Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1891-01-15
THE FOSTER SON.
From the Epoch.

Victor Duramo and his wife. Cesarno,
had just finished their supper of slices
of bread with thin layers of butter.
a tiny candle end was burning on the
table and casting n llickering light upon
the low raftors overhead, tho bare walls
and uneven floor, the riCkety china and
the black chimney-piccc. In the corner
of the room was u wicker cradle i'll which
lay sleeping Il baby boy, who two weeks
before had been chrstoned Charles.
The parents had been married a little
more than Il year; Victor had inherited
from his iathera small farm, and he and
his wife had worked together He was
strong, well-built follow, but slow of
movement and dull of intellect; Cesar
inc was taciturn, industrious and saving.
Their first harvest had boon u poor
one; one of their COWS had died, and lit
Ito hy little thoy were threatened, at
tackled and vanQuishod by poverty.
On every side the wolf ussailod them,
and now Cesarinc had to care for her
child, and could not attend to all her
former duties. They must hire Il man
to help Victor with the farm work, and
this Necessity appalled, them. While
thew were anxiousiy discussing this mat
ter and computing the expense, cry
rose from the cradle, Ccsarine went and
took out the baby and sat nursing 1t in
gloomy silence.
Suddenly steps wore heard outside,
and the houso-door opened. A gentle
man carving a bundle entered hastily,
and CLOSING the door stood looking at
The peasant group. Thon he asked,
Are YOU Victor and Cesarine Du-
ramoH'
The man hesitated in vague alarm
tut his wife answered, "Nos sir, We are
the Durames."
Then the stranger approached her,
laid the bundle in her lap and told her
to open it. She looked at him without
moving and he added quickly:
alt is Il child, a boy for you to take
care Of with your own
The woman III amazoment untolded
the bundle and displayed tiny morsel
of an infant which immediately began
20 wall and insunCtively she lifted it up,
putt to her breast and hushed its cries.
The gentleman looked at it with
moistenod eyes and murmured:
"iio will soon forget his mother y
Then, rousing himself from n sad rev.
cry, he spoke in quick decided tone:
"Nou must make up your mind ut
once, for | have no time to lose. came
to Won because | heatd that YOU were
Young, poor and industrious. If you
take charge Of my child YOU are to 90
every quarter so Fecamp, and the notary
Monsieur Loisol will pay you the sum of
800 francs. You must take the child
with YOU every time, otherwise YOU will
receive no money. You will bring up
My son with your own, send the two to
school together, and then to college, for
which | shall pay, through the notary.
Whom my son comes of age the sum OF
10000 franc will be at his disposal Do
YOU agree to keep him '
The husband and wife looked at the
speaker in silence, for all these figures
set their heads whirling, and the gentle
man repeated what he had said, and
added.
"Nou will never soc me nor hear of
me again. You can tell your neighbors
just as much rs you know about me. /
have taken my precautions. Come,
answer me, yes or no.
Victor and Cesarine could not believe
thatsuch atortune was within their grasp