The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1899-04-14

,st, plunged in one of those endless
bar-room controversies continued over
each fresh drink and almost as deadly
to the mind as the adulteratcd wines
He does not sec the sad eyes in the
pale drawn little iace. searching, sig
Mailing his. She dares not enter. To
90 after him there, before his comrades
would he toaifront him. Had she been
pretty. il, would have been possible
hut she is so ugly.
Ah. bow sweet and fresh she was ten
years ago when they first knew each
other! Every morning as they went
to work. he met her: she was poor, but
she concealed her misery. honestly
conucttishly. as one can in that strange
Paris, where ribbons and flowers are
sold beneath the larksomc arches OF
the porfes corhros.
They looked into each others eyes
and loved, bu'. rs neither of them had
money, there was q long wait before
the marriage. At last the youth 5
mother gave mattress from her own
bed, the girls mother did as much,
and then, as the fonccc was popular in
the factory, some contributions were
made, and the menoge was set up.
a bridal gown was borrowed from 4
friend, the veil rented of hairdresser,
and one morning they started off afoot
through the streets to be married.
They had to wait for the end of 4
funeral mass at the church, and for
somc rich weddings preceding theirs
at the city hall. Afterwards, he con-
Quoted her far up the faubourg to a
sad, brick paved room. at the end of 4
long corridor full OF noisy, filthy, quar-
rclsomc fcllow-lod odgers. Their happi-
ness did not last long. After living
awhile among drunkards, he became
one. She, seeing the other women
weep, lost courage, and spent all the
time he was in the taverns with her
neighbors, apathetic, humiliated, lull-
ing the infant in her arms with never
ending plants. 1t was thus she be-
came so ugly, and they gave her the
nickname of "the ape in the shops.
The little shadow is still there, pacing
up aud down in front of the window.
Her steps can be heard in the slime of
the pavement, and she coughs with a
great hollow sound. for the night is
rainy and bleak.
How long will she wait? Two or
three times already she has laid her
hands on the door, not daring to open
it. At length the thought that the
children had nothing to cat takes the
place of courage in her. She enters.
Hardly has she crossed the threshold
when a burst of laughter stops her.
"Valentin, there is your ape She is,
in truth, frightful now, with her dark
stringing hair, and the pallors of fatigue
on her checks.
"Valentin, there is your apc!''
Trembling, the poor woman stands
spccchless, motionless.
He has arisen in fury. What! She
has dared to come here after him and
humiliatc him before his friends!
wait, only wait and you
will see!' And, terrible, indeed, Val
entin dashcs forward with clenched
fist. The unhappy woman fees, fol-
lowed by the boots Of the crowd. lie
clears the door, gi''cs two leaps, and
seizes her as she rounds the corner
The night is black. No passers-by
.. All! poor ape!
No, not so! Away from his com
rades the Partisan laborer is not bad.
He faces her, and suddenly becomes
weak, submissive, almost repentant.
They go along arm-in-arm, and, as they
move away, it is the womans voice
that rises in the dark, furious, plaintive
hoarse with tears The ape is having
her revcnec-Home Jonrnn1