Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1895-03-27

~ SAouPuSues pSSs o ADA 20 AoASoS, ~
: valley where a quiet river flowed be-
tween two rows of poplar trees, to 6
little old town with tile-roofed houses
There his early childhood had beer
passed, and later his vacations. Hi
father, who was Registrar in the Office
of the Chief Justice, led q narrow, mo-
notonous life, and he himself was &C
eustomed to hard work and strict dis
cipline. He had Left home when il
his tventy-first year, and had returned
only to attend his fathers funeral.
Possessing a superior intellect and
an iron will, and being an indefatiga.
BILE worker, he had risen rapidly on
the official ladder, and at thirty-eigh
years of age was made Deputy Gov
ernor. Austere, punctual, reserved
and coldly polite, he arrived at hi
Office every morning at exactly ter
O'Clock and remained there until six,
taking work with him when he went
home. Although hs was possessed oi
keen sensibilities, his bearing was SC
reserved and undemonstrative that he
was thought cold and stern.
He saw very little Of society, his life
being devoted to business, and he had
never had enough leisure to think oi
marrying. His heart, indeed. had
once asserted itself before he had left
home, but as then he had neither po.
sition nor fortune; the girl he loved had
refused him in order to marry . rich
*radesman.
This early disappointment had left
in Hubert Boinville feeling of bitter
ness which even the other successes oi
his life could not wholly efface, and
there was still q tinge Of melancholy
in his being. The old lady's voice and
accent had recalled the thought of the
past, and his quiet was overwhelmed
by food of recollections. While he
stood there motionless, with his fore,
head pressing against the window
pane. he was stirring, as one would q
heap of dead leaves, the long slumber'
ing memories of his youth, and like q
sweet delicate perfum, rose the
thoughts of by-gone scenes and days.
Suddenly he returned to his chair,
drew Nine. Blouet's petition to him
and wrote upon it the words: every
deserving case" Then he rang his
bell and sent the document to the
clerk in charge of the relief fund.
On the day of the official assent to
Nine. Blouet's position, NJ. Boinville
left his Office earlier than usual, for
the idea had occurred to him to an.
nounce the good news himself to his
aged country-woman.
Three hundred francs. The sum was
out drop in the enormous reservoir
of the ministerial fund, but to the
poor widow it would be as benefcent
dew!
Although it was December the
weather wss mild, 90 Huhart Rninvilla
walked oil the way to the Rue de Ia
Sante, and by the time he reached his
destination that lonely neighborhood
was wrapped in gloom. By the light
of gas lamp near the Capuchin Con-
vent he saw Number IL" over a half
open door in q rough stone wall, and,
on entering, found himself ip large
market garden.
He could just distinguish in the
darkness square plots of vegetables,
some groups of rose bushes, and here
and there the silhouettes of fruit trees.
At the other end Of the garden two OF
three dim lights showed the front of q
plain, square building, and to this the
Deputy Governor made his way, and
had the good luck to run against the
gardener, who directed him to the
Widow Blouet's lodgings upstairs.
After twice stumbling on the muddy
steps, NJ. Boinville knocked at a door
under which line of light was to be
seen, and great was his surprise when,
the door being opened, he saw before
him girl of about twenty years hold
ing up lighted lamp and looking al
him with astonished eyes. She was
dressed in black and had fair, fresh
face, and the lamp light was shining
on her wavy chestnut hair, round,
dimpled cheeks, smiling mouth and
impid blue eyes.
'Is this where Nine. Blouet ives?''
asked NJ. Boinville after moments
hesitation, and the girl replied: "Yes,
sir. Be kind enough to walk in.
Grandmother, here is o gentleman
who wants to see you"
81 am coming" cried thin, piping
voice from the next room, and the
next minute the old lady came trot
ting out with her false front all awry
under her black cap, and trying to un.
tie the strings Of O blue apron which
she wore.
"Oh," she cried in amazement on
recognizing the Deputy Governor, sis
it possible, sir2 Excuse my appear.
ancc. I was not expecting the honor
of o visit from You. Claudette, give
NJ. Boinville chair. This is my
grandchild, sir. She is all I have in
the world
The gentleman seated himself in an
antique armchair covered with Utrecht
velvet, and cast rapid glance round
the room, which evidently served af
both parlor and dining room.
1t contained very little furniture
A small stove OF white Delft ware, next
to which stood an old-fashioned oaker
clothes-press, q round table covered
with oilcloth and somo rush-bottom
chairs, while on the wall hung two old
colored autographs. Everything was
very neat and the place had an old
time air of comfort and rusticity. NJ.
Boinville explained the object OF his
visit in few words, and the widow
exclaimed:
"oh, thank you, siri How good You
are? It is quite true that pleasant sur
prises never come singly. My grand
child has passed. an examination In
telegraphy, and while she is waiting
for a position she is doing q little
painting for one and another. Only
to-day she has been paid for a large
order, and so we have made up our
minds" said the grandmother, ''to
celebrate tho event by having only
homo dishes for dinner. The gar
doncr down stairs gave us a cabbage,
some turnips and potatoes to make a
potee. We bought a Lorraine sausage,
and when you came in I had just made
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