The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1897-10-20

In the tenement-a ryeat beehive OF la
borers in tho Rue Delambre-where Tony
Robec had occupied n room for sorze time,
everybody thought him widower, and not
long one, for his little boy who lived with
him, was barely 9. Neither father nor
p son, however, wore band Of Grape on hat
OF sleeve
Very early every day Tony Robcc, who
was compositor In a Latin quarter print
ing house, started out with little Adrian
drowsily lying over his shoulder, and left
him at IA school In the neighborhood The
days work dono, he came after the little
man, and leading him by the hand, stop
ped at the butchers and the grocer's, fill
ing tho child's basket with their dinner,
as "a careful housewife would have dor ,.
Then he returned and shut himself in un-
til the morrow.
The sympathizing women pitied tho
poor father, still under 40, good looking
and SO sad, with his pale face and black
beard sprinkled with gray. "He should
marry again" said they. "A nice fellow,
never drunk. Surely he would have no
trouble in finding good girl TO care for
him and his kid. Have you noticed how
well cared for the little one lisp Not spot
or hole anywhere. An orderly man,
that's easy to see, and 1t seems he earns
his 10 francs n day too"
1t was their desire to know him. Or
dinarily It Is not difficult to be neighborly
In tenements where people live with OPEN
doors, but Tony had such an air of reserve
and SO polite n way of bowling on the stairs
that he intimidated them Every Sunday
the father and son, neat as new pennies,
went out to walk. They were seen often
In the museums and in tho Jardin des
Plantes. They had been observed, too, be-
fore dinner at tho little cafe on the corner
where Tony allowed himself weekly
treat and drank an absintho slowly In lit
tle sips, while Adrian, sitting by him on
the leather bench, looked at the illustrated
papers.
"No," said the janitress, who was senti-
mental, THAT widowcr will never marry
Last Sunday we met him in the Montpar-
nasse cemetery. Doubtless his wife Is
buried there. IL was sad TO sec him with
his orphan beside him. He must have
adorcd her. IL is rare, but there are some
like that-inconsolablc.
Alas, yes Tony Robcc had loved his
wife tenderly and was inconsolable over
her loss, but he was not n widower.
Very simple and unhappy his life had
been.
A conscientious workman, but indiffer-
emily gifted for the trade, il had been late
before no could earn passablc living, and
for this reason he had no thought of mar
rying until he was more than 30 He
should have mated with sensible girl,
acquainted, like him. with hardship. But
love does not bother with ''shoulds. 2"
Tony lost his head over the pretty face
of flower maker 10 years old, good no
ht,t fri ha-
yond dress, and able, moreover, TO array
herself like a little princess with few bits
of finery.
He had saved enough TO start nicely in
housekeeping, even buying wardrobe
with mirror-S0 francs in the Faubourg
st. Antoine, II you pleasc-in which his
wife could see herself from head TO foot.
He married his Clementinc and at first
everything was delicious. How they loved
each otherl They had two rooms five
flights up on the Boulevard Port Royal
with little balcony and view over all
Paris.
Every evening on leaving his printing
Office, Tony Robec, in his ovcrcoat which
hid his working clothes and made him
look almost u gentleman, waited on the
corner of the Bridge of the Holy Fathers
for his little wife, who came from her fac
tory In the Faubourg ST. Honore. Arm in
arm, pressed side 10 side, they hurried
home gayly to prepare the little evening
meal
The Sundays were especially delightful
It was SO nice at home that they never
went out. Oh, the cozy little lunches in
summer with the windows flung open
over the great city, letting in the blue sky
While he slipped his coffee and whitfield a
cigarette, Clementine watcred the flower
boxes on the balcony. Then he would rise
to kiss the back of her neck stop, how
silly you arcl" she would cry. Then all
at once n baby came, their little Felix
whom they went TO SEQ at Margeney
where his nurse lived, every two weeks
He died in commissions. They were soon
reconcilcd by the birth of Adrian, and as
his mother wished To caro- for him herself,
she left the factory and took work at
home, earning only half as much, but still
managing TO gown herself as gayly rs ever
She played the lady in the Luxembourg
gardens, pushing tho baby before her in
little wicker carriage, and Tony had TO
work like four mon and take employment