The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1899-08-22
The Children Of The Giant.


The speaker was little fellow OF
about six, within bright black eyes and
keen anxious looking face. He ad-
dressed his hurried words TO another
child of the same age and size and
look. Clearly his twin brother.
Pascal and Pierre Dumont were
twins. That was all that was known
about them, the rest was guesswork.
The name of Dumont was gwen them
because they were found on the slopes
of Mont Nalerien, which is a mountain,
IL there is one AZ all in the neighbOr-
hood of Paris Pascal and Pierre they
were called because they were shiVer-
ing with the cold and were calling in a
stammering sort of way for ''p-p pain"
when found by the night watchman on
his beat.
Poor little fellows. Come from they
knew not where, and going they know
not whittier they were stopped on the
weary road OF life by authority in uni
form. and requested to give an account
OF themselves. BIB read" they re-
piled, sObbng with cold and hunger
1t was answer enough. Deserted, and
on winters night. too. on Mont Vale
rien. Such was the entry of Pascal and
Pierre into history Deserted children
are common enough in Paris. There Is
a machinery devised TO absorb them
into the life OF the great thoughtless
city. Public assistance, duly constitu-
ted fed and clothed the twins, and, In
order TO do so more economically
placed them with a gardener IN the
neighborhOod OF Rueil.
Jean. the gardener. was kind after
his lights. He did not steal their gov
ernmentally provided clothes. or stint
them i'm their just share OF the watery
soup and the family bread. Love, how
ever is not provided by the generosity
OF a government IL Is indeed COM
modify seldom kept in stock anywhere.
and never procurable on demand. Pas
cal and Pierre got none from the gar
dener, and they hungered for Ii in the
same insistent way they had hungered
for bread on that cold night on Mont
Valerien. The world is Very cold with
out love. a grim fact the twins had
dumbly found out.
Now. the one universal unquestioned
belief in which all Frenchmen are
brought up. and in which they are all
agreed. is that everything can be got
i'm Paris. Jean. the gardener. early in
culcated this belief in his two foster
lings. The belief, moreover, is in the
air. all Frenchmen naturally imbibe IL
into their daily lives and thoughts. The
Swins heard through the boy that held
marvels. that vast and wondrous city
where everything was TO be had-aye.
everything one could think of. and
more besides. IL was a common saying
among the children round about: II
wish a mad dog would bite me, for then
] should be sent 10 Paris like lie petit
chose" (names followed according TO
experience or vague rumor) "and live
for six weeks in a palace. and come
home having seen Paris" Now, the
twins longei to go to the wonderful
city, In order TO find there that which
n 4. n1Ns N
father and a fathers love. In Paris,
where all things abounded, surely this
also should they find. Thus reasoned
the twins, falsely, no doubt, but not
more falsely than many who have gone
to Paris hoping to find what they most
wanted on earth, and have found there
cold desolation and disappointment.
A mad dog appeared in Reuil, so the
twins heard through the boy that hei,,
| the horse the washerwoman drove 10
and from the big fort on the Mount.
| Quick as thought Pascal and Pierre
scampered in their Gathering little
| wooden shoes down the road away from
! the gardeners gate, which they had
| been taught TO know, by suffering. was
| appointed limit OF their tether. Quickly
| they pattered on. holding each other $
| hands by way of mutual encourage
ment. They met dog. He was only
| out for an afternoon stroll from the
nearest house. but the twins saw in
| him the mad dog OF their hopes.
Lets hide and let him pass on said
Pierre under the sudden impulse OF ter
ror.
1--WE shant go to Paris unless we are
| bitten" said Pascal. who was very ten
acious of an idea, once it got started In
his brain.
why not go anyway" cried Pierre
| with excitement
| Tbav hath fried IN hida hut tho dog
accustomed TO children came up to
them inquisitively. They shrank to-
gether. and closed their eyes for the
bite: the dog shifted and passed on.
| The twins opened their eyes. having
undergone all the agony incidental to
a real bite. They knew the road TO
Paris, it is knowledge Within the
reach OF most French people. so they
pattered actively along on their alert
little legs. hoping to see the wonderful
city at the end OF every turning I'm the
road. But IL is a long way TO Paris for
little boys In wooden shoes. even If
they come the shortest way fr1n, ReuiI
over the hills TO Suresnes The bright
October day was drawing 20 a close
when the weary lads crept into the lat
ter village. Skirtng along the town
and keeping out OF sight with the in
stinct of wild animals they calne at
last To the river.
| lnlS WuS' ne ldflS, Nlle1 rascal,
for see. the lamps are on the ground
| here. too"
Pierre looked earnestly az The lights,
| and then said: ''It Is the
| river. When there is a river 1, returns
| all the light the lamps give A. The
| river is very honest. God made the
| river. Dost remember. Monsieur le
| Cure told us about the great river COM
| ing from Paris 60 take hips away
away wherever they like"
Pierre's geography was more limited
than his imagination.
Then let's go by the river 90 Paris"
said Pascal practically.
Down by the river at Suresnes. where
the lights twinkled 50 honestly back
from the smooth. still surface Of the
water, there were several small barges
lying at anchor These immense long
boats with their brightly painted
houses and flowers in pots on the roofs.
looked the picture OF comfort 20 the
tired and hungry little boys one i'm
particular fascinated them. II was of
n warm. reddish brown like newly fall
len leaves In the sunshine. The house
was the center OF the vast body. its
walls painted white. and it's shutters
bright pvppn There was n hnpolV look