Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1892-02-18
HER son AND HIS.

| ana toe uark N pV6mber weather had
! changed the streets of Paris to dismal
drains for the melting fakes.
An omnibus stopped At the head of
Pr0ny street, and from the aristocratic
interior stepped 12-year-old boy with a
morocco sachel under his arm. He ran to
| the door Of an elegant houso, and the next
| moment was chattering up the marble
steps to the vestibule.
is mother homer" he asked of the
| servant, as she helped him off with his
wet oVerc0at ana leggings.
No" was the answer. Her lady
| ship has not come in.
And my SisteTs?'
Miss Christine and Miss Yyonne ara
| IN the reception room with Diana and their
dolls"
In the reception room he found Chris
tine seated before a cheerful fire.
"Oh, how glad | am that you have got
home!, she cried, throwing her arms
about his neck. 1--WE are so lonely!
Father went out after breakfast, and
mother about the time you left for school.
Father came back with some cakes, but he
went right out again
II have been thinking of father and
mother all schooltime. Something is
| wrong. Have you not noticed, Chris
tine?'
Mother seemed little put out with
father, But that is nothing new. ] have
noticed that this long time.
yes" cried little 6-year-old Yvonne.
81 have often seen papa crying when
caught him In the study and put my
hands over his eyes. Ever since the lady
| in red"
"What is that she is chattering
| about ?" interrupted the boy, with a supe-
rior ar.
Yvonne was touched in her femin inc
weak spot. Il know it better than you,
| for was with mamma. We were com
| ing out of the Louvre shops, and had
my balloon-the one broke"
You should say burst said her
brother.
Taking no notice, the child went on
with her story:
Then mama said to Firmin, Il am
going to walk across the Palais Royal;
| have the carriage for US before the
Bourse"
Christine and Gaetan looked at each
other, hardly able to keep from laughing
| But YVonne kept on with her rehec
| lions.
! Il know what | saw, at any rate. And
when we met papa with the lady in red,
mamma drew me away and squeezed nv
wrist so hard she hurt me-"
| "What lady in redo" exclaimed Chris
tire.
There, now" cried Yvonne, perhaps
you'll believe me. And the lady had an
elegant bonnet and a gold veil, and silk
parasol, and, and
But Gaetan jumped up suddenly, ex-
claiming: Don't listen to her nonsense.
Why should not papa walk with lady in
red if be wants to? There are plenty Of
ladies who come here on mamma s Thurs
days, and she and pa don't get angry over
them"
"Of course not, >" said Christine.
The hours crept on the Greek theme is
written and Ovid is in a fair way to be
converted into bad French, when loneli-
ness proves too much for Gaetan's philo:-
ophy, and he gets up to rejoin his sister
by the tire.
Just then several quick, sharp peals of
The bell were heard, and young and
beautiful young woman soon made her APP
pearance. The children had hardly fin
isheo stormy but affectionate welcome
to their mother when the door again open
ed and their father came in. He received
the children's caresses In an distracted
way, and, turning te the countess, said,
with some emotion:
"Clotllde, we must arrange Our affairs
Immediately, Take the children out and
come back here, | beg of you
Gas you like she said.
Left alone, Count Beliefontaine took the
code from the table and opened it at ar
ticles 144S and 1449, and read: 1.-The wife
| u-b bec oh+ e
from bed and board assumes the free con-
troll of her property. She must contribute
to the expense of educating the children
property, she must bear the whole of this
expense
He closed tho book and leaned on the
mantel with his back to the fire. 81
don't care for money, but the children
None OF them are to go with me. The
judge SO ordered, and they are to be
brought TO see me once a month. As IL
were no longer their father, because
No consideration Temptation, passion,
weakness never taken into ac-
ccunt, and then in three years divorce
unless Clotilde should forgive. She'll
never do that, for she has chosen this
course"
Thank you, Clotilde You have not
kept me waiting. Here are the keyes of
my secretary. You will find cash and tite-
deeds all safe
And how about yourself? How are
you to live? Though | have been wronged
| bear your name, and can not permit you
to suffer"
II thank you, CIotilde, for your com
miseration, bat l can not accept il at your
hands"
so, having broken your faith. you
wish now to play the magnanimous
Remember that have been defeated
am punished enough
THAT is so. But that punishment
weighs upon me too, and more heavily
that you imagine. The sight OF my ruin.
ed home, the. publicity of all, and the
scandal ahoat.
"You were inhexible"
"My dignity was at stake, sir.
''Say your pride
Eyes. and my hate. could not forgive
J you for giving me rival"
!, "a rival! | have told you a hundred
: times how it was. You were off in the
| country. nursing your mother. You had
all the children, and there [ was alone in
Paris for months, with notLing to do and
: bored to death. Then the opportunity
came
However, enough of this. I shall say
J nothing further than is necessary, and
hope you will spare me any more recrin.
nations. But promise me that you vii
not try to ALLEVIATE the children from me.
For am still their father
Il promise
VERY well. have only to bid good.
bye. You have judged nle strictly, and