The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-05-19
THE ADOPTED SON.

From the French of Guy Manpassant.
Mile. Source had first adopted the boy in
very sad circumstances. She was SO years
of age, and her deformity (she had slipped
from her nurses knee as a child and had
fallen into the fireplace, burning her face
so that she was repulsive to look UPON
had decided her never to marry, for she
did not wish to be married for her money.
A neighbor had died in giving birth to
the boy but had not left sou for his sup
port. Mile. Source took care of the child,
nursed him, educated him, sent him to
school, and when he was IA years of age,
took him back again, so as to have in her
empty house some one who would love her
and take care of her in her old age.
She lived in pretty place in the country,
four leagues from Rennes, and at present
she had no servant. Her expenses had
doubled since she had taken charge of this
orphan, and her 5000 francs were no long
er sufficient for three persons.
She attended to the housekeeping and
the kitchen herself, and she sent the little
fellow on errands and employed him in
the garden. He was gentle, timid, silent
and devoted, and she experienced a deep
joy, novel JOY in being embraced by him
without his being frightened by her ugli-
ness. He called her aunt and treated her
as a mother.
In the evenings they would sit in the
corner of the fireplace while she prepared
some palatable little dish. She would
warm some wilma and toast a slice or two
of bread and make jolly supper for them
before going to bed. Often, too, she would
take him upon her knee and cover him
with caresses, while in his ear she muir
INJURED loving and tender words. She call
ed him my little flower, my cherubim,
my heavenly treasure" and he allowed
her to do it, and liked it, hiding his head
on the shoulder of the old spinster.
Although he was now close upon y years
OF age he was frail and slightly built and
looked sickly. Sometimes Mile. Source took
him to the town to see two of her relations
two distant cousins. who had always felt
annoyed with her for having adopted the
boy, on account of her money. But they
received with open arms when she called
still hoping that she would leave them
something, perhaps third only, but still
something
She was always happy when engaged
with the child. She bought him books to
improve his mind, and he read them vor-
aciously one evening he did not climb on
her knees, but sat on his little chair in the
chimney corner and opened his book The
lamp placed on the table behind his head
lit up his curly hair and a part of his fore
head. He did not move, did not lift his
eyes or make a gesture, but read on, alb
sorbed in the story of adventure before
him She scat opposite him looking at him
with ardent, staring eyes, jealous of the
attention he was giving his book.
Now and again she spoke to him
hoping that he would raise his head and
come and kiss her. But he did not answer,
had not heard. He knew only what he was
reading in the magic pages before him.
For two years he devoured an incalculabie
number of books His character began to
change. Several times in succession he
asked Mile. Source for money, and she al
ways gave it TO him. He wanted more and
more and she had at length to refuse him,
for she had energy and order and knew
how to be firm and reasonable when neces-
sary.
BY dint of supplication he obtained from
her one night a considerable sum. But
when, a few days later he implored her
for more, she remained firm and refused
him.
Then the boy became more like his old
self again. He was quiet, as formerly
and liked to sit for hours without making
a movement, with his eyes lowered and his
thoughts in dreamland
He spoke little, even to Mile. Source, and
only replied TO her conversation by short
and curt sentences. He was sweet to her
as ever, but no longer embraced her.
Intthe evening, when they sat opposite
each other in the chimney corner he al
most frightened her sometimes. She
wanted to arouse him from his dreams to
say something-anything to break the op-
pressive silence. But he did not seem to