The River Falls times. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1894-1933, 1898-11-15

u6E IOuCu.
AS Marjorie came forward, Adele
looked up from the boys curly head,
and asked, almost roughly:
Where is Caussidiere, did you say?'
f'I do not know" returned Marjorie,
drawing the boy toward her; "he did
not tell me-
HE seems to tell you very little,
about himself, madame" said Adele,
fixing her eyes strangely upon her
companions face; then she added,
suddenly, 'Why do you draw the boy
| away from me?"
Marjorie did not answer, SO, with
| short, hard laugh, the girl con-
| tinued:
81 suppose you think, madame, that
am not fit to touch him? Well, per-
haps you are right"
81 did not mean that" returned Mar
jorie, gently
eff I kissed the little one, would you
be angry?" cried Adele, with curious
| change of manner. 'Ah, madame, l
am bad enough, but not quite SO bad
as you think me. / love little chill
dren. l once had a little boy like
this of my own"
"a little boy! Then you are mar
ried; you have husband
when my child was only baby,
before he could walk or speak,, con-
tinued Adele, not needing the ques-
ton, I'll lost him do not even
know if he is alive or dead"
And she lifted little Leon in her
arms, and kissed him wildly.
| Marjorie's gentle heart was touched.
"You lost your child?" she cried, full
of sympathy
"He was taken from me, madame
was too poor to keep him, and one
night-one cold winter night-his
father placed him in the basket at the
Founding. I have never seen him
| since-never!"
"How wicked of you; how cruel To
desert your child"
"You do not understand. In France
it is the custom when folk are poor"
Marjorie shrank from the woman in
horror. All her maternal heart was in
revolt, and with an impulsive gesture
she drew little Leon to her and en-
braced him tenderly.
Adele looked at the pair with
| strange expression of mingled sorrow
and pity.
"And your husband madame?" she
asked, suddenly. rs he good to
you?"
Eyes. Why do you ask?' says Mar
| jOrie, in surprise
Never mind" returned Adele, with
her old laugh. For myself, l think
/ that all men are canaille. 1t is we
others, we women, who bear the bur-
den while the men amuse themselves.
Why does Caussidiere leave you SO
much alone? Why does he dress so
well, and leave you and the little one
SO shabby? All, he is like all the
rest!''
What my husband does, cried
Marjorie, Indignantly, is no concern
of yours. [ will not hear you say a
word against him!"
Adele laughed again.
'You are only child she said.
moving to the door, will you give
Monsieur Caussidiere a message from
me?''
| Yes, if you wish"
Tell him he is wanted tomorrow at
our place; he will understand
She half opened the door, then turned
and looked back.
do you know, madame. that in few
days the Germans will be before
PARISH
"Ah, yes!'
Let them hasten! 1 hope they will
come soon. I shall not be sorry for
one, if they burn Paris to the
! ground!''
why do you say that?" cried Mar
| jorie, shocked at the speakers tones
as well as the words.
Let them burn Paris, and me with
the rest Of the people; it will be WE'LL"
said Adele, in a low voice, very bitter
ly. "The bonfire is ripe, madame,
| But" she added Il should be sorry if
any harm came to you or to the child.
Some day, perhaps knows?-I
may be able to serve you. Will you
remember that?"
| What do you mean?" exclaimed
Marjorie. You are a strange woman;
you
Il am what I am; sometimes 1 think
am devil. not woman at ALL