The true northerner., 1899-08-30
BABETTE.

OF $3.50 year, Pierre Fontaine fur
nished two or three little rooms in a
dwelling" Of the gay city and return
ed to his native home to marry the
girl he loved.
For a time they were as happy as
the day was long. Babette was the
idol Of the maison; all the inmates low
ed her. Fat, chubby little Paul, who
arrived about a year after the mar
riage, did nothing but bubble and crow
with delight all his waking hours.
Really, | don't know what we
should do without her now!" the con-
cierge would exclaim to the other
dodgers. "She is the sunshine of the
whole house
But after a while clouds loomed on
the horizon of Babette's happy life.
Pierre frequently left her alone for
many hours in the evenings, pleading
that he had to attend meetings of the
factory workmen. And occasionally
notes and pieces of paper, with strange
looking marks and words on them,
were left for him, when he would leave
his wife Immediately the evening meal
was finished.
'Why should all these secret mes
sages be left for Pierre? 1t is mys-
terious. isn't it. my treasurer she said
one day, speaking to her baby boy. rs
she always did whenever anything per
picked her.
1t was late-past midnight-when
Pierre returned, shamefaced as he
crept softly into the room.
pierre, my love-" Babettc began.
"Pierre, how late you are! How long
the evening has been without you! You
used to be happy and contented in
staying with me before you had those
horrid meetings TO attend. O, tell me
why you leave me so much and what
the many mysterious notes you get are
about" And, weeping. she threw her
arms around his neck and laid her
head on his breast
"Babette, you foolish little girlr' he
cried, fondly stroking her glossy. gol-
den hair. How can you doubt my
love? Sit down with me and listen.
Most of the men at our factory are
members of The Sons of Freedom lea
que |, too. belong 10 it. and the notes
YOU think SO mysterious are simply TO
summon me 10 special meetings. which
are held occasionally That is why |
have to leave you SO often and stay
late. for there is much writing TO be
done"
why don't you give il up and cease
10 he member?" Babette asked.
You innocent child; how little you
know about such things. OF course l
must go every time, and it is not pos
Sible for me 10 leave the league; no one
ever does"
But what is the object. and what
do YOU do at the meetingS?"
The league is established for every
one tc have their rights-the poor as
well as the rich. TO level class dis
tinclons and make all men equal To
relieve distress and poverty by making
the rich give up their money and work.
SO that all shall share alike-nOt make
$4,000 men poor slaves to let one be-
come rich Soon we Will rise i'm our
might and crush everything beneath
us, for we have had enough Of this
miserable existence"
But Pierre. what cause have you
veto cOmplainy We are happy and
comfortable; every one is good to us;
we have each other and our little Paul
so why not be content and refuse to
meddle with such dangerous sub
jects?'
"That isn't the thing; it is the prin-
ciplc." Pierre returned. Look at those
poor Debanders at the top of the
house. | maintain that the rich ought
to be made to share their money with
the poor"
Would you care TO share your
money, comforts, and happiness with
the Deblanders, Pierre?"
"You don't understand" Pierre pet
ulantly replied. 1--WE Anarchists"
What! Anarchists cried Babette.
shrinking back in terror
at is best that you should know all. Z"
Pierre replied. Eyes, | am an Anar-
chist. But don't let the fact be known.
Babette, unless you wish me to be ar
rested!"
That was the turning point i'm Ba-
bette's life: from then she began to
change. The roses left her cheeks. and
all the brightness and sunshine depart
ed from her life, leaving her a sad.
lonely woman.
All attempts TO wean her husband
from the lawless gang he called
brothers" proved futile. AS time went
on he became more and more involved
SO that retractiOn was impossible. but
he still managed to retain his situation
at the factory.
And so years passed on. Finding her
son had a great love for music. Ba-
bette often took him to the grand ca
thedral of Notre Dame, where he
would sit for hours listening TO the
voices of the singers and the deep
tones of the organ, quivering with ex-
element and pleasure at its thunder
ings and whispers.
The festival of the Annunciation was
destined to be a momentous day for
Babette. The service at Notre Dame
xvoc fo no ,tuucuoIlxy Grand on1 ft44f.