Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1898-04-21

| his success, and eager to settle in al
! once. The landlady had promised to
have evrything in readiness for them
| that evening, so after dinner they
drove from the hotel to their new
| home, Esperance in high spirits, Gas
pard a little depressed. Involun-
tarily his thoughts had turned to the
| old chateau at Ma Dillon, and perhaps,
! he might be forgiven for feeling a
slight pang, as he watched Esperance
passing in between the bread baskets,
| the counter, and the loaves.
She, herself, was quite unconcerned
such things did not hurt her pride;
the rooms were quiet and comfortable
| for the rest she did not care. She
did not attempt to unpack that even
ing, but devoted all her energies to
cheering Gaspard. until gradually his
brow cleared, and under the combined
influence of fire, some well-made
coffee, and Esperance's merry chat
ter, he began to think that, after all
life in Pentonville might be very
pleasant.
The next day he lost no time in
searching for work. He was not very
hopeful it is true, but he had made
up his mind to do all in his power.
and to leave no stone unturned. But
day after day he returned disappointed
and weary, unable to meet with any
employment.
His scanty knowledge of English
was a great hinderance, and finding
this out, he set to work really to
study the language. Esperance, too,
spent some of her long hours in the
same way, and by the end of April
was able, with the help of the diction-
airy, to read most of the English
books with which the landlady could
supply her. These were not of the
most interesting kind, ''Fox's Book of
Martyrs" "The Pilgrims Progress
1.-THE Fairchild Family" and a few
dilapidated numbers of the youths
Magazine" being among the most
lively. Still they kept her employed,
and the very quaintness of the old
fashioned sayings and doings was
amusing.
But a sad time was coming, for as
the weeks passed by, and still Gas
pard could find no work, their small
store of money was gradually melting
away. Gaspard grew seriously I'M
easy at the prolonged silence of the
Lemerciers; he was expecting a divi-
dend to be forwarded to him, but al
though he had written to ask the
reason of the delay, no answer had
come
At length, one morning early in
May, a letter arrived in M. Lemer-
cier's well-known fiourishy hand
writing. 1t ran as follows:
my Dear De Mabillon,-I regret
exceedingly that you should have
been Inconvenience by my hardness
in writing, but I have been so much
occupied in seeking the welfare of
our country, and in lending my feeble
Commune, that I am sure you will
pardon me- Regarding the dividend
which you should have received ere
now, it gives me much pain to tell
you that the-Company has entirely
failed. Of course in this time of gen.
eral agitation, it is what we must ex-
pect. I fear this will prove a serious
and deplorable loss to you at the pres
ent; but I trust am wrong in fear
ing that the chief part of our capital
was invested in it. Relieve me on
that point as soon as possible, and
think we'll whether it would not be
best to return to France, where
there is every prospect of a speedy
establishment of true liberty, equality
and fraternity. Make my friendly
greetings to your sister, and believe
me,