Pawtucket tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 1890-189?, 1892-02-11
HIS son AND HER SON.

long. and the dark November weather
had changed the streets Of Paris to dis
NAL drains for the melting flakes.
An omnibus stopped at the head Of
Prouy street. and from its aristocratic
interior stepped twelve-year-old boy
with a morocco satchel under his arm.
he ran TO the door Of an elegant house,
and the next moment was clattering up
the marble steps to the vestibule.
"Is mother homer he asked Of the
servant. as she helped him of with his
wet overcoat and leggings.
"No." was the answer. Her ladyship
has not come In"
"And my sisters
Miss Christine and Miss Yvonne are
in the reception room with Diana and
their dolls"
In the reception room he found Chris
tine seated before cheerful fire.
"Oh. how glad l am that you have
got homer she cried, throwing her arms
about his neck. I'VE are 80 lonelyi
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"
81 have been thinking Of father and
mother all schooltime. Something Is
wrong Have you not noticed. Chris
timer
Mother seemed a little put out with
father. But that is nothing new. have
noticed that this long time"
"Yes," cried little six-year-old Yvonne,
Il 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
abouti' interrupted the boy, with a
superior air.
Yvonne was touched in her feminine
weak spot. 81 know 1t better than you,
for was with mamma. We were
coming out of the Louvre shops, and
had my balloon-the one you broke
"You should say burst" said he-
brother. Taking no notice. the child
went on with her story;
"Then mamma said to Firmin, I 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 laugh
ing. But Yvonne kept on with her re-
hections.
81 know what | saw, at any rate. And
when we met papa with the lady in red,
mamma drew me away and squeezed
my wrist so hard she hurt me-"
"What lady in redT' exclaimed Chris
tine.
"There, nowl" cried Yvonne. per.
haps you'll believe me. And the lady
had an elegant bonnet, and gold veil.
and a 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 he wants to? There are plenty
of ladies come here on mammals Thurs.
days, and she and pa don't get angry
over them"
"Of course not" said Christine.
The hours creep on. the Greek theme
is written and Ovid in q fair way to be
converted into bad French, when loneli-
ness proves too much for Gaetan's phi
losophy and he gets M to rejon his sister
by the fire
Just then several quick. sharp peals of
tho bell were heard. and young and
beautiful woman soon made her appear
ance The children had hardly finished
q stormy but affectionate welcome to
their mother when the door again
opened and their father came in. he re-
ceived the children's carcsscs In an alb
stracted way. and turning to the count-
ees said with some emotion:
"Clotilde, we must arrange our Affairs
Immediately Take the children out
and come back here. beg of You"
"As You like" she said.
Left alone, Count Bellefontaine took
the code from the table and opened it at
Articles l44S and l449. and read: The
wife who has obtained decree of sep
aration from bed and board assumes the
free control Of her property. She must
contribute to the expense Of educating
the children Of the marriage. II her
husband has no property she must bear
the whole Of this expense"
He closed tho book and leaned on the
mantel with his back to the fire. IL
don't care for tho money. but the
children. None of them Is to go with
me. The judge so ordered, and they are
TO be brought to see us once q month.
As IL were NO longer their father, be-
cause No consideration! Temptation.
passion, weakness never
taken into account, 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 keys OF
my secretary. You will find cash and
title deeds all safe"
"And how about yourself7 How are
you to liver Though have been wronged
I bear your name. and cannot permit
you to suffer"
II thank you. Clotilde, for your CON-
misseration. but | cannot accept it at
your hands"
80 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
than you imagine. The sight Of my
ruined home, the publicity of all and
tho scandal ahoati'
"You were infexible."