Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1895-05-09

| DluSn.
why not?" continued Bruno. I'VE
are fond of you, Michel. But it was
not for US to say anything; your father
! has money"
"Ohr
This question of money shamed the
young man.
MY father would have it So" he
said resolutely.
I Justine raised her eyes to him. took
| his hands between her and extended
them on the table. 1t seemed like an
oath taken, and a bright vision passed
before all of them in silence. Justine
moved nearer to her lover. pressed
closely against him and encouraged
him to trust and to wait.
He went away, filed with regrets.
tOrmented by a remOrSe. All accom-
panied him to the threshold. Bruno in
advance. Then, with a movement of
courage and will, Michel said to the
master of the farm:
My father esteems you: he will only
do what l wish
And he departed. Justine saw him
through the shadows mounting the hill
path. He walked quickly. agitated by
his new sufferings. For the first time
in his life he thought things no longer
appeared to him as they had hitherto
appeared.
A voice spoke to him confusedly,
awaking dreams in his soul, JOY in
his flesh. He also felt fear He tried
to drive away the memory of Justine,
but this memory chung to him, shining
, like a tender light. In his absorption
he went by the gate of his fathers in
closure.
On discovering what he had done he
ran back, entered the cottage hur-
riedly, and, face to face with his
father, felt as if he had suddenly been
turned into a block of ice. Roch
scOlded.
'Where have you come from? From
Bruno's? Ohio" And bursting into
a loud laugh, he added: "By your
hang-dog look one would imagine that
you have been up to some mischief.
What ais you?'
| The old miSer then TRANQUILITY seated
himself at table and helped the stew.
| While they were eatirg Michel eyed
his father furtively, watching for the
moment to explain himself.
| "Well-what's the matter with you?"
repeated the old man.
/ 81 daren't-'
81 know: you need not tell me- It is
this marriage business that worries
you and you have some notion of your
own.
Michel nodded.
Justine pleases you, them"
! The young man looked at his father
and resolutely replied: Eyes"
what about me?"
! Michel was silent; his weakness and
cowardice came back; he was afraid Of
offending the miser.
! Don't be uneasy" said the old man.
justine is your taste, but what dowry
will she have? Her parents are not
rich, l believe, while you will have
money and rich lands, you know"
: eyes"
/ ooh. I know that they are honest
people and that with them my vines
have nothing to fear"
Filled as he was with anxiety, Michel
knew not what to say; his heart was
overlooking with love and eternity.
"You are an odd fellow; but we'll
after all, why should I not accept JUS
tine? I prefer people who have sur
mounted privation and poverty" And
with a decided tone and gesture he
added: ''Well, Well see about it-that
will remind me of past happiness and
of your poor mother"
! He scratched his forehead, dried his
eyes; big tears were running down his
cheeks.
"I'll have it so-but on one condition.
It's fancy of mine"
Michel turned pale, and his lips
quivered and he leaned back a little
in his chair, as if terrified by these
strange eXuberances.
I "You will marry-that is settled; but
I'll not give you the money till you
my name" And he laughed boistsr-
ously, Michel observing his obviously.
! $50 it be, father-I accept
They struck hands on the bargain
made
! Three months afterward Michel and
Justine We're married and living at
Bruno's farm by the torrent. Michel
still worked at his fathers vines. but
Justine never went beyond the in
closure. All were happy. The miser's
fortune slept TRANQUILITY underground
in some unknown nook.
But, near all this happiness and hope
fulness, death was keeping watch.
One evening, the miSer, while doing
something in the interior of his cottage,
slipped, fell on his head and expired.
When he was found-the next morn
ing-his body was cold and rigid.
Naturally the old mans treasures oc-
CURED to the minds of all: had he been
murdered by some robber? Everybody
on the farm, including Olympic, set to
searching the whole of ROch's land;
but nothing was discovered. The cot
tage. with its barred door. would
speedily have fallen into ruins under
the beating of the rain: but they kept
it intact, as q sacred altar.
/ The spring arrived, and Justine be-
came a happy mother. With the
spring. too, came a long and heavy
downfall of rain. Michel, Bruno and
the women. who sometimes trembling
entered the dead mans domain. went
to see what effect the deluge had had
uDOn the emDty cottage They ODpnpd