Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1897-08-12

things went badly; they got in debt
Fhe child grow. was Weaned and sent
to the day nursery, and the mother.
often idle. always 4 coquette. began to
have dangerous adventures. Can you
not see the whole tragedy? The poor
man, worn with toll, aged before his
time. and this frivolous 20-year-old with
the pretty Greuze head? One evening,
coming home with his boy. whom he
had called for at the nursery on his
way, Tony Robec found letter on his
mantelpice, and when he opened it
Clementine's wedding ring fell out. In
the letter the wicked girl babe him and
their boy farewell and begged them to
forgive her
oh. romantic jury, who thirst for
blood and who always acquit the in
iured husband who kills his wife and
her lover, you will find poor Tony very
ridiculous and even a little culpable.
for he had more sorrow than anger in
his heart. He wept bitterly, and when
Adrian said to him: where is NAM
ma? VIII she come back soon ?" he en-
braced the child tenderly and answered:
Il do not know" Clementine fled early
in May. Oh. how hateful is the odor
of lilaes-sometimes! When July came
Tony sold his small stock of furniture.
paid his debts and came to live in the
Rue Delambre, where he was unknown.
There he lived so quietly, so discreetly,
that they took him for a widower.
Toward the end of September Tony re-
ceiyed a letter from his wife-four i'm
coherent and desperate pages, blotted
with tears. Her lover. a medical stu
dent, had gone on vacation to his fam
lily in the provinces. and for five weeks
he had not written nor given any sign
of life. She was abandoned, deceived
in her turn, the traitoress. and she re
pented and implored, begged for grace.
Poor Tony was heartbrollen, but re-
assure yourselves, ferocious jurymen,
with the souls of the Moor of Venice.
and. if you please. give a little of your
respect to the unfortunate man. He
proudly refused an answer to his guilty
wife.
There had been no more news Of
Clementine until Christmas. On that
day for several years he had been in the
habit of going with is wife to lay Il
modest bouquet,-some frozen violets
and a dropping rose between-on the
grave of their tiny Felix, their first
born, who had died away from them
but whom they had lainin Mount Par
nassus, to be near in death. For the
first time Tony must make this pill
grimage alone with Adrian, and as he
entered the cemetery gates, under
gloomy winter sky, he felt more sorrow
than ever before at the absence of his
faithless wife. where is she now|'
he thought. what has become of he1?'
But when he reached the grave of Felix.
which he found with difficulty, he
started in surprise. There lay on the
small stone three or four playthings,
such as poor children possess-a horn,
punchinello, a toy dog; they had just
been placed there, for they were new
had evidently recently been purchased.
".Ah, the playthings," cried Adrian. as
he spied the Offering. But the father.
seeing a piece of paper pinned to them.
leaned over, took il, and read these
words in a writing he remembered too
we'll: For Adrian, from his brother.
Felix, who is now with the infant
Jesus"
Suddenly he felt his sons arms about
his neck and heard him cry in fright
cned voice Mamma" and there, few
feet away. .llneeling under a group OF
cypress. be saw woman dressed in the
rarh of poverty. 0. 50 pale. with stream
ing eyes. who held ont her arms toward
him in supplication.
Between ourselves, gentlemen of the
most sanguinary jury, ] do not believe
Tony Robec thought just then OF hin
" no was born on that Christmas day
and who taught by precept and example
| the forgiveness of injury. The poor
workingman had very little religion.
But his plebian heart ignored both self
| love and hate. With shudder, caused
less by the Thought of the old injury
than by pity at seeing the woman he
had once loved in such miserable
plight, he pushed her little son so gently
toward her. Adrian" said he, ''go and
kiss YOUR mother" She clasped her son
in a desperate embrace and kissed his
curly head in a passion of tenderness.
Then she rose and turned beseechinS
glance on her husband. How good you
! are" she murmured. But he already
stood at her side, and replied, vita
parched lips, almost harshly: DO not
speak, and give me your arm II was
not far from the cemetery to the Rue
Delambre; they hurried home; Tony
felt Clementine's arm tremble in his
own. The child walked beside them alb
sently admiring his playthings.
The concierge of the house where
Tony lived met them at the door
MADAME" he said, this is my wife
who has been in the country for sin
months with her sick mother, and who
now will live with me here" And they
mounted the staircase while he almost
| carried the Door woman, overcome Wi i