The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1893-09-27

Z
Us? What has she been saying
That Marcel will not come She sais
that two weeks ago What can Shit
know about it, eh?"
Virginie put her hand on her Ole
mans arm; ne was fifteen years Older
than she was, but his judgment was
apt to be impuisive. rather than well
considered She smiled at him as shf
spoke.
1T is not that, my man. Marco
will come because he has written tc
say so-wheu did our boy ever deceive
us. husband? But ! am asking mysei1
why Marie Trobe is SO faithless?"
'Faithless. ycu say. old girl? Bah
she is full Of fancies: she meant moth
ing-nothing except to contradict you.
Virginie sat down on rush bottomed
chair near the door, put her veined
brown hands on her lap. and sh ook heI
head: she dared not at once tell her
husband the truth.
No, my man: Marie does not mean
to keep faith with Marcel That aunt
OF hers has been over from Bayeux, and
she brought with her an oldish man
from Paris, a NJ. Bourget. All. Pierre,
| we were SO eager for this mar
! riage. because Marcel wished it and be-
| cause Marie has enough to keep herself
| and her husoan too; hut more than
once since have asked myself whether
| our boy might not have cause to repent
his bargain"
Folly. It is not bargain on Mar
cells side" Pierre said. angrily. He
I loves the woman-he told me so; though
what he can see in her hard face, and
her sham body stuffed with cotton wool
is past me. Bless you, mother. be easy;
when Marie sees Marcel's handsome
face again, do you think she will throw
him over for an oldish man from Paris?
Not She"
Mother Virginie sat silent. struggling
to make up her mind Did she really
want Marcel to marry this lnsolent
woman five years older than he was?
I If she did not why was she SO disturbed
| by Marie's want of faith? She knew
why: it was so terribly hard on Marcel
/ He had not at first cared for the stylis h
! dressmaker, who six months ago, when
new arrival at Come.
! The mother remembered that when
Marie had once seen Marcel, she was
always meeting him. In fact, she
never let him CO. Then Marie's
aunt, Nine Trobe, met Virginie one
day in Bayeux, and proposed that she
and Nine. Dupont should arrange q
marriage between the young people;
she told the devoted mother that Marie
had inherited nice little income from
her father. and that in herself she
would be a treasure to any man. Hon
est, simple Virgipie took the aunt's re-
port for truth, and went home and
sang Marie's praises to Marcel. who had
great faith in his mothers Judgment.
Then came the annual festival at
Bayeux. Marie Trobe was an excellent
dancer. and at the ball she kept her.
self almost entirely for Marcel. The
morning, and insisted that she should
call with him on Mile. Trobe and wit
ness their betrothal.
Virginie thought he was tyrannical,
but she made excuse for HIM, and hoped
he was going to be very happy. What
visions the loving mother called up!
1t would cost her much to part from
her dear, dutiful Marcel. but it would
be comfort to her to know that he
had some one he loved to take care of
him, and that he would be able to
leave the army earlier than he had ex-
pected.
This was to have been his last visit
home before the final one, when he was
to come back for good and marry
Marie. BE had been promised the post
of gamekeeper at Chateau Tracy, SO he
would not be dependent on his wife,
and, although Virginie and her husband
lived in stone-foored, one-storied cot
tage, and rarely ate meat, they had put
by a store of savings which would
greatly help in furnishing Marcers
house.
Yes" Mother Virginie thought. sad
ly, lit was my fault. If had not lis
tened to that deceitful widow, Marcel
would not have thought twice about
her, and now her falsehood will make
him unhappy for life"
His wife's unusual silence worried the
lively old fisherman; he began to walk
slowly round his garden, smoking a
short clay pipe and signing over the
perforated leaves of his cabbages, which
had indeed the effect of lacework;
they had plainly fallen victims to
plague of caterpillars. All at once he
came back to his wife.
"a fig for your fancics, old girl" he
said. Il tell you that peacock, Marie.
worships our boy, though she is coy Of
showing it to you.'
Virginie looked at him with CULVER
ing lips and eyes full of tears
Pierre stared; taking out his pipe. be
held it between his twisted thumb and
finger. which were much the same color
as the pipe
''Eh?' he said, nervously, "eh, then,
Virginie?"
1T is all over, my man." she sobbed.
Marie told me she is to marry this II.
Bourget on Saturday"
Zone thousand devils" Pierre let his
pipe fall and smash into a hundred
pieces. Did she tell you that just
now? thought she was Safeguarding
the boy and saying he was unwilling
TO come home; she knows as well as
10 that the poor chap could not get his
leave any sooner | viii have the law
On her. will; | will go to the mayor.