Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1898-06-23

il. And then came the service in
church, which seemed to give her new
strength, for her face which had been
so troubled, grew quiet and serene:
and remember thinking what hand
some couple they were. and wishing
that the dean could have been there
to hear your fathers earnest heart
vows, though perhaps his foreign Eng
lish might only have annoyed him. I
heard from her two or three times
after that, and then your father wrote
TO tell me Of her death when you
were born: but we shall not find that
letter, for l believe II was sent on to
the dean
The conversation was interrupted by
the servant bringing in the tea
things and Esperance. having asked
leave to keep the two letters. put
them away for private reading. In
the evening, when Mrs. Passmore had
fallen asleep in her armchair she
took them out again, and eagerly
though reverently opened the foreign
che. 1t was written from the chateau.
and dated in June, 1854. Much of it
was incomprehensible to Esperance.
being in answer to a letter Of Mrs.
PASSWORDS and full OF references to
English matters, but on the third
page she caught sight of familiar
names which made her heart heat
quickly. She read on still more Gag
erly:
And now I must tell you about
by dear little boy, Gaspard. How 7
wish I could show him to you. He is
five years old, the very image of his
father and so tall and strong for his
age. He is always with ME. for our
good bonnie Javotte though she is
quite devoted to him, has plenty to
do, and l would not have him away
from me for the world. My husband
tells me too, that our nursery does
not exist in France, the children are
always with their mothers. The ONLY
thing | have to wish for now is a
little daughter; it would be so good
for Gaspard, and he is so loving that
l am sure he would make a good pro-
tectOr! You ask if I am any stronger
know what to say. In some ways
I think not, but I think | have
learned at least to be less fretfuI and
impatient with regard to James's con-
tlnued displeasure. Still I can not
help longing to hear from him. If
he could only know what AIphonse
really is! But you must not think
that l am grieved unduly over this.
l feel how wrong it was to do so
the first two or three years. and now
can not help hoping that in some
way all will come right at Iast-if
not IN our time at least to our child
Esperance read the last sentence
over many times. Was her mothers
hope coming true? Was all that now
seemed so hard to bear really help
ing its fulfllment? Certainly it was
true that Dean Collinson had taken
her into his own house, that he had
treated her kindly, that she showed
almost everything to him; but then. |
had not Gaspard Inundated himself |
to actual begging for assistance first, |
and did not her uncle still detest the |
very name of De Mabillion? No: there |
was still much to be done before all |
could be right at last" But from
that evening Esperance began to
think seriously of the duty Of re-
Cancellation, which certainly in some
degree, rested with her How, in her
peculiar position, she could effect
any good she did not at present see;
but she was hopeful, and her
mothers wish was a strong incentive. |
To be Continued