Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1898-04-21

selfishness then, and began to take
her usual role of comforter.
Darling, do not be SO miserable"
she said, stroking back the over
hanging hair from his forehead. 1T
will not be so bad as we think, per-
haps; you will hear of some work. or
something will happen before long.
After all we still have each other,
and besides that, we have not lost
everything"
But it is mpossible-utterly i'm
possible-that we can live on what
is left" said Gaspard If we lived
on bread and water it would not last
us both for year-and what is to
come them"
really had left, and he named a
startlingly small sum-so small that,
with all her courage and hopefulness,
she was for a moment half paralyzed
by the terrible realization. A heavy
sigh from Gaspard reused her.
1T is very bad, cherie!" she said,
in as bright a voice as she could COM
mand; but we will be very econom-
ical, we will eat oatmeal, and | shall
see to the bouilli myself and I dare
say the landlady will let us have the
very old bread at reduction We
shall fancy ourselves back in the
siege!'
Gaspard smiled, and for her sake
tried to speak more cheerfully; but
he knew too we'll that not even the
most rigid economy could keep them
from want
CHAPTER X.
My poverty but not my will, con-
sents
Romeo and Juliet
The long days dragged YEARLY on,
while gradually Esperance faded and
dropped, till she was the mere shad
ow of her former self. She was not
strong enough now to share in Gas
pard's long wanderings, and while he
was out, trying in vain to find EN-
ployment of any kind, she was left
alone in the dreary lodgings. to bear,
as patiently as she could the weary,
aching fatigue of weakness, and the
hunger which was now such a painful
reality. 1t was hard, too, to be in the
midst of plenty, and yet to want,
Sometimes, when the fragrant steam
rose from the bake-house below, the
craving for food grew almost unbear-
able Nor could she control herself
much in her weakness. her long cry
ing fits became more and more fire.
quent, only, when Gaspard came in.
disappointed and exhausted after his
long, fruitless expedition, she always
managed to be bright and cheerful.
He was grateful for her love and
patience. but he could not be deceived.
The long privations of the siege had
tried her severely, and he felt sure
that she could not bear these added
hardships for any length of time.
And yet when, one evening on his re
turn, he found the room strangely
quiet, and was met with no cheerful
greeting, he was terribly startled
Esperance was stretched on the hard,
horse-hair sofa cold and motionless,
while Bismarck, with little troubled
news" crept about uneasily, and
tried to attract her notice.
For one awful minute uaspard
thought she was really dead. With
a great cry of despair he bent over
her. touched her icy lips, and her
still nerveess hands, and listened in
agony for the faintest sign of breath
ing
At last he was treasured she be-
consciousness, and in a few minutes
was able to look up with a little
smile. He would not let her talk till
he had made her some coffee, and,
revived by this, she volunteered her
own explanation.
Il was tired, and lay down little,
and it got very dark and cold waves
came over me-"
Gaspard did not answer for few
minutes, he sat watching her sadly
while Bismarck nestled up to her,
purring contentedly, and rubbing his
soft head up and down under her al
most shadowy hand 1t was the con-
trast between the sleek well-fed cat,
and her WORKOUT. fragile form which
struck him so painfully.
He began to pass up and down the
room, thinking deeply, and evidently
schooling himself to undertake some
thing very ,distasteful. Esperance
watched him with as much anxiety as
she had strength to feel just then;
his face was dark With conflicting
emotions She spoke at last
To be continued.
AN ECONOMICAL EVOLUTION.