The morning call., 1892-02-28

as he passed. Tony Robec found upon the
mantelpece letter from which elem en-
tines weddng-ring fell when he opened the
envelope. In that letter the giddy wife said
adieu to him and their child, at the same
time asking their forgiveness.
Oh! romantic gentlemen of the jury, who
always acquIt, under the pretext OF passion
ate crime, the outraged husband who sees
red and kills the wife and the lover, you
will think poor Tony velY ridiculous and
even a trihe contemplate. But he was
more grieyed than angry. He wept great
''Where is mamma ? win she come back
soon ?" he passionately kissed the little fell
low and answered, Il don't know"
Clementine fed in the early part OF May.
Oh, how peTveTSe sometimes is the door Oh
lilacs. Tony at the July term sold almost
all his furniture to pay his debts and went
to live in the Rue De!ambre, wishing to get
away from the neighbOrhoOd.
It was there that be lived so diScreetly and
so wOTthily with his little boy ana was taken
for a widower.
Toward the end Of September the COM
positor received a letter from his wife, four
incoherent and despairing pages, on which
the ink was diluted with tears. Her friend,
a medical student, had gone away on holI-
day to his family down IN the South hYe
weeks before and no longer wrote to her,
no longer gave sign of life. She was aban-
dOned, the traitress was betrayed In her
turn aud she expressed repentance, lmplOred
and cried for mercy.
This made poor Tony feel very badly. But
Teassure yourselves, ferOcous jurors, who all
have the soul Of the Moor Of Venice, and,
if you please, restore your esteem for an in
slant to the poor man. lie was proud and
did nOt reply TO the guilty wife.
He received no further tidings from Glenn
entine until the day before Christmas.
TOUCHING CUSTOM
Now, on that day, for several years, he
had the touching custom Of going with his
wife to place a modest Douquet-sOme
frozen viOlets. with n chilly rose in the
eenter-upon the tomb Of their little Felix.
their frst-born who had died while out at
nurse and whom they had wished to have
near them, at Montpamasse, in a conces-
sion Of five years, already renewed
For the first time Tony R9bec was COM
PEELED to accomplish this pilgrimage alone
with his little Adrlen and as he went
through the gate Of the cemetery beneath
funereal sky-desplte again that heart void
OfcOurage, terrible OthelOS Of the jury
he suffered more than ever from the rec
objections Of the absent one, the fugitive.
Where is she now?" thought he; what
has become of her?"
But, On reaching the tomb of Felix. which
he had some trouble TO find, he paused.
overwhelmed with surprise.
Upon the grayestOne were three or four
dren-a trumpet, a punchinellO and dog
mounted on bellOWS-Which some one had
just placed there, for they were entirely
new and had evidently been bought that
very day at some cheap store.
"Oh! see the playthings" jOyOusly eX-
claimed Adrien, as lie Deheld the humble
WiRdfall
But the father, having perceived bit of
paper pinned to the toys, stopped down,
took it and read these words. written in
hand which he recognized only too we'll:
For Adrien, from bis brother Felix, who
is now with Little Christmas"
Suddenly he felt his son cling to him,
heard him muTmur in terrified voice,
Mammal and saw his wife, clad in
paupeT's dress and shawl, kneeling beside
clump Of cypress trees g few PAGES otf-Oh!
so pale and with eyes so red-and stretch
ing toward him her clasped and sapplicar-
ing hands.
Between Us, sanguinary gentlemen of the
jury, / don't believe that Tony RObec
thought Mt that moment of him who was
born on Christmas day and who taught by
word and example the forgiveness OF in
juTies. The composition was not religious,
but his plebeian heart Ignored animOSIty.
go KISS YOUR MOTHER"
After q start, caused less By anger at the
old outrage than by pity at behOldng ia
such a wretChed plight the woman he mad
loved so much, he pushed his little boy
Rtulll LOWhIu ueEs
"Adrien," said he to him, "go kiss your
mother"
She seized her child in bewildered clasp,
kissed him ten times on the hair with a sob
Of JOY, then rising and turning toward her
husband begging look she muTmured
" How good you are.''
But he was already beside her and re-
sponded with dry mouth. almost roughly:
Don't speak, and give me your arm"
1t was not far from the cemetery to the
Rue Delambre. They made the journey
very quickly. Tory IeIt Clementihe's arm
tTemDie in his. 49,
The child walked beside them his mind
already elsewhere admitting thetOys. =.
The concierge OF the house in; which Tony.
lived was upon the threshold Of the DOOR ::
- Madame" said lie to her, ':tiris> is my"
wife, who for six months past: has benin.
the country. with Der sick mother, and who
has returned to. live with mepF::. g. ..ss
And, as they climeG the stairway, he.was !
forced to Support, almost carry the unfOrtu-
nate woman, who burst into s9bs and was
swooning from emotion and Joys. e. -. g.
On reaching. his pQQr chamber, Tony made
his wife sit down IN his only fauteuiL and
again pushed her son Into her: arms; then,
he opened a drawer OF the bureau, took
from it battered pasteboaTl bsx from
which edreW Clenlentine'S wedding ring,
replacing 1t upon her finger; and then only.
without a bitter word about the past,
silently. graveIy, with The broad: generosity
of simple hearts, he kissed her on the fore
head that she might be sure he had forgiven
her. FRANCOIS COPPEE.