The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1900-01-20

| though always he let It slip from him
on the wings OF love. He was not like
other children. you understand: 1t hurt
him TO see any one. anything. suffer. a
bird with broken wing. or-or-any-
thing. He had heart like that.
Moreover. he felt great pity for the
woman In her loneliness He knew not
what wickedness she had committed.
but that. It was some black thing he
was sure. for so his uncle declared
again and again. His uncle hated her
and cursed her, calling her 'Aristo-
crate" and he and his fellow soldiers
would drink to the speedy coming OF
the day of reckoning. until they could
drink no more. Now. 1t is true, another
child. with stronger wits than Jean,
would have been guided by the men,
but Instead he felt tenderer somehow.
80 that each time he spoke to her,
though he only said those three words.
he tried to put what was in his
Thoughts into his voice. Sometimes 1t
meant 4 am sorry. and other times 1t
meant BE Of good cheer. and stlll 9th
er--but this more sOrtty-'I love you.
unhappy one.
But how could he tell that she un-
derstood, when the men listened to him
with indifference and did not bid him
cease? He was like one crying through
heavy fog: sim he kept on crying.
hoping to be heard at last. And ever
something grew within him., why. he
knew not; how. he knew not. She was
like stone, and yet, because OF that
something in his breast, he could see
the heart-break spreading over her
face that WIS 50 shrunk and white. and
he would have cOmforted her even as
he had often comforted his mother.
There had been heart break in her
face. too, you understand. but 1t had
llghtened under the touch OF his cling
ing fingers. II he had dared he would
have touched Veuve Capet in that
fashion. Perhaps-he knew nOt-she
seemed so very old. Still. there must
have been little child to love some
where in her past.
But he did not stir his hand, and
that for two reasons-one. because he
feared the men, and the other. because.
though she was so near. she seemed so
far away. 1t might have been her sor-
row that kept them asunder. he could
not tell. and yet sorrow had driven him
closer to his mother But this was
different. He wanted to kneel to this
woman. to serve her as II she were a
queen. though she did not look like one
in her poor dress. with her old, old face.
Once. when he was much younger. he
had seen the queen go riding by all
glitter and sparkle like dream out of
a fairy world"
Not SO fast. Duval. not so fast A
queen. dldst say? Thou canst not mean
1t, and Jean. old Jean-there's some
mistake, -" !
Peace, woman. Yes. he saw the
queen; there was such in those days;
but what would you? He was no
more TO her than the dirt of the road,
and she was a vision to him that pass.
ed away like the mist in the morning
1t Is OF this other / am telling you
Constantly he carried the pitcher to
her and spoke those words on entering,
and she seemed to neither see nor hear
him. His uncle was often drunk us time
went on. and harsh-DIeu. hcw harsh' (
and once old Jean, petit Jean he was
then, thinking to escape from his an.
ger roamed out into the country. 1t
was almost like mother to him. the
country. He loved the trees and the
birds. they had voices for him alone
Child though he was. he would have
stayed away always. but that some
thing stronger than all else drew him
back to the city, so that he only tarried
q little space.
''The land was waking into beduty for 1
lt.was spring. and suddenly he spled a I
Tiny flower growing near pool. He |
fell upon 1t In his JOY. and kissed It Tor
he had no friends. Then there came TO /
him the thought OF that other loneller
far than he. for he could move about ON
Gods earth beneath the sky. ITEMS,
he cried. I win take this little primrose
10 Veuve Capet' So he plucked II. and
searching round he found two others
These he slipped into his shirt and mar
ried back TO his uncle with proud
heart
When next he visited the prisoner he |
carried the flowers in his hot little I'm |
Oh,
her The soldiers were more drunk |
than usual that day. and none Of then |
regarded him closely. but the fear Of |
them WAS like a chain about him. and |
he could not act The moments flew, |
and II was almost time to depart: then |
he became bold Unnoticed, he touch |
ed her hand softly Veuve Capet start ]
ed and looked at him coldly: but when |
she saw what was his will smile broke |
over her face, making the room seem |
full OF light, and she took the flowers |
swiftly, and hid them IN her breast as I
&c they were Jewels OF great price The |
next moment she began to sob. Parbleu. |
that II the way with women. do them |
Kindness, and they will ottenest return |
you tears for recompense as though II
Werc a hurt Jean was frightened mt I
her grief; but he felt she was not an
eered al him. her smile had told him /,
otherwise. She cried because-becaus. !
she was woman; he would have cried /
too but that he was man-chlld He I
stood trembling amid The fierce shouts I
and laughter Of the drunken soldiers I
which fairly shook the room: they seem
ed to Ind a pleasure in the womans /.
tears
$50 you can weep, cityoenne, one OF |
them said; you have not wept since we ]
took your brat away; Eood-gOod the /
people shall know Of this
lin an Instant the woman faced them, !