The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1892-07-18
RIQUET.

friend, who is judge of the court at
a., in the lovely country of Provence.
We were breakfasting and was retail
ing the gay doings of Paris when a serv-
hnt entered and gave my host q very
thick letter.
Pardon me-" said my friend, IT see
hhis comes from the prison and must
read 1t at once"
When he had finished he seemed quite
depressed for one who had seen many
human beings sentenced to death with
put showing the least emotion.
Read it," he said, passing me the
large missive.
Here are the contents:
Your HoNoR-My trial is set for to-
morrow. l have endeavored to explain
my case to the young lawyer who de-
tends me, but from his manner / think
tny history only amuses him. l am
tfraid to speak of 1t to you, and for that
reason | write. Pardon the liberty. Be-
lieye me, sir, am an honest man and
not genuine thief.
have not always been the poor wretch
am now. In times past | was quite
well off. was by no means the richest
lnan in Sorgas when married Dilonne,
put was certainly the one most in love.
t3he was 30 prettyi More than one gem
tleman envied me on our wedding day.
We were very happy. Every evening
when came home, tired with the days
work, just to see her smile seemed to
rest me. A little girl, beautiful as the
bngels, came to crown our happiness.
Employment was not lacking, and
worked with a good will. / fear my
letter will be very long, but must give
you all the details.
By and by, finding ourselves better
Pf, Dilonne confided to me her ambition.
She wanted to own donkey. She sold
butter and eggs in the town, and the
Instance was long on foot. "With a
lonkey," she said, n can easily go to
market and take Solange with me-" We
laid aside six five franc pieces for the
purchase of our little beast, and ono
beautiful spring morning we started at
, o'clock to DO first on the field at the
county fair. We walked along gayly
under the fresh green foliage, and can
ftill recall how merlily the money
Slinked in my pocket. After walking
for an hour and half we arrived at
the grounds. We had taken turns carry
tng little Solange She was four years
pld and solid on her tiny feet, but not
jble to walk such distance.
There were at least thirty donkeys for
sale chose one, but Dilonne said it
had wicked look. At last, by careful
kearch, we found very small one. He
was young and had a playful little air
hs he paved the ground impatiently
with his small hoofs. He had handsome
llark eyes and wagged his long ears at
livery sound. We knew he must BIZ
gentle. for, Solange having slipped away
to get nearer to him, he patiently allowed
her to pat him.
The owner, seeing that the beast
lsuited us, asked forty francs for him. /
offered twenty-five After an hour
fpent in bargaining we agreed upon
thirty. Toward evening we started for
home, the good little animal following
Ils very willingly with Solange on his
back. The installation of our new pos
bession was quite an affair, but he ap-
Reared to appreciate it all, for from
khat time | think he really loved u.s.
We named him "Riquet," Every morn
ing at breakfast time he used to como
for his bit of bread to the window; his
pretty head framed in sweet peas and
morning glories, he would rub our hands
gently with his nose to express his
thanks.
Just "a we had planned, twice week
IDilonne went to town with her butter,
eggs and fresh vegetables in one basket
and Solange in the other for counter
balance. ] csIIld watch them from a
long distance as they approached our
home, always little tired
But there came day, after three
years of continued happiness, when
Dilonne could not leave her bed. My
poor darlingl She had the typhoid fever.
Doctors came from town. They cut off
her beautiful black hair; they put ice
on her head, hut nothing could save her.
She died while attempting to sing lit
tie song. could have wished to die
also, all was so changed for me-but
Solange was left. She was growing
very fast and looked exactly like her
mother.
! On Sundays we two-Solange and l.
would go to the cemetery which sur
rounded our little church and stay there
by the grave until afternoon, when we
used to take q walk, the little one
mounted on RiQuet. Thus we would
ramble on for long distance, gathering
great lunches of grass for the donkey's
supper.
One afternoon-it was during the olive
harYest-there were signs of storm,
and the master made us work until day
break to finish the picking. could not
go homo that day or the next, but the
following evening started, happy in
the thought of once more seeing Solange.
To my great surprise she did not come
to meet me, and on getting nearer our
cottage ! could see no light in tho win.
dows. Trembling with fear 1 enrereu
the house. saw my cherished little
girl lying on the bed all dressed. Tho
door was open, and Riquet stood at the
sill watching her, but only his head was
stretched into the room. She was in a
burning fever, having caught cold the
night before while watching SO late for
me to come.
Forgive me, your honor, for telling
you all my troubles; but when saw the
poor child SO i'll | nearly lost my senses.
The fever never left her. She had
thousand faucies. Sometimes she grew
pale, her great eyes shining very bright
ly. Dilonne was the only friend who
could make her smile. She often had
hard cough, which exhausted her COM
pletely and brought two brilliant red
spots to her cheeks She grew weaker
and weaker. Nothing seemed to give
her any strength. The doctor said very
little, but ordered medicines which cost
much money. could no longer work.
l staid all day by the side of my little
invalid Soan eba conId not I,n... -.