The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1891-01-07
p III.

Thenardier and bis wife did not make
much money out of the pot house, but
thanks to the tifty-seven francs they bad
been able to pay the bill that was due and
thus kept a bailiff from selling them out.
But the next month they wanted money
again, and his wife took Cosette's clothes
to Paris and sold them for sixty francs as
loon as this sum OF money was spent she
began to look on Cossette as a child they
had taken in thro ugh charity and she
treated her accordingly. AS she had no
clothes she was dressed in what the chill
dren had worn out, that is to say in rags
she was led on the leavings of everybody,
a little better than the dog, and a little
worse than the cat. The dog and cat were
her usual company at dinner, for Cosette
ate with them under the table, and out OF
a wooden dish like theirs.
The mother had letters written every
mOnth to inquire after her child and they
always replied that Cosette was getting
along famOusly. When the first six
months had passed Fantine sent them
seven francs for the seventh month and
continued to send the none regularly
month ty month. Before the year was
ended l nenardier wrote to her and de-
mandeEI twelve francs Il month instead of
seven and Fantine consented for he made
her believe that Cosette was healthy and
happy. The more that Madame Thenar-
der loved her own little girls, EpOnine
and Azelma. the more she seemed toihate
Cosette although she took UP so little
TO ON it seemed to her that her children
W ere robbed OF the very air that Cosette
Freathed. As Madame Thenardier was I'M
kind to COsette SO were the little
! girls, and so between them all, she did
not make a movement that did not bring
down or her head a storm OF violent pun
ishment. This poor, weak child was
scolded, cutfed and beaten. and saw in
contrast two little girls like herself, only
they lived in radiant happiness.
Cosette was supposed by the neighbors
to have been deserted by her mother, and
in another year Thenardier demands -
francs a month, saving, in excuse, that the
creature was growing and eating to such
an extent that he couldn't stand it.. The
mother paid the 10 francs year by year,
the child grew and So did her wretched-
ness. So long as Cosette was little she was
the scapegoat of the two other children,
and before she was five wears old she was
made to go on erTands, sweep the rooms,
the yard and the street, to wash the dishes,
and even carry heavy bundles. The
Thenardiess considered themselves justi-
ned IN doing tbls way because her mother
was now irregular in her pay and owed
them for several months. COsette, who
was so pretty and rudy when she first
came to his house, was now thin and
sickly and had a timid look about her.
Nothing was left of her former beauty but
her fine eyes, which were painful to look
at, az they were so large, 1t seemed as
If a greater amount of sadness was in
them. 1t was a sorrowful sight to see this
poor child not six years old, ~shivering in
winter under her calico rags. and sweep
ing the street before daybreak with large
broom in her small red hands. The coun-
try people called her 'the lark :" they had
given that name to the poor little creature
who was not much larger than a bird, be-
cause she was always the first awake in
the house or the village, and ever in the
street or the fields by daylight.
There was this difference, however
this poor lark did not sing.