Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1893-07-21

her choice after overcoming all the
obstacles, So this officer, mutilated
during the war had again found, after
the campaign, the Young girl who was
pledged to him, and keeping her en-
gasement she had married him.
] considered that to be beautiful. hut
simple Just as We Judge to he simple
all the heroic actions in books and at
the theatre. When we read or listen
at these schools Of mngnanimity, we
always feel that we should have sacri-
feed ourselves with an enthusiastic
pleasure and a magnificent impulse.
But We are always in bad humor on
the following day, when wretched
friend comes to borrow money.
suddenly, another supposition, less
poetic and more realistic, replaced the
frstone. Perhaps this officer had been
married before the war, before this
fnghtful accident had cut off his feet.
and his wife had been obliged, grieyed
and resigned, to receive, care for, CON
sole and sustain this husband who had
stnrted off strong and handsome. but
who now returned, after having lest
his feet, a frightful wreck, condemned
to mmobility, impotent anger and
fatal obesity
Was he happy OF tortured? ! was
seized with an irresistible desire to
know his history, or at least the princi-
pal points Of it, which would permit
me to divine what he could not or
would not tell me.
! talked with him while thinking at
the same time We had exchanged a
few commonplace remarks, and as L
raised my eye to the rack, thought
to myself So he has three children ,
the sweetmeats are for his wife, the doll
for his little girl, the drum and gun
for his sons, and the pates dc fore gras
for himself
Suddenly, | asked him You are n
father?7
No, he replied
felt confused as though l had com
mitted an impropriety and continued
Il beg your pardon [ thought
You were, in hearing your servant
speak of playthings. We often hear
without listening, and draw conclu-
sions, in spite of ourselves
He smiled and murmured No,
am not even married stopped at
the preliminaries.
pretended to remember all at once.
All, that's true; you were engaged
when | knew You, to Mile de Mandal,
l believe.
Yes, Monsieur, your memory is
excellent
was excessively audacious, and
added !" also have vague idea of
having heard TINT Mile. de Mandal
married Monsieur Monsieur
Monsieur de Fleurel, he inter
rupted in calm tone.
Yes, that it. | remember. even,
to have heard about your wound.
looked at him intently, and he
blushed His full, puffy face, already
purple from the constant aflux Of
blood became still more highly colorcd.
He replied with the animation and
sudden ardor of man who pleads IA
case lost in advance in his mind and
heart but who wishes to win it before
public opinion.
People are wrong in pronouncing
Nine. de Fleurels name with mine.
When | returned from the war
without my feet alas should new
er have accepted her offer to become
my wife Was such thing possible {?
When a woman marries, it is not to
make a parade Of generosity, it is to
live every day, every hour. every min
ute aud every second by the side of
man; and if this man is deformed,
as | am. she condemns herself in mar
rving him, to suffering that viii last
unto death. Oh, comprehend and
admire allthe saerihcesand all the de
yotions. when they have a limit ut
do not admit that woman should re
nounce an existence which she hopes
will prove happy, and abandon all
her JOYS and dreams, for the sake Of
satisfying the admiration Of the gal
lery. Do YOU believe that a man can
induce a woman TO tolerate what he
himself cannot support: And, be
sides, do you think that my wooden
feet are attractive
NJ Revallere became silent What
could say to him? l felt that he
was right Could I blame her. scorn
her or even admit that she was wrong !?
No. However. the denouement which
conformed to the rule, to the aver
age, to truth and probability, did not