The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1896-01-03

EMBARRASSING OK Your sOuDlne9S mat
teri. n It IL imperatively necessary
that you should understand them
thoroughly
She shrugged her shoulders YEARLY.
IT Is useless, quite useless. I am
utterly unable to think, to understand.
Andsthet, you know, I know nothing Of
business matters, interest, and all that
Certainly, he did know 1t. He knew
well. only too well, that frivolous, child
ish mind. governed by caprice alone. In
capable Of n serious thought, Of n
mental effort whatever. He continued,
nevertheless, in a still graver tone:
These matters are most important,
however. my dear madam. for on you
alone rests the responsibility Of di-
recting you household. Of watching
over the interests Of your children"
At this e%vocation of her irreparable
loss, the poor lady could no longer re-
strain her tears. The visitor ceased
speaking, evidently distressed by this
the innocent cause.
You torture me, you torture me,
Monsieur de Riez," she exclaimed; ''do
you not see how you max me suffer-"
ALAS! madam" he replied, lido you
not know that it is inexpressibly pain
full to me to speak to you as I have just
done-and yet I have not reached the
end. What remains to be said is still
more painful for me to say, and for
you to hear"
after what 1 have suffered, can any
thing be painful?" she murmured, try
ing, but vainly, to stife her sobs. The
chancellor looked at her with such pro-
found commlseration that she shud-
dered.
"Ah! what is it? whatEhave you to
say to me, Monsieur de Riez?"
I'm the first place, madam, I must
tell you that the French government
will e a consul-general here soon.
andait will be necessary for you to pre-
pare to leave this house."
"Can it be true? I had not even
thought of anything SO dreadful. 1t is
cruel to take ever my house from me-"
Tears flowed in torrents down her pale
cheeks.
Leave our home! oh, can it be pos
sible?" exclaimed Martha.
Monsieur de Riez," said Madam de
Sorgnes, in a calmer tone, lis there no
way of arranging this matter? This
house, where I have lived so happily
with my husband, is very lear to me.
There are other mansions in Smyrna
suitable for the consulate. I wish to
purchase this one" @'t
The chancellor started, and his kind
face became very sad.
you do not know, dear madam" he
said, you have never known, for you
good husband shielded you from all
care, the anxieties by which he was
often well-nigh overwhelmed. He did
not, however, he could not, foresee this
,terrible denouement-so sad to all of
rus. Even I, who thought I knew all,
was far from suspecting-'
"What do you mean?" stammered the
llpoor lady, while the two young girls
land the governess looked at him with
horror-stricken faces.
you must know all, my dear
madam" he answered. ''Ihe situation.
the painful situation, demands certain
steps which must be taken at once"
Speak! speak plainly, that 1 ma I'M
derstand YOU" said the widow, grow
ing still more agitated.
'Allow me, then, lear madam, to
state as briefly as possible these most
painful details. These are the facts:
Monsieur de Sorgnes, a most skillful
%fnancier, has for many years engaged
in the boldest stock speculations. For
some time he was very successful, but
his expensive Of living swal-
lowed up this money as fast as it was
made. The last few years have been
most disastrous-but his was one Of
those brave, hopeful hearts not easily
cast down. In order not to change his
manner of living, in order not to de-
prive his idolized wife and children Of
the luxuries to which they had been
accustomed, he was forced to borrow
money. Everything leads me to be-
lieve that, had he lived, all would
have gone well; but now"
Madame de Sorgnes listened in a sort
Of stupor, not understanding the full
meaning Of these terrible words, not
so suddenly opened before her, but
trembling from head to foot, with a
nameless terror Of the future.
"And them she murmured, not hav-
ing courage to give utterance to her
fears. Monsieur de Riez avoided a di-
rect reply.
you see, my dear madam, that the
situation is very grave, and that 1t
must be carefully weighed by you.
Now hat you are in some degree pre-
pared, shall we: examine together all
this business, in detail? AS chancellor
of the consulate, and as the dearest
friend Of the deceased, the whole re
sponsibility devolves on me. You know
my love for your husband. I wish to
show to his wife and children the
n 81 - Saxrntioh tho co - a ono1 %E4H@S4aE