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

''Sitting-room and two bedrooms,
sir? Yes; | think we could suit you;
step this way and see them, il you
please Come Bismarck"
Gasaprd started; then as a spring
from the counter and loud purr
followed, he laughed, and asked
THAT is your cat?
YES. sir, tbs a queer name, to be
sure, but my husband is rare poll
tlcian. he is. and so he went for to
call the cat Bismarck, after one Of
them Germans"
1T is well-named ! observe al
ready likeness" said Gaspard,
smiling
By this time they had reached the
second floor. and the landlady, light
ing the gas, began to do the honors
OF her apartment, while Bismarck
stalked about in a dgnified way,
purring and rubbing himself against
Gaspard's legs. The terms were mod
crate. the landIady looked honest and
kind. Esperance would be delighted
with the cat, and though the rooms
were small and ill-furnished, they
seemed to be clean; on the whole,
Gaspard was pleased, and after due
consideration, he decided to take
them
Esperance was delighted to hear Of
his success, and eager to settle in at
he 1an d. n
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 Mabillon. and perhaps,
he might be forgiven for feeling
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 a 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, 1t 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 10
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
r.
Martyrs" THE Pilgrims Progress"
The Fair2hild Family" and a few
dlapidated 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 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. letter arrived in NJ. Lemer-
cier's well-known flourishy 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 | have been so much
occupied in seeking the welfare OF
our country and in lending my feeble
assistance to the establishment Of the
Commune that | am sure you will
pardon me Regarding the dividend
which you should have received ere
now, 1t gives me much pain to tell
YOU that the-Company has entirely
failed. OF course in this time OF gem
eral agitation. it is what we must ex-
pect. 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 t. Relieve me on
that point as soon as possible, and
think well whether It would not he
best To return 20 France, where
there is every prospect of a speedy
establishment Of true liberty, equality
as Z Fsunf y.-, 10