Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1894-04-06


ter:
VERSAILLES, May p, 1888.
MY DEAR FATnER-A terrible catastrophe
has befallen me, one which will be blow &c
YOU also. l am writing about 1t because dare
not face you. deserve never TO see you again
Led astray by a companion, have been
gambling on the Bourse and am involved in
Yesterdays crash, in which so many fortunes
have been suddenly swamped.
| scarcely dare to tell you how much have
lost. Yet 1 must do so, for the honor Of the
Sauvaliers is concerned. Alas, you will be all
but ruined!
l owe the sum of 4Gs,OOO francs. Oh, what a
miserable wretch am!
When found that the smash was inevitable.
went mad and entered my room with the in
tentiol of putting an end to my wretched eX-
istence. But more sober thoughts prevailed.
| changed my mind l had heard that officers
were being recruited for Tonquin, and deter
mined to volunteer for this service. My suicide
would not have bettered matters 1t would
rather have left an added blot upon our family
name Out there, at all events, my death may
be OF use. 1t will cause you no shame and may
perhaps move you to a little compassion fol
your guilty but most unhappy and desparing
son, who suffers agOnies at thought OF the trou-
BILE he has brought upon you, and who now bids
you an eternal farewell.
CAMILLE SAUvALLIER
NJ Sauvallier, who had been n wdowel
for several years past, was one of the most
respected business men of Paris-the own
er of a foundry, judge of the tribunal of
commerce and an officer of the Legion OF
Honor. He had two sons-Camille, the
lieutenant and Auguste, an artist of some
originality, who was the husband of a
charming wife and the father of a little
6-year-old maiden named Andree NJ. Sau-
WALLER had always deferred his sons from
emharking i'm trade. He had shrunk from
exposing them to the ups and downs OF
business life, its trying fluctuations, its
frequent cruel mischances He had ar
ranged that at his death his estate should
be realized; he did not wish the business
to be sold outright, in case it should pass
into the hands of strangers, who might
sully the hitherto unblemished name of
Sauvallier.
And now, in spite of all his precautions,
a disaster greater than any he had dream
ed of had overwhelmed him.
Leaning back YEARLY in his armchair,
with haggard eyes he reread his sons let
ter, in order to assure himself that he was
not dreaming. Yes, it was too true Ca.
mile had ruined, perhaps dishonored, him.
1t seemed as though the objects that sur
rounded him-the very walls and furni-
ture-were no longer the same. As one
)
rose with difficulty. his limbs stiff yet his
whole frame agitated. Then he sunk back
into his chair. with two big tears flowing
down his cheeks.
BY hook or by crook he must procure
the sum, and the debt should be paid to-
morrow 1t would be difficult task. The
wealth OF the manufacturer consists OF
material and merchandise Would so hur
ried a realization yield the necessary
amount? lie could not tell. Again, when
this debt was paid, would he be able tC
fulfill his engagements; Bankruptcy star
ed him in the face. A Sauvallier ii bank
rupt? An officer of the Legion of Honor
judge of the tribunal of commerce. III
. SOLVENT Never! He would die first
But before it came to that he would try
every experiment; he would strain every
, nerve.
So all night long the poor man planned
and calculated and i'll the morning, witt
= heavy heart, proceeded to put his plans
into effect.
He visited his numerous friends and tolt
them of his trouble, which elected mucl
sympathy. In order to help, some made
large purchases of him, paying ready mon
ey Others advanced or lent him money
All day until the evening he WAS running
about Paris collecting checks, bank note
and orders.
In the evening, as he sat down to ascer
tain the result of the days efforts, Au
guste came in with his wife and Andree
70 help his father the artist had parte,
with some of his pictures at sacrifice
and lie now brought the sum thus gained
Andree, unconscious of the trouble o
her elders, began to play with her Jean
;Iie, Il doll nearly as big as herself, whicl
her grandfather had given her some tim
previously, and which she loved, she said
las her own daughter"
But the child soon observed the sadness
of her parents and her dear grandfather
and she looked with earnest inquirin.
gaze from one to the other, trying to dis
cover what was amiss. She saw her fathe
lay down his pucketbook; she watched he
mother place upon the table her bracelets
necklaces, earrings and rings, while NJ
SauVallier thanked hem with tears in hi
eyes. With very thoughtful, serious ex
preston on Ler littls face, the child turn
ed toward her doll, embraced it with TIA
emotional fervur of last adieu, then car
ried it TO her grandfather, saying in sweet
resigned tones Take it, graudpapa! You
can sell her too"
NJ. SauVallier wept upon the neck of hi
little granddaughter, murmuring: "Yol
also, my angel Oh, that miserable boy 7
Thus Camillrs debt was paid, and tn
honor of the Sauvalliers was saved Blu
the fathers fortune had gone
He was able, however, to retain his bust
ness. lie said to himself that he mus
work still, in spite of his threescur
years that he must labor necessarily
with the anxious ardor of those beginning
life with nothing to rely upon save thei
own eXertions.
He reduced his expenses, gave up hi
own house aud went to live with his son
sold his carriage and horses, discharge,
his servants and stinted himself in ever
possible way. Auguste became his design
er, Auguste's wife his clerk. Each accept
ed his or her share of the burden bravel
and uncompiuiningly, as an important du
~ which must Mt any cost be accomplish
ed.
The conduct of this old man, so jealou
for his name, so upright, so courageous il
misfortune, excited profound sympathy
All who knew him pitied him; orders flow
ed in, and soon quite exceptional activi
ty pervaded the establishment from base