The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1896-02-13
] l FHE ~ NOTARY N. IA s BRIDE.

N THE NOTARY'S BRIDE. \
81 II would be hard ITO eDumerate all
@sthe services rendered Darrieux by his
friend Levignard. 1t may beSthat Dur
rieux realized them, but Levignard
sssnever once suspected. for the reason
%sthat when Durrieux used his friend,
\ he neglected to tell him of it.
;s Durrieux lived at Robigny with his
wife and her niece. When he went to
ssSParis he stoutly declared his intention
Ito return home the same evening, but
;sssoftener it was the next day. He insist
ed that sLevignard had made him lose
.ssthe last train; he did not hesitate to
n add that his companion did it out OF
\ smalice. If Mime. Durrieux was unable
Ito find the 200 francs which she knew
stshc had placed in the drawer, her hus-
,sband had loaned them to Levignarti to
NTelieve him Of temporary embarrass
]. ment. Durrieux even whispered to her
Il that it was some scandal.
Nine. Durrieux stopped him by ex-
"That's enough. l forbid
you to associate with that fellow"
;"You do not know him." answered
Z Durrieux. s'No doubt he. is a bit dis
i sipated, but he has heart of gold. He
lis sowing his wild oats, and l cannot
i abandon him. His father intrusted him
Ito my care; if do not counsel him.
The will become incorporate in his hab-
Its. Fortunately, he is a little afraid
/ of me-"
T. To tell the truth, Durrieux, who had
suddenly become rich in the unbleached
cotton business, had but one desire in
lifc, and that was to go to Paris with
out his wife as often as possible and
,squander his money. He found it con-
t::venient to cast upon the shoulders of
q third person the burden of his own
profligacy. Nine. Durrieux swallowed
these tales without suspicion, and the
sly fellow spent the day after his revel
i'm perfect peace, nursed by his wife,
who was q most estimable creature,
and by her niece, a bright young girl
- whom one could always interest by
telling her that she would be married
some day.
For two or three years Durrieux
made use Of his friend Levignard in
this manner, when the startling news
was received that Levignard was in
'Robigny; that he was going to settle
there and take up the practice of no.
tary.
I This announcement did not please
Durrieux, for he would have to furnish
other excuses in the future to account
for missing the last train from Paris.
'.Now. then" exclaimed Nine. Dur
,rieux, 1--WE shall see great doings; our
young ladies will have to look out for
themselves. Point this rascal out to
me: am anxious to see him.
Her husband was alarmed, but casu-
ally observed: ut is not necessary to
speak to him of the past. 1t would
annoy him, and. besides, it might in
lure him in the community"
But Nine. Durrieux had had plenty
of time to relate the stories confidential
ly to the pharmacists wife, to the col
lector, and to the grocer. who in their
turn had spread them in the ncighbor-
hood, SO that the new notary came to
Eobigny preceded by the most ques-
tionable reputation.
Mime. Durrieux had pictured to her
self a Levignard with waxed mustache
and blond hair falling upon his shout
<lers:' such fop as would wear a long
coat and sigh for becoming uniform.
Now Levignard appeared with long
beard. short black hair, dressed in
severe frock coat and wearing eye
'g1asses. It was great surprise to
Nine. 'Durrieux; nevertheless, she
scanned him cautiously, for one never
1snows-"still water runs Deep" She
had opportunity to observe him closely,
hut she saw nothing to confirm the evil
reports. In thinking it over, she con-
cluied that he must be very clever and
I was concealing his game.
=. Everybody knows how good women
are. how anxious they are to save
soul. It is temptation they cannot
resist, even if it has its perils. and they
enter into it with their whole hearts.
, Sometimes they neglect their hus-
bands. We do not accuse Nine. Dur
rieux Of this. To be sure, she nour-
.ished more and more a secret resent
91nent against her husband because he
had not resisted the evil advice of his
<lissolute friend. On the other hand,
she regarded the new notary with an
{ indulgence more and more marked,
and she bravely undertook the task Of
pointing out to him the path OF a sedate
life; but she never went beyond the
limits of a conventional sermon.
\ g She lectured Levignard without show
ing her usual sympathetic tenderness,
and yet he was SO far encouraged by
her gentleness that he resolved to put
ra1. end to the lectures by asking for the
.t.hand of her niece. He had seen her
about. and besides had heard that she
would have dowry, and that would be
quite useful to a notary.
M s"Neveri"' said Nine. Durrieux.
Z t'''Nevcr, so long as live! No. indeed!"
And the good woman dismissed him
with so much energy that a casual OBJ
server might have thought there was
some spite about it.
Born of French parents, bachelor,
I, honorably discharged from his ~regi-
= rpro I7uo 70 ,f In W n loSft q M.