Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1895-06-22

had become of her. Eh bien, ma chere
annie, believe me, if you will, that that
day felt the most miserable, the most
bitter grief of love, and for long months
was not consoled."
"And is that all?" asked the come
dienne.
without doubt"
"Fabrec, you are hoaxer, and you
hock me with your souvenirs of your
itudent days.
Suddenly the condolences maid in
terrupted them, saying:
Madame, madame, the monsieurs
and the ladies are getting into the car
riages. They are waiting only for you. "
And the voice of the manager was heard
up the stairway:
mile. Cherubinl Quick We are
late!''
In moment the waiting woman had
enveloped Sophie in her furs, taken the
packages from the hands of the dresser,
and the two women had flown away
with an eau revoir, Fabrec," from the
actress
The deputy was about to start in his
turn when old Constance approached
him, and lifting her face full of misery
murmured timidly:
"Monsieur?'
"Hein? What, my good woman?"
II have a request to make of you.
VOLTA, am i'll no longer have my
health, and it is with difficulty I do
my work. l would like to be admitted
into hospital for incurables.
"Very we'll, the next time come you
can give me note" responded Fabreo
absently.
But the dresser had not finished. "And
then, monsieur, there is thing which
will perhaps interest you further. 1
have heard everything when you were
talking with madam. l am Blanche
Lilas. "
Fabrec made an involuntary exclama-
tion and recoiled step. Blanche Lilasl
Blanche Lilas so horrible an old beggar,
with the face of a death mask, he cried
nervously, almost fearfully:
How old are you, them"
The old woman smiled pitifully:
"Not so old as l appear, it is true. I
udN0 ldu SO SuC
groaned. II am now 62, and was al
ready al years old when you first saw
me. One cannot judge of the age of an
actress from the stalls, as you said
moment ago, but that did not prevent
my receiving my dismissal that very
year because they found me too old.
Misery followed Immediately. Three
months after leaving the theater was
working in kitchen. Not very long
after that an old friend who plays the
dolard here got me this place of dresser.
But l am at the end of my strength.
There is nothing but hospital that
will please me now. My request is to
the public assistance You can ask in
my real name, Constance Poireau. And
since in the days, monsieur, you have
paid me attention.
She stopped, as though ashamed, as
though fear''g to displease in insisting
upon this souvenir to the man whose
aid she solicited. Happily for her he
was kind hearted
Twill go. Twill go tomorrow" said
he in voice that trembled little.
REST assured I will strike the officers
Of the hospitals and put fire under their
stomachs And if for the moment'-
his fingers were at his pocket hole-'I
can be useful"-
She made a dignifed gesture of re-
fusal.
'"Thank you, monsieur, all that de-
sire is to enter the hospital. There with
my little annuity from the Society of
Artists l will be perfectly happy"
With cordial movement before quit
ting her he extended his hand. When
she had put her own wrinkled and dry
hand in his, he could not repress shud-
der to think that 20 years before he
would have cried with joy if he had
been able to depose upon that same hand
his timid kiss of adolescence From
the French of Francois Coppee