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

~ Blouet, sir? aske(
10y an attendant, as b,
| W. g opened the door O
xN n the Deputy Gov
@SI1A(E& ernor's Office.
EMEk6 1t was q large
HSNNSNNWSVNM severe lookinf
! &AIyMNSINM&W apartment, with {
&ysSENNMSMSNW very high ceiling
SlsN*NNANSSNW two windows drapet
llSSISs&S@H with green damass
@@ curtains, walls ani
armchairs of the same color, and
heavy bookcases Of mahogany. The
highly waxed floor reflected the cold
symmetry of the official furniture, and
the mirror over the mantelpiece repro.
| duced with exactness q black marble
clock, two bronze lamps and pair oi
gilt candlesticks.
Hubert Boinville, the Deputy Gov.
ernor. was seated, with his back to the
fireplace, at a large mahogany desh
which was Uttered over with deeds
and various papers. He raised his
grave, melancholy face, which wal
framed in brown beard, tinged with
o few gray hairs, and his black eyes,
! with tired-looking lids, glanced at the
. card which the solemn usher handed
to him.
On this card was written in a trem>
bling hand, "Veuve Blouet" (Widov
Blouet), but the name conveyed no in.
formation to him and he put it down
impatiently.
at is an old lady, sir" said the at.
! tendant, in explanation. ''Shall Isend
her away?"
"No; let her come in" replied the
Deputy Governor, in tone of resig
! nation.
The usher Strengthened himself up
in his uniform, bowed, and disap.
peared, returning the next minute to
show in the visitor, who stopped on
the threshold and dropped an old.
fashioned courtesy.
She was little old lady, dressed in
shabby mourning. Her black merino
gown had q greenish tinge, and was
wrinkled and darned; o limp Grape
veil, which had evidently served
through more than one period OF
mourning, hung down on each side
from an old-fashioned bonnet, and be-
| meath front of false brown hair was q
round, wrinkled face with bright little
eyes, a small mouth and no teeth.
Sir" she began, in q somewhat
breathless voice, 81 am the daughter,
sister and widow of men who served
their country. applied some time
ago to the department for help and
have como to see whether there is any
hope"
The Deputy Governor listened with
out moving muscle of his face. He
had heard 30 many applications of this
Sindl
'Have you ever received any assist
ance?" he asked coldly.
| 'tNo, sir" she replied. IT have
managed to get on until now without
asking. I have a small pension"
"Ah!" he interrupted in dry tone,
'in that case am afraid We can dc
nothing for you. We have a great
many applicants who have no pension
to rely upon"
"Ah, listen, sir !" she cried despair.
| ingly, 81 have not explained every.
thing. had three sons, and they are
all dead. The last one taught mathe-
natics, and one day during the winter,
when he was going from the Pantheon
to Chaptal College, he caught violent
cold, which settled on his lungs and
carried him off in two weeks. He had
supported me and his child by teach
\ ing; the expenses of his illness and
death used up all our little savings,
and I had to raise money on my
pension. Now I am alone in the
world with my grandchild, and we
have nothing. I am eighty-two years
old, SIR"
Tears had gathered under her wrin-
kled eyelids as she spoke. and the Dep
uty Governor was listening more at.
tentively than at FIRST. Apeculiar sing
ing intonation of the speakers voice,
md the sound of certain provincial ex.
,ressions seemed to his ears Ike once
.amiliar music the old lady's way o1
| speaking had for him q flavor of home
which produced o most singular sensa.
tion in his mind. Herang his bell and
sent for Nine. Blouet's "papers, and
when the sedate usher had laid thin
| package before him he examined the
yellow pages with evident interest.
''You are from Lorraine, I see, mad
nme," he said at last, turning towards
! her q face less stern, and ON which a
A, faint smile was seen; II suspected il
from your accent"
eyes, sir; I am from Argonne," she
answered. "And you recognize my
accent2 I thought had long since
lost it. I have been knocking about
Franco like flying camp"
Tho Deputy Governor looked with
increasing compassion at the poor
widow whom q harsh wind had torn
from her native forest and cast into
Paris like q withered leaf. He felt his
official heart growing eoftcr, and smil-
ing again he said:
81 am from Argonne. I lived nea,
your village for long time, at Cler.
mont" And then he added, Gayly
"Keep DIP your courage. Mime. Blouet.
hope We shall bo abIs to help you.
will you give me your addresss"
''No. II Ruo de In Sante, near tht
Capuchin Convent. Thank you, sir,
for your kindness. i am very glad te
have found fellow-countryman." and
after courtesios tho widow took her de-
partn1e.
A. soon IS SIC Was gone, NJ. Boin
Vile rose, and going to the window
stood looking down into the gardcI
with his face nzaiust the glcss. But
he was Eot iptt ing st the tops of thu
half lesfess che. .tnut trees his dreamy