The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1901-04-15


birth Of Adrian, and the mother must
nurse him. She left the shop. taking
home her work; she earned much less,
but she dressed herself like a lady. and
went to the Luxembourg, pushing her
baby before her In a wicker carriage.
And Tony had to work day and night
to keep the pot boiling, and even then
things went badly; they got IN debt ine
child grew, was weaned, and sent to the
day nursery, and the mother, often idle,
always a coQuette. began to have dan
gerous adventures. Can you not see
the whole tragedy The poor man,
worn with toll. aged before his time,
and the frivolous 20-year-old with the
pretty Greuze head2 One evening. COM
ing home with his boy, whom he had
called for al the nursery on his way,
Tony RObec found a letter on his man
telpiece. and when he opened It Glenn
entine's wedding ring fell out. In the
letter the wicked girl bade him and
their boy farewell. and begged them 70
forgive her.
Oh romantic jury, who thirst for
blood. and who always acquit the IN
iured husband who kills his wife and
her lover, you will find poor Tony very
ridiculous and even a little culpable,
for he had more sorrow than anger IN
his heart He wept bitterly, and when
Adrian said 10 him, where is mann
ma? Will she come back soonG' he
embraced the child tenderly and an
gwered, Il do not know" Clementine
fed In early May. OH how hateful is
the odor OF lllacs-sometimes. When
July came Tony sold his small stock OF
furniture, paid his debts and came to
live In the Rue Delambre. where he was
unknown. There he lived so quietly, 50
discreetly, that they took him for
widower Toward the end Of Septem-
Der Tony received a letter from his wife
-four incoherent and desperate pages
blotted with tears. Her lover, medi-
cal student, had gone on vacation TO
his family In the provinces, and for i've
weeks he had not written nor given any
sign Of life. She was abandoned, de-
ceived In her turn. the traitoress, and
she repented and implored, begged for
grace. Poor Tony was heartbroken,but
reasaure yourselves, ferocious jurymen,
with the souls OF the Moor Of Venice,
and II you please give a little OF your
respect 10 the unfortunate man. He
proudly refused an answer to his guilty
wife.
There had been no more news Of
Clementine until Christmas. On that
day for several years he had been IN
the habit OF going with his wife to lay
a modest bouQuet-some frozen violets
and a dropping rose between-on the
grave OF their tiny Felix, their first
born. who had died away from them.
but whom be had lain In Mount Par
nassus. to be near ia death. For the
nrst time Tony must make his pilgrim
age alone with Adrian, and as he en-
tered the cemetery gates. under a gloo-
my winter sky. he felt more sorrow
than ever before at the absence Of his
falthless wife Where Is she now2'
he thought What has become OF
herr" But when he reached the grave
Of Felix, which he found with diihcul-
". ne started with surprise. There lay
on the small stone three or four play
things, such as poor children possesa-
a horn, a punchinello. toy dog; they
had just been placed there. for they
were new; had evidently recently been
purchased. "Ak. the playthings." cried
Adrian. as he spied the Offering. But
the father. seeing a piece OF paper
pinned 10 them, leaned over. took Il,
and read these words In a writing he
remembered too we'll: For Adrian,
from his brother Felix, who is now
with the infant Jesus"
Suddenly be felt his sons arms about
his neck. and heard him cry In fright
ened voice, Mamma, and there. few
feet away. kneeling under a group Of
cypress. he saw woman dressed In the
earb Of poverty. OH 80 pale, with
streaming eyes. who held out her arms
toward him In supplication.
Between ourselves. gentlemen Of the
most sanguinary jury. do not believe
Tony RoDec thought just then Of him
who was born on that Christmas das
and who taught. By precept and exam
pie. the forgiveness OF injury. The
poor workingman had very little reli-
glon. But his plebeian heart ignored
both self love and hate. With a snud-
der. caused less by the thought Of the
old injury than by pity at seeing the
woman nc had once loved IN such a
miserable plight. he pushed her little
son SO gently toward her Adrian"
said he. go and kiss your mother" She
ciasped her son In a desperate embrace, /
and kissed his curly head IN a passion
Of tenderness. Then she rose and /
turned a beseeching glance at her hus-
band. How good you are" she MUIR
INJURED. But he already stood at her I
side. and replied. with parched lips. al /
most harshly: DO not speak. and give |
me your arm" II was not far from the I
cemetery 10 the Rue Deiambre: they /
hurried home: Tony felt Clemeniine's /
arm tremble in his own The child /
walked beside them abseuuy admiring /
his playthlngs.