The Wichita daily eagle., 1897-12-30
A Wonderful Christmas Night.
F'rom the French of Fraicois Coppee. II
five parts.)

| five partS.)
| PART IL
| Throwing aside his napkin, NJ. Godefroy
| lifted Raoul to his knee. and taking in his
large, heavy hard the tiny. rosy little fin
gers of the child, he kissed them over and
over again, for the time forgetting utterly
all financial questions, politics and other
| affairs of real importance.
| Papa" chirped the child in his uncer-
tain, llsp.ng tones, ''Zis night it will be ze
| bessed Kismas. VIII zere be anysing in
| my ickle soos?'
| Certainly, if my little boy is good" and
| NJ. Godefroy made a note in the least oc-
| cup;ed, ard best corner of his memory, to
| be sure and buy some toys for Raoul; then,
| turning to the German nurse, VINO had ac-
companied the child, he sad:
"Raoul is always good boy, is he not
| madernoiselle?'
! The 'fraulein," a STUPID looking woman
| of the blonde German type, only replied
| by an idiotlc giggle, becoming the color OF
a tomato under her frowsy light hair.
| at is clear and bright today, but It is
very cold; you viii be sure that the boy is
| warmly wrapped when you take him to the
| Park, mademoiselle?
| Again she answered with the idiotic gig
| gle, which, however, seemed to reassure
the anxious father, who, putting the child
! down from his knee, kissed him goodbye"
| and hurried into the hall, where Charles
| helped him on with his oyercoat, and
| closed the door of the coupe.
Prompt at the Bourse and equally so at
| the other important meetings for which
| he was booked, NJ. Godefroy found himself
| free at 5 o'clock to keep his promise to
| Raoul, and driving to toy shop, he
| bought a quantity Of wonderful things-a
| mechanical horse on wheels, leaden SOL
diers-all as like each other as the regiment
| of Paul l.. who all had black hair and snuD
noses-and many other strange things. with
cranks and without, shining and OF every
| brilliant color.
After seeing them carefully piled without
wrappings, in the carriage, on the cushions,
| and on the rugs. the coachman drove rap
| idly toward home. AS NJ. Godefroy rolled
along comfortably in the luxurious coupe,
he gave himself up TO dreams of the fu-
ture, the future of has boy, of whom he
was. deep down in his heart of hearts, both
| fond and proud.
His Raoul should have every advantage
| that money could give. He should have,
| indeed the education of a prince. Why
not? He would inherit at least thirty mil
ions. He was already four years old, and
| another year. he would be riding his own
little pony. When he was fully grown he
would be entitled to unite his mothers name
to that OF his father, calling himself Code
troy de Neufontaine-Godefroy the first
name, and what a namei full of the cru
sades and the Middle Agesi What a ca
reer the boy would havei What a future
lay before him. And the bourgeois demo-
crat imagined the monarchy restored-in
France everything being poss.ble-and even
pictured his son married into the Fau-
bourg.
There seemed no limit to the ambition of
the rich parvenu, who was far too much
occupied with the earthly glories that were
TO be showered on his Raoul to give SIN
gle thought TO another child, whose birth
place had been stable. and whose birthday
every Christian would celebrate that night,
with hymns of praise and thankfulness.
On reaching his hotel the door was open
ed and he saw, facing him, all the SER
wants of his establishment, standing in the
hail, their coun tenances expressing the
greatest CONSERVATION. Crouching in
corner was the "fraulein," who, on seeing
NJ. Godefroy, covered her swollen eyes with
her hands and uttered a shrek.
Seeing that something was wrong, Mr..
Godefroy exclaimed:
What does this mean? What is the
natter"
Charles, his valet, advanced as spokes-
man, and with eyes full of tears, stammer-
ed out:
m. Raoulr'
M Raoul!' cried N. Godefroy.
Yes, sir-lost, s!r-ever since four o'clock
this afternoon
The poor father started back as if shot,
while the faithless German threw herself a
the top of her sharp, shrill voice, all the
Others talking at the same moment. Charles
went or, his tones growing higher and
higher:
Bertha never took him to the Park Mar
ceau at ALL sir; she went over. way over
to the Notifications, by the Asnieres gate.
She goes there every day, sir, TO meet her
lover-nothing but a Prussian spy, 1t is
a very bad quarter, sir; full of gypsies and
other low creatures. and perhaps they have
stolen him. We sent everywhere for you,
sir, to the banking house, and to the
Chamber. You had just left, but the COM
missioner of police has been notified al
ready, sir.
His child lost, NJ. Godefroy's are ring
ing and his heart is beating like a sledge
hammer, as he seizes the woman by the
arm and shaking her furiously. cries:
Tell me, where did you have him last?
Tell me the truth, girl, or 1 fear 1 may
kill you, Speak,
But she makes no answer. continuing to
sob and implore forgiveness. At last ST.
lence falls upon them, and NJ. Godefroy can
think of what IS TO be done. Surely his
child cannot be lost. actually lost-of course
he will be found. Has he not the power 70
scatter gold right and left and thus keep
the police on the qui vive? And turning to
the now silent group he says:
II am going to police headquarters TO
see the chief. In the meantime do you
watch this woman; do not let her out OF
your sight until l return and he hurries
ont and fings himself into the coupe. or
dering the coachman 10 drive as rapidly