Waterbury Democrat., 1901-09-25
NHARLEs BRAvURE was a stril

| GHARLES BRAVURE was strilS- ing realization of Jean Valjean, | the hero of Victor Hugo's "Les Mis- l erables." When he was ten years old he was brought before a Paris magistrate as a vagabond.
 "My name is Charles Bravure," he said. "I am working for man on the Place de Ia Bastile. He plays a fiddle and sings. I join in the chorus and cry to the passers-by: Only two sous for the latest songs, only two sous! My employer is always drunk. He beat me and I ran away, so the police took me in. My mother is dead and I ran away before from my stepfather, who maltreated me-"
 As there was no one in the courtroom to claim him and the judge did not seem much interested, he was sent to a house of correction.
 Charles was docile and obedient in his new home. He learned the car penter's trade. It was to be deplored, however, that, when he was dismissed from the institution on his seventeenth birthday, he met his old comrades from the penal home, most of whom were thoroughly depraved. Within three months after his dismissal he was sent to prison for stealing an old pair of shoes. He was assigned to blacking the boots of the political convicts of Saint Pelagie. Here Charles imbibed the most radical socialism. He was happiest when he could join, in the 'Marseillaise." y1 9f r5 After he had served his years sem tence Charles roamed aimlessly again through the streets of Paris. The po- lice had him under surveillance like cruel children who tantalize butterflies on strings. For two years he managed to keep outside of prison walls. He eked out miserable existence on the horse market. To make things worse he drew lucky number in the military lottery. A soldiers career might have saved him. One night he was caught carousing with gang of burglars. He denied having had anything to do with Idtheir thefts. Nevertheless he was sem tenced to three years at hard labor. Then followed ten years of a criminal existence, during which he was seldom outside of a prison cell. In the prison of Toulon Charles was greatly impressed by the sermons of a venerable priest, and he made up his mind to reform as soon as he would be released: In Paris he found lodging with kind old woman. With the money earned in prison he had bought sailors outfit, and as his face was bronzed by the hot sun of Toulon his tale of having just returned from long voyage was believed. His beard grew long and thick, and the police seemed to have forgotten him. He was earning three francs per day in car penter's shop and his employer regard ed him as his most trustworthy man.
 One day there came young man to his lodging house from the south of France, who sought employment in the capital. Charles liked him very much and secured work for him in his shop. Jean Marchand was a sober, healthy and pure minded rustic. He found in Charles a true friend, who cared for him like a father. Charles and Jean were always seen together in the shop as well as at their Sunday outings. There was only one thing that.troubled Charles, and that was that Jean might learn something of his past.
 Jean did not long remain the inno- cent provincial he was. One night he shocked his old friend by coming home drunk. He had made the acquaintance of rich young man in restaurant at whose expense he had spent the even- ing feasting and drinking. On the following morning Jean showed deep contrition and for a time everything went well.
 Charles Bravure was deeply in love with the landlady's daughter, but he dared not tell her of it on account of his dark past. Every glance that oth- CTS bestowed on her cut him to the quick, but the greatest blow to him was when he saw Jean pay court to her. Henriette Salou was somewhat of a nirt and Charles saw that, though she accepted Jeans presents. her affection for him was not very strong. Yet it was believed that the couple loved each other dearly and that a betrothal would soon be announced. Henriette was delighted with the fneries and jewelry which Jean bestowed on her, but Charles knew that his young friend was spending his last sou to keep her heart.
 The day before the betrothal when Charles came home from hard days work, he was surprised to hear loud quarrel in his room. One of the lodg- CTS, an old miser, was upbraiding the landlady because his trunk had been broken open and three louis dor had been taken from it.