Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1896-09-10
ushed, confused and happy; he looked

ooh, why are you rich?" Raphael
cried. why is there no vanity N
you? l can do nothing for you"
He rung his hands in despair and
| happiness and love.
Speak, she cried. Go on speak
ing, so long your lips have been dumb
| for me-"
Then you have loved me all along?"
Loved you? Mon Dieu. How often
l have wept here, setting your room
straight, and grieving for your poverty
and my own I would have sold my
self to the evil one to spare you one
veXation You are my Raphael To-
day, really my own Raphael, with that
handsome head of yours, and your
heart is mine, too; yes, that above all,
your heart-O wealth inexhaustible!
Well, where was I?'' she went on after
a pause. "Oh, yes! We have three,
four or five millions, l believe"
Il have millions, too. But what IS
wealth to either Of us now? There is
my life-ah, that l can offer; take it. -
Your love, Raphael, your love is all
of me? I am the happiest of the hap.
pyr'
Kiss mer' she cried, after all the
pain you have given me; to blot out
the memory of the grief that your
joys have caused me, and for the sake
of the nights that I spent in painting
hand-screens-'
"ThOse hand-screens of yours?"
Now that we are rich, my darling
| can tell you all about it. Poor boy!
How easy it is to delude a clever
man! Could you have had white
Waistcoats and clean shirts twice a
week for three francs every month to
the laundress? Why, you used to
drink twice as much milk as your
money would have paid for. l ue-
ceived you all round-over firing, oil
and even money. o Raphael, mine,
don't have me for your wife, l am far
too cunning!' she said, laughing.
But how did you manager"
Il used to work till o'clock in the
morning; l gave my mother half the
money made by my screens, and the
other half went to you
They looked at one another for
moment, both bewildered by love AMI
gladness.
Good heavensr' she cried, looking
at her watch, ''it is 8 o'clock already,
| am mistress of the house at home;
my mother does everything that | wish
and my father worships me. You will
come and see him tomorrow, will you
rot?"
will Madame la Marquise de Valen-
tin honor ne by taking my arm?"
When he was at home seated in his
arm chair beside the fire, thinking
over the sudden and complete way in
which his wishes had been fulfilled, d
cold shiver went through him, as if the
blade of a dagger had been plunged in
to his breast-he thought Of the Wild
ASS Skin and saw that it had shrunk
a little.
He uttered the most tremendous of
French oaths.
Good Cod he cried, every wish!
Every desire of mine! Poor Pauline"
He took a pair Of compasses and
measured the extent of existence that
the morning had cost him.
Il have scarcely enough for two
n,onthsr' he said.
1t was a month later one fine, sum-
mer-like evening that several people
who were taking the waters at AK re-
turned from the promenade and met
together in the salons of the club
Raphael remained alone by the window
for a long time.
Just then a violent fit of coughing
seized him.
His complaint is contagious"
The president of the club ought to
forbid him to enter the salon"
ct is contrary to all rules anG reg
ulations to cough in that way!
when man is as i'll as that he
ought not to come to take the waters"
He will drive me away from the
place"
A tall, strong, good-looking fellow,
who, however, possessed the imperti-
nent stare peculiar to people who have
material force at their back, came out
II am deputed, SIR" he said, coolly
addressing the marquis, ito make you
aware of something which you do not
seem to know; your face and pers IN
generally are a sort of annoyance 10
everyone here, and to me in particular.
You have too much politeness not TO
sacrifice yourself to the public good,
and l beg that you will not show your
self in the club again"
Raphael left the room in the charac-
ter of aggressor, after he had accepted
proposal to meet near the Chateau
de Bordeau, in a little sloping meadow
! not very far from the newly made road,
! by which the man who came off vic
tOrious could reach Lyons. Raphael
must now either take to his bed or
! leave the baths. The visitors had
gained their point. At 8 o'clock next
morning his antagonist, followed by
/ two seconds and a surgeon, arrived
| first on the ground.
Il have not slept all night, sir" So
+ Raphael greeted his antagonist.
There is yet time" he went on, tC
+ offer me some slight apology; and Offer
it you must or you will die, sir! You
, rely even now on your dexterity, and
do not shrink from an encounter II
which you believe all the advantage tC
be upon your side. Very good, ST;
am generous: l am letting you know