Waterbury evening Democrat., 1891-05-09

 dog was crossing the plain with his load. Without pausing to ascertain what was concealed beneath the blank cts, which were firmly lashed over the body of the little wagon, Uncle Fran cois and Baptiste, in answer to Stentor's loud and anxious whining. lent the good dog a helping hand, and the party soon reached the door at the foot of the stone stairway. Here, setting Stentor free. Uncle Francois lifted the little vehicle in his arms and bore it triumphantly, amid bursts of laughter and applause and the mad gambols of Stentor, into our crowded dining-room.
 Judge of our surprise-nay, our wonder and bewilderment, upon draw ing beautiful wicker basket from be- meath the blanket and carefully remov- ing the soft silk and woolen wraps which swathed up its contents, to come upon the tiny, rosy body of female in fant about six months old. Tied to its little wrist by dainty pink ribbon was an envelope containing securities repre- senting fifty thousand francs.
 "'Some child of love- said my fa- ther, gravely, whose mother takes this means of intrusting it to the care of Christian family. Shall we open our house and hearts to it, wife?' he asked, turning to my mother.
 "'Yes, yesT cried mother, joyfully. This Is the holy feast of the Epiphany. What a tender reminder of the coming Christ childr
 And thereupon our interrupted gayety broke out anew with moro spirit than ever. The child was chris tened Claire, but from its earliest years 1t displayed temper so sweet, a disposition so loving, that it earned and received the pet name of Pearl Father made a very wise investment of the little fortune, and by the time Pearl was sixteen 1t had more than doubled. She was now a maiden of rare physical loveliness. For several years l had been watching the unfolding of this fair bud, and I had resolved, come what may, to make Pearl my wife. My love for her was not an ordinary attach 1 ment; it was an adoration, a deep and soulful yearning. could not put it in l words. was afraid to speak to Pearl I was afraid I'd frighten her, and so went about with this thorn in my heart.
 "Uncle Francois had died year previous to this time, and now father was stricken with apoplexy. was hastily summoned to his bedside. His speech was thick and broken, but, OGodl understood him only too well. "'My dear son-I have long been aware of your love for Pearl he l gasped, but it must not bel cannot tell you an-Pearl-your wife-must not
 with this terrible must not on his 1 lips he relapsed into a stupor and never spoke again.
 My mother was left by will with full power of distribution. To disobey her meant disinheritance. . She was as pitiless as father had been.
 Pearl was sent to convent. mar ricd shortly after, and upon my mothers death my wife and I asked Pearl to make her homo with us, and she did, 1 coming to us with that old-time smile, so sweetly sad, loving and caring for our children-a real Pearl in our house. hold. As God lives, thought that love was dead within my heart; but month in and month out awoke to find 1t still there. Struggle as might, could not rid myself of it; it would not goi Thirty five years have not killed it. It will never die-it will never die!'' sobbed my poor cousin piteously.
 took his hand and spoke a few com forting words to him, and then asked:
 But why did Pearl never marry?"
 "She did not care to marry, she said, VI replied my cousin. "No one suited her exactly, although she had many offers. '
 Gaston's wife now called us, but his eyes were so swollen and red that 1t was impossible for him to return to the 1 drawfngroom- I hastily poured a basin of cold water, recommending him to bathe his face and compose himself while rejoined the family.
 need not tell you that Mile. Pearl now more than ever awakened sym pathy within me strangely tender and sweet. could not keep my eyes of her. The delicious sadness lurking in her large round blue eyes enthralled me. I followed her from room to room | inventing excuses to speak her name longed with yearning that oppressed and pained me, to look into her heart, to know if she really had loved Gastou so deeply, so fervently as to say: "Thou or no one!'
 At last we were left alone in Gaston's work-"oom, charming little den, quite shut off from the rest of the house. Never had Pearl seemed more delicious ly gentle and feminine. There was a playful melancholy in her manner that drew me towards her more strongly than the witchery of a maiden of eighteen. must have kissed her hand with more ardor than allowable, for was aroused from my dream by feeling her tugging to get it away from me and hearing her say:
 "Oh, Monsieur Julesi Monsieur Jules!'
 "Ah, Mile. Pearl," exclaimed, "it you could have seen Cousin Gaston weeping this morning! If you could have heard his confession!"
 She caught her breath, her waxlike face grew winter and her clear, blue eyes lost their summer-lilke serenity. l ttSann hin, Ix.onr,ir,rrot, Sha ,.o,,on+,A ;,,