Evening star., 1896-03-28

will make him marry right soon. 1t Will
be easy to find some pretty girl, with
good education like his. who will make him
happy, and of whom We can feel proud.
All. those lovely plans, where had they
gone? The kind old parents had been fool
ism enough to furnish room in town Tor
their hoy. that he might be more independ-
ent Then he met that woman, and lmme-
diately his studies were dropped. At twen-
ty-five he had not even taken his hcen-
tiate's degree They were dreadfuiiy dis-
appointed. after having built such fine cas-
ties: still they Gid not give mp all nope.
They ccnsoled themselves saying: He is
so your g. 1t Will pass. Let him alone
awhile
But cne day the imbecile had the audac-
ity to inform them that he had adored
this girl and was determined to make her
his wife. This was too much. If Bourgueil
did not fall with a stroke of apoplexy IT
was a miracle indeed; the veins in his
neck were swollen like cords. He ordered
his son out OF the house and cut Off his in
come.
IF ycu dare to give your name to that
woman" the old man rOared, crimson with
wrath. ''you need not expect sou from
either of US as long as We live
But the stubborn, ungrateful boy had
outraged them to the end. and now ne was
married to this doll of his. and living on
a wretched clerks salary. in suburb of
the city-like some vagabondi Poor old
couple, How their sons conduct had made
them suffer for these two horrible years!
Life was a pleasure no longer. and lately
the situation was getting worse every day.
1t was the mothers fault-she was too
wretched and she had relented at last.
Her sorrow had got the better of her re-
sentiment, and now she was actually in
clined to forgive. One day she mustered
up sufficient courage to mention the sub
Ject to her husband. But he fell into
frenzy of passion crying Never" with a
force that shook the doors and windows
forbiddng the poor woman to say another
word about it. She had not the heart to
obey him, and pleaded the cause of the
guilty again and again And at every
new attempt Bourgueil was furious and
made terrible scene. Their home became
a purgatory. These two old people, who
had nothing to reproach themselves WITH
who had loved each other faithfully, who
had lived and toied side by side for more
than thirty years, became almost hostile.
Every night at the dinner table the quar-
rel broke out anew, and it always ended
with some Of those singing thrusts that
wound the heart.
do you want me to tell you what I
think, Bourgueil?' the old woman would
say. You are without pity,''
And you are a coward to want to give
fn,' the mason replied, leaving the room
with stamp of his heavy foot.
Left alone in the soft light of the lamp
in the comfortable parlor. the poor mother,
who was still true to her peasant customs
and retained her white linen caps. would
quietly drop burning tears on her knitting
and pray for Ter boy. Bourgueil had lost
all love for his home. now that he had
continually a sad face TO look upon He
had got into the habit of joining some
friends in a cafe close by where they waited
for MIN fer a game of MANILA. In dealing
out the cards the irritated mason made
long and violent speeches against the pres
ent state OF morals, where paternal author
ity was concerned by children. But he
swore that he, at least, would set good
example; he would be stern to the end He
could speak of nothing else. and his part
ners proclaimed him "a tiresome old fel.
low" soon his back was turned. In
his presence. however, they deplored his
,ll-lrck in having such a scamp of a son.
and highly praised his firmness One man
in. the group, especially, invariably hailed
the mason's imprecations with an approy.
ing word or two: Bravo! Father Bour.
gu.el, you are a Roman!
Bourgueil ives from the province o1
Marche, and possessed very indistinct no.
tions on antiquity Still. he had some ink.
ling of tke story of old Brutus and felt
highly fattered to be compared to such O
parsonage Yet when he left the cafe and
found himself in the cold dark night, he
would say to himself-oh! very softly-tha,
Brutus must have had a cruel hard heart
and that 1t was horrible thing to con.
denim a son to death.
Easter Sunday has come-a joyous, bright
happy day, merry with the chimes of bells
and the promi sc of warm spring days. The
city itself looks gay and coQuettish. Wo-
msn are coming home from church. and al