The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1895-04-11

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 narrow, mo
notonous life,- and he himself was &C
customed to hard work and strict dis
cipline. He had left home when II
his -enty-frst year, and had returned
only to attend his fathers funeral.
Possessing q superior intellect and
an iron will, and being an lndefatlga
bic worker, be had r-sen rapidly on
the official ladder, and at thirty-eight
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 he was possessed o:
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 hac
never had enough leisure to think o.
marrying. His heart, indeed, hao
once asserted itself before he had left
home, but as then he had neither po
sition nor fortune; the girl be loved hac
refused him in order to marry riet
+radesman.
This early disappointment had left
in Hubert Boinville feeling Of bitter
ness which even the other successes o:
his life could not wholly efface, anc
there was still tinge of melancholy
in his being. The old lady's voice ano
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
heap of dead leaves, the long slumber'
ing memories of his youth, and like
sweet delicate perfume 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 hi:
bell and sent the document to the
clerk in charge of the relief fund.
On the day Of the official assent tc
Nine. Blouet's position, N. Boinvile
left his Office earlier than usual, fol
the idea had occurred to him to an
nounce the good news himself to his
aged country-woman.
Three hundred francs. The sum was
ont drop in the enormous reservoir
of the ministerial fund, but to the
poor widow it would be as bene6cent
dew!
Although it was December the
weather was mild, so Hubert Boinvile
walked all the way to the Rue de Is
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 u" over a half
open door in rough stone wall, and,
on entering, found himself in 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
plsin, s; s;c:s-ee
Deputy Governor made his way, and
had the good luck to run against the
gardener, VINO 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, be saw before
him girl Of about twenty years hold
ing up lighted lamp and looking at
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
limpid blue eyes.
els this where Nine. Blouet lives?'
asked NJ. Boinville after moments
hesitation, aud the girl replied: eyes,
sir. Be kind enough to walk in.
Grandmother, here is o gentleman
who wants to see you"
81 am coming" cried o 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 blue apron which
she wore.
'sOh," she cried in amazement on
recognizing the Deputy Governor, sis
it possible, sir? Excuse my appear
ance. I was not expecting the honor
of a visit from you. Claudette, give
NJ. Boinville a chair. This is my
prandchild, 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 as
both parlor and dining room.
1t contained very little furniture !:
4 small stove of white Delft ware, next
t. which stood an old-fashioned oaken
ciothes-press, a round table covered
with oilcloth and some 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 q few words, aad the widow
exclaimed:
"5n, thank you, sir How good you
are? 1t is quite true that pleasant sur
prises never come singly. My grand
child has passed an examination n
tolooronbv and while she is waiting