Democratic Northwest and Henry County news. [volume] (Napoleon, O. [Ohio]) 1894-1905, 1894-05-24

Of the house, and making herself as
little as possible in her corner. In
spite Of her many vanities and foolish
actions Madame Cladat's heart was
still in the right place and she vas
accessible TO pity, and that is how the
idea came to this pretty woman that
poor Palette might not be happy
either. Palette was a woman who
seemed TO have suffered, and Madame
Cladat. who lately had become very
sorry for herself, liked to fell sorry for
another. She said, turning suddenly
to the working girl:
"How old are you, Palotte?S
"Thirty years old 10 the month os
May next" replied the latter, little
surprised.
hardly twenty-five or tbree. You
are still and you must have bsen very
pretty"
"Oh, no. madame. / was only young,
that is all. But was always pale, al
ways sickly looking. have had very
little good health"
"Truly, my poor Palotte?"
And the two women commenced to
chat; Madame Cladat curious and
kindly, Palette confused at q display OF
such unexpected interest.
" "Come, Palette, confess. Madame
desires to know why you did not
marry"
"Ah, madame, my story is not gay
one. AS far back as | can remember l
can hear mamma cough, cough, cough.
and see her sink exhausted into her
armchair, and remember her drawing
me to her and gazing at me so sorrow
fully with her great sad eyes. 1mme-
diately after my birth consumption de.
veloped itself. Mamma lived seven
years, battling against this disease.
Papa was good workman, but he was
not we'll either. He only lived Q few
months after mamma. 1t seems that
he contracted Sher disease taking care
of her. Then l was placed IN care OF
the sisters, who were very good to me,
and who taught me my trade. / was
often Ill at the orphanage. The doctor
sounded my lungs, made wry face and
ordered me codliver oil. Then 1t was
that | gained my name of Palette. !
told myself.a soon as was old enough
to reflect upon my condition, that !
had inherited my parents malady, and
that l would not live very long. In
deed, l could die without regret-I was
so alone in the world. But six months
after l had entered Madame HamePs
employ, the fashionable lingerie OF the
Rue Royale, met relation, a nephew
OF my father, who had just finished
serving his time in the army. Victor
was steady man, earned good wages
as a cabinet-maker, found me to his
taste and proposed that we should
marry. Oh, how I loved him! But
how could l? was feeble and weak:
would cause him endless sorrow on
account OF my health, perhaps commu,
neate the disease to him; bring chill
dren into the world who would be sick
ly like myself, and they would early be
left orphans. He begged me earnestly
to become his wife, but always made
the same answer: No, Victor; that
would not be sensible Then, from
spite perhaps, he turned his attention
to -Rosalie, companion, who always
accompanied me for appearance sake.
when Victor would see me home from
the shop. And hardly had seen that
he was commencing to love her when
II understood that I loved Victor
more than I had believed. All the
same l kept up my courage and
said to myself, 1T is best thus.
l must confess I helped on the mar
riage. l was wrong to do that Ro
sale was bad woman. At the end o.
four wears she ron away from Victor
leaving him with two little boys. Il
was a terrible blow to him. At frs!
the unhappy man took to drinking, but
shamed him out of it and he finally
became reconciled. Then | went tc
lodge in the same house with him and
helped him to bring up the little ones.
They are now nine and ten years OF
age, and all I ask is that l may be
spared until they are old enough to be
apprenticed to some good trade. You
see, madame, that was right when
said my story was not gay one. How
ever. one must never complain. have
this poor mans friendship he respects
me as he would the Holy Virgin; the
boys are grand little fellows; they dc
mot resemble their mother at all, and il
you could only see them throwing theil
|arms around Aunt Palotte's neck al
soon as get home! Everything Is 60
ling smoothly just now. have more
work than I can do, and passed las
winter without an attack OF bronchitis
and when / see 80 many poor people
around me I feel that, in truth, / have
Ino right to say that am unhappy"
Not unhappyl Not unhappy! DIX
YOU hear aright? Did you understand
Inv pretty little lady? Palette Is no
unhappy! And her whole life has beer
lone OF self-abnegation, duty, work, III
l;nress, suffering and devotion! II Pa
llbtte does not complain, who, then, are
the unfortunate ones?
Did Madam Cladat ask herself tina
Question? At any rate, when Palott
lhad finished her simple story hoprett.
woman had drawn near to the seam
stress, gazed at her with tear-bedimmet
eyes, and said to her in voice trem
bling with pity and kindness:
'I wish to do something for you
adopted children. We will go toda.
and meet them as they come out o
school, shall we not, Palette? And w
will take them to the confectioner's.
But look at the olook! Almost half
past two, and there in the Louvre, fo
the last twenty-five minutes, the poe
had been changing from one foot to th'
other, standing impatiently before hi
ANTIQUE and impatiently consulting hi
watch every moment. Go back to you
home, Young Isidore. Without know
ling 1t. Palette has called up befor
Madame Cladat and has opened he
eyes to little unhappiness, o httl
real misery, which is for her good.
And Monsieur Cladat had happ
escape on that memorable day. Hi
honor was saved for that once at least
FRANCOIS COPPER
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