The morning call., 1890-07-13

"The leopard may some day change his spots;
but man will never become entirely good aud
noble and true"
And yet, Nine. de Courcils shuddered at the
thought that almost within sight OF The chateau,
beneath the matched roof OF one Of his farmer s
houses, fair pleasant-faced woman was bending
over a cradle at that very moment and grooming
and cooling to his child. Yet, strange TO say,
time cured even this hurt, and at the end OF a
year or So hiathde stood ready TO charge up
all such Offeuses to that awful and mysterious
account IN the ledger of fate known as human
deptavity AN account 50 long and so heavy
with debts that a kind providence Will never
have The heart TO strike a balance and show us
what poor and pilIable Thug humanity has
been! Nine. de COutcs-So the ancient maiden
aunt Informed her on the fifth anniversary OF
her marriage-had much to be thankful Tor.
You have 4 kind and indulgent husband,
whose famiiy"-nere followed an eulogum upon
the De Cou ellis OF exactly one hours duration.
"You are Tile mother OF Two fine boys, who will
one day be the pIde and honor OF our family
with marked emphasis on the word our"
And, my dear child" continued Nine. de
COurcils. sitting back against her chair until
her spine had thoroughly tested The perpendlcu-
laIly OF its back, my dear child GontTan
wished me 10 inform you that he had engaged a
tutor Tor tic children, VINO are now three and
five -"
"a tutor !" gasped Mathllde
"Why. yes. my dear child" said the maiden
aunt, pulling Gown the front Of her dress rather
sayagely You seem surprised"
al their tender age !" moaned the poor
mother.
Tender age, indeed I" exclaimed the hus-
bands aunt snapplshly. "They are quite old
enough for a tutor. Gontran is right. He has
my ideas about children. Mothers soon spoil
them. spoil them so that they never recover from
The effects. LOOK at GOutraD, we engaged a
tutor for him when he was four years Old, and a
more manly little fellow yer drew bt saih in
Normandy. Why. he famed one OF our farmer 8
for life; served the little wretch right, too,
for daring 10 raise his hand against the lord of
When Nine de CourciIs knelt down In prayer
that night, for the first time In her life she no.
al
places. Twice she rose TO her feet intending to
resume her devoIions when she had overcome
tile rebeiOns thoughts which had taken possess
sion OF her mind. Images OF the past lifted be-
fore her eyes some dim and shadowy others
bright. radiant lllelike. Among The latter her
fathers home aud Its tender, loving inmates,
and then her favorite school friends and her
brothers associates passed slowly by with
their faces turned toward her. In the line
walked SIMON de Bourneval, the same earnest,
thoughtful look as oil old within his eyes. lie
halted for a moment, his lips moved and
Mathllde caught the words, " The right OF every
human creature 10 be happy is tile only dogma l
acknowledge" Nine. de Courcils trembled. A
strange and indescribable sensation OF half in
dlguation, half fright seized upon her. Making
4 great EFFORT, she threw herself upon her knees
and prayed so long that her maid, thinking she
had fallen asleep, touched her gently upon the
shoulder.
White Mathilde felt that it would be useless for
her to oppose her husbands scheme 10 provide
d tutor for her children, yet was she firmly re-
solved not 10 relax her hold upon their affection.
q
hef powers, she finally succeeded in looking
with outward composnre at least upon what she
iustnctiyely felt 10 be an attempt TO destroy her
influence over her children. For while she
seemed 10 be successful, and many a furtlve
caTess was exchanged between mother and sons.
As De COGrcs grew older he seemed TO have
less VIII power TO combat his passion for gaming,
and much of his time was spent in Paris, where
his enormous losses were the talk OF The fash
onable clubs. Hence Matnllde was, BY
TO enjoy the society of her children FAR more
than had been intended. About this time a fit
OF sickness tied De Courclls down at the chateau
for several months, and gave him an opportunity
for rigid examination OF the characters OF his
sons now lads Of 10 and H. That he was not
satisfied with them was only too evident.
why, when l was your age" SAID he TO Paul,
the elder, 81 was the best jockey in the depart
ment and rode the winning horse AT the spring
meet You're your mammals baby"
Pm not my mammals baby" exclaimed
Andre, the younger boy, With flashing eye.
" I'm De Courclls; aunt says l am, and she
gave me hye francs for pouring hot water on the
buffers head"
"Bravo % cried De Courclls, laughing heartily.
10u shall go TO the races with me for that.
When you want thing well done, do II your
SELF" he muttered in an undertone. " Hence
forth I'll take charge OF their education"
Nine. de Courcils was quick 10 perceive the
change that took place In her children's deme amor
toward her, but she felt so sure of her hold upon
their hearts that she resolved 10 save herself the
pain, Of what she was conscious would be a
fruitless appeal to her husband. SO long as
they were permitted to accompany her regularly
TO religious services-a duty which De Courcils
himself was always careful 10 enj0ln upon them
-Mathilde seemed 10 comfort herself with the
certainty OF their affection for her But even
THIS consolation was doomed TO be short-llv ed.
In a brief twelyemonLh the Wild and Maynard
character OF the Two boys-larent until tben-de-
veloped with astonishing rapidly. From far
and near came accounts OF their mad pranks and
malicious mischief. Nine. de Courcils poured
out tears enough to wash any ordinary heart
clear OF its faint and depravity, but all In vain.
De COuIcils himself was even nerved 10 protest
IN. Md in fan
claims Tor damage done 10 cattle ana crops And
thus Mathilde's dream OF happiness parted
with its rosy tnts OF promise and heart
weary and soul-sick she looked about the
world 10 discover that, for her, 1t contained moth
Ing save despair tempered by hope of immortal
lily. Alone or worse than alone In the great
gloomy chateau OF COuTceules, again aud again
DE BOurneyaPs impassOn5d words rang
In her ears and she found Dersef re-
peating them first timdy and lrembingly, and
by degrees with sieadier ana stronger voice,
until one night she sprang her feet after long
and fruitless attempt 10 draw comfort and con
ISOLATION from prayer, and, Dealing her bosom
with her clenched hand, moaned out W it'll ii sup
pressed shrek OF smothered anguish
"SlmoD, Simonl thou hast convinced me, and
with thee too say that the right OF every human
creature to be happy Is the"
Her voice choked. hand cold and hard as
iron seemed laid upon her throat. She could not
speak the rest and staggele ed backward, swOon-
ing upon her bed.
Win the loss of her ehlldren's affrction-for
what with the efforts OF Mile. de Courcils, the
hllal tenderness, The two boys went month by
month from bad 10 worse-Mathilde was now
called upon to face the perfectly natural but
brutally notorious consequences OF her husband s
designations. His gambling debts must be- paid.
Clutehing at every wlsp OF hope, Nine. de CouI-
ellis made haste to consent TO the payment Of the
amount out OF her separate estate, thinking that
mayhap, the act might touch her husbands heart
and fan into fame some latent spark OF bis better
nature. For a few brief months it did seem TO
her that Gontrans voice sounded little more
sympathetic; that he held himself aoof from his
evil associates; that he was making an effort TO
atone for The years OF neglect and Indifference.
Then everything slipped back 10 its old place
again. Everything? No, not everything; for
one morning at the breakfast-table De Courcs
blurred out, In bis Enthusiastically biusque ard
palhetc manner:
''Bonrneyal Is back in France again, poor 10
purse and poorer In health; has had fevers OF all
colors; company failed; poor devil all alone in
the world; have invited him out here"
II De Courclls had expected that his wife would
manifest any lively pleasure at this announce
ment he was doomed to disappointment. for Ma
thilde's sad face did not perceptbly brighten as
she turned 1t toward her husband and replied:
"Pn very sorry to hear OF NJ. Bournevaps i'll
health. No doubt the sea air will nelp him.,