The herald., 1893-09-15

rapidly, they leave few traces DeninG
and vanish so completely that when one
looks back upon them there is nothing
left to remind MS of their fight and age
creeps ON without warning.
ut seemed to methat only few years
separated me from that delightful season
ON the beach at Etretat.
'One day last spring went to dine
with friends at Maissons- Lafitte Just
as the train was about to start portly
matron entered the coach occupied ac-
companied by four little girls. could
not help looking curiously at this large.
rotund, motherly creature, whose face
was like the full moon under u berib-
boned hat. She puffcd and painted from
the exertion of her hurried walk. The
children began to babble, and | ,infolded
my newspaper and commenced to read.
AS we passed Asnieres my neighbor sud-
denly accosted me:
al beg your pardon, sir. Are you not
M. CarnierY
Yes, madame
''She laughed with the contented laugh
Of cheerful woman, but there was just
o tinge of sadness in her voice.
do you not recognize meT
Il hesitated. 1t seemed to me that
had seen her face before, but could not
tell when and where answered:
'Yes-and. mol certainly know you.
but cannot recollect your name. She
blushed little.
" Nine. Julie Lefevre.
Il was startled out of my wits. For
moment the earth seemed to reel around
me, and IA veil was rudely torn from my
eyes which made mo see things with ter
rible, heartrending clearness
at was shel This stout, common
woman, the mother of these four girls!
eyed the little creatures with as much
astonishment as did their mother. They
had followed her; they had taken their
places in life. already half women. and
she counted for nothing--she, who had
once been such marvel of delicate and
coquettish charms
''It seemed to me that | had known
her but yesterday, and to find her thus
againi 1t was impossiblel A violent
pang wrung my heart. | rebelled
against nature and her brutal, infamous
work of destruction! l looked at her
with frightened eyes. When took her
hand in mine, tears dimmed my vision.
l wept for her youth; | wept for her
death. This stout woman was stranger
to me.
"She, too, was touched, and she fall
tered: I am much changed, know. but
it is only natural. am a mother now
nothing but mother-a good mother.
Farewell to everything else that is
passed. did not think that you would
recognize me or that we should ever
meet again. You yourself are not as
you used to be. 1t took me some time
to decide whether was mistaken in my
surmise. Your hair has grown quite
gray. Think of it-12 years is a long
time. My oldest daughter is nearly 10
years DID,
Hooked at the cEild and discovered in
her some Of tho old charms Of her moth
er, undeinablc as yet, uniformed and in
the bud, and life seemed to me nothing
more than rapidly passing train We
arrived at Maissons- Laiitto. kissed
my old friends hand and parted from her
with q few trivial phrases was too
deeply moved to speak.
I'm the evening when was alone ex-
amined my face long tiae in the mir
ror and ended by recalling TO riy mind
the picture of myself as l had Laen in
bygone days, with brown mrstache and
black hair and u yo1ny, fresh face Bnt
now was old. Farewelli''-Guy De
Maupassant. I'll, ,nyleol91