The Weiser signal. [volume] (Weiser, Idaho) 1890-1904, 1893-12-21
FORGIVENESS.

IN the house, big hive of work peo-
Pile, situated In the Rue Delambre,
where for six months Tony Robec had
occupied room, every one thought he
was a widower He could not have been
a widower very long, for his little boy, |
Adrien, who lived with him, and who
was always well cared for, was not more
than six years old. Yet neither of them
wore mourning.
Early every day, Tony Robec, who was
employed as compositor in printing
house In the Quartier Latin, left his
room, with the child siiil half asleep on |
his shoulder He left the little one al
school, and called for him again night,
when returning from work. Then they |
went shopping together, after which
they shut themselves up in their garnet
and nothing more was seen of them
until the following morning.
The kind-hearted gosslps were full of
pity for the poor fellow. He couldn't
be more than forty, and was still good
looking, although sad and pale, and with
silver streaks In his black board Behind
his back they said That man ought
to marry again"
They wished to make his acquaintance.
Generally this is not difficult in such a
house, where the tenants live with open
doors. But Tony had a very reserved
manner, and bowed so distantly and
coldly-althoug politely-to his neigh
bors, when he met them on the stairs,
that they were afraid to approach him.
mo, ladies' said the door-keeper,
who was inclined to be sentimental
"that widower will never marry again,
mark my words. The other Sunday l
passed him in the cemetery at Montpar-
nasse. His wife is doubtless buried
there. 1t cut me TO the heart to see the
poor man with the mot herless little chap
at his side. He must have dotted on his
wife"
Certainly Tony ad been very devoted
to bis wife, and would not be consoled
now that he had lost her-but he was
not a widower
His life had been simple, but not by
any means happy. Although consci-
entious workman, he was not particu-
larly good at his trade, and therefore
until he was thirty he had not succeeded
In making tolerably good living, and
could not think of marrying When he
did resolve to marry, he ought to have
chosen sensible, economical wife, who
had known what he had. But love does
not occupy itself with such trifles. Tony
lost his head over pretty, light-minded,
light-hearted fower-girl, of nineteen,
honest doubtless, but frivolous, and
thinking more of her toilet than of any.
thing else under the sun. 1t must be
admitted. however, that she could make
dress out of few scraps of stuff.
He had saved little money with
which to start Housekeeping. Among
other things he had bought big cup
board with glass door, in which his
wife could admire herself the whole
day.
They were married, and at first lived
happily. They had two modest rooms
on the fifth floor of a house in the Boul-
evard de Port Royal, with little bal
cony from which they had a birdseye
view of Paris. Every night, on leaving
work, Tony Robec disguised his work
mans clothes under a smart overcoat,
and waited for his wife, who presently
appeared from her little booth in the
Rue st. Honore, and arm-ln-arm they
returned to their humble home.
At last son was born, and was put
out to nurse. The parents went to see
him once fortnight. But at the end
: of year the child died of commissions
The parents, were, however soon af
forward consoled by the birth of little
Adrien. Having had such sad expert
ence, Clementine resolved to bring Nc
the child herself, and gave up her little
shop In order to be able to attend to her
baby. She took in work, but did not
make more than half what she had pre-
viously earned. Nevertheless, she con
tinued to dress well. In vain did TONY
: work desperately; the household be
came embarrassed and stepped in debt
When the child was weaned he was SEM
out during the day to childrens asy
lum, and the mother, often unoccupied
; became tired of her inactivity. Just
think of her poor husband, old before
his time, worn out with working for nc
worrying about his giddy pretty wifi,
of twenty-three
One evening, when Tony entered the
: house with the child whom he had pick
ed up at the asylum as he had passed
he found an envelope on the mantle
piece, from which, when he opened IT
> fell Clementine's wedding-ring. In the
letter she babe good-by to her husband
and child, and begged their forgiveness
The unfaithful wife fed in the begin
7, ming of May. At the end of July Ton,
sold the greater part of his furniture II
: order to pay his debts, and moved into
the Rue Delambre.
Toward the end of September he re
ceived letter from his wife-four Iuco
, herent pages, plentifully washed will
tears-in which she announced that She
had repented and implored pardon. Tbi.