, lying in the
bitches, crouching on the rivers-the i'm
placable and ferocious foe was always
there, waiting in the shadows for the APP
proach of new victim, and inventing al.
| ready for him snheard of and atroeious
| tortures
And the one who was deliver to theiI
barbarity this brave young victim was his
father-who suddenly felt his heart over
flow with all the pent-up tenderness and
love which had so long been depressed
The pitiless decree of discipline exacted
this sacrifice; the minutes were numbered
and a whole army was awaiting his ar.
rival
What must he then send to his death
the being whose life had just become Sc
dear? After having been the assassin Of
the mother, he was now called upon to be
the executioner of his SON No! no 1t
was impossible God surely would not
permit such crimel
j