Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1898-04-28


spare the bachelors room?"
mo, indeed" said Mrs. Mortlake
decidedly; sit is constantly needed
1.-The house is sure to be full in the
Eautumn, and I mean to ask young
Magnay, the artist, to spend a week
here; l must have Bella's portrait
done before she loses her first teeth. -
Cornelia smiled sarcastically
Very well; then we must see about
the attic. l think that is more in
your line than in mine; perhaps you
would give the necessary directions =
And, taking UP a Hebrew Bible, a
manuscript book, and a reed, Cornelia
left the room.
Mrs. Mortlake began to braid a tea
coy for bazaar (she called it Char
ity work'O, while inwardly she was
thinking very uncharitably of the De
IMabillOns, and murmuring that it
really was very unfair that an old
man like her father should take such
a strange whim into his head. and IN
jure the prospects of his grandchild
by unnecessary kindness to unknown
relations.
CHAPTER XI.
/ Je ne vous Anne pas Hylas.
! Je men saurais dire la cause,
| Je sails settlement une chose,
Cest que je ne nous Anne pas.
Busy, Comte de Rabutiu
Esperance and Gaspard waited
hopefully for the deans reply, trying
to persuade themselves that, now
the favor had been asked, the worst
was over, and that their pride would
be spared further pain.
They were cruelty disappointed in
their hopes.
The letter bearing the Rilchester
postmark came early the next morn
ing. Gaspard tore open the envelope
eagerly; Esperance bent over his
shoulder, exclaiming at the grabbed,
illegible handwriting. They deci-
phered it slowly and with difficulty.
The opening sentiments were not
unkind, the first page being almost
entirely occupied with references to
the siege of Paris and comments on
the present state of France; but then,
unluckily, came sentence which
made the olive cheeks of the two
refugees flush crimson.
ct is not for me to judge how far
your present poverty arises from the
disturbed state Of your country, or
from negligence on the part of Mon
sieur de Mabillon-from whichever
cause it arises, feel bound, as your
mothers brother, to give assistance"
"Gaspard, stop! do not read any
more; it is too cruel! How dare he
speak so of papa!"
Gaspard drew deep breath, but re-
fused to put down the letter.
mo, cherie, we will go to the end;
for your sake I must have help 1T
whatever cost"
They read on,
With regard to employment for
yourself | am afraid 7 can not be of
service to you, my influence, apart
rom the clerical world being small.
AS you put it. very rightly in your let
ter, your sister is, doubtless, the first
consideration. I regret to hear that
her health has suffered from the pri-
vations of the siege, and trust that the
plan I am about to offer for your ap-
proval will soon be the means Of re-
storing her. | shall have much pleas
ure in receiving your sister as an in
mate of our home. She will there
have all the advantages of the COM
nj of
best society of Rilchester and the
neighborhood, and will, I hope, find
the change both beneficial and con-
genial. Being thus relieved from
what must, I feel convinced, be a,
heavy responsibility to you, you will
be better able to support yourself, and
more free to undertake whatever
suitable employment you may meet
with.
Awaiting your reply, l beg to re-
main,
Yours faithfully,
E. ]. Co1Iinson."
THE Deanery, Rilchester, 10Th
lay, 1871
Esperance's brain grew dizzy as she
cad. She could not cry-she could
OF exclaim vehemently. Only one
ow ejaculation of utter despair es-
/ aped her: ct is impossible! Impos-
] ible!''
! Gaspard did not attempt to speak,
but he drew her closer to him.
| A hundred thoughts were flashing
/ through her mind: This home at Ril-
! hester-could she accept it? Would
really be such a relief to Gaspard?
Could she possibly bear such dread
full humiliation? She had almost
made UP her mind to it when, with a
sudden revulsion, came the remem-
brance of the deans sighting mention
of her father Then wounded love
and pride could no longer keep 81
lence
"Gaspard, darling, can not bear 1t!
To go to his house, to live with him
when he has insulted papa, and still
insults his memory! No, no it is
quite mpossible-quitei
She was sobbing now-writhing in
that intense. mental pain of which
only the most sensitively organized
minds are capable. It was we'll she
could not see Gaspard's face-the
struggle between pride and selfish
love, against humility and true love
was fearfully apparent. He knew that
Esperance trusted implicitly in him
that whatever decision he made she
would bow tO II. and vet the very