The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1903-08-07

fk<SM I'M III iht 'N'hiA6 w" I'VE
Lournier approached The
radiant young bride and extended lis
hand.
"Good-by, my child" lc said. care
you going so soon. father Please
stay little longer" Cecile coaxcd,
docking at him affectionately.
mo, you cannot persuade me. j
feel-rather tired"
And he added with a dismal smile:
81 am not so young as i used to
be"
He made his alieuX to the bridal pair
and walked slowly home to his cot
tage at Montrogue.
Marius Lournier was fifty years old,
and possessed OF "A modest fortune
and a philosophical disposition. lie
had long been "A widower, and his ex-
perlence Of matrimony had not been
pleasant enough to tempt him TO re-
peat it.
One drizzling November night as he
entered his garden, his attention was
attracted by the vaguely outlined fig
ure Of n woman who at that instant
sank rather than sat down upon the
public bench hard by. He peered
through the darkness at the shadowy
form and, seeing that ii did not move,
mechanically reopened the gate and
walked toward 1t.
He found a girl OF perhaps twenty,
poorly clad but with an appearance
of distinction. She seemed utterly eX-
hausted and her face was bathed In
tears He questioned her gently. but
her replies were vague and unsatis-
factory.
But you cannot stay here in tie
rain" said Marius.
In spite of her resistance-whlch was
but feeble, poor thiug!-Marius raised
her from the bench and drew her
toward the house. When at last she
was seated before a CHEEKY fire she
consented to tell her sad story.
Her name was Cecile Martcl, and
she was the daughter of an army cap
tain who had died in the service. With
her mother she had come TO Paris in
The hope of obtaining n tobacco shop
license which had been promised TO
the widow long ago.
Their last articles of furniture. their
few trlnkets, had been sacrificed TO OBJ
tain funds for the journey.
Soon after their arrival the mother
had died very suddenly. leaving Cecilc
alone and almost penniless in the great
city in which she did not know n
human soul.
BY dint OF great economy the girl
had contrived to live for few weeks
on the little money remaining in her
purse; but that morning her landlady
had informed her with great polite
ness that she must either pay her ar
rears of rent or go elsewhere.
She had wandered through the streets
all day. without eating or resting, and
mt night had turned her steps instinct
lively toward the cemetery at Mont
rogue where her mother lay at rest
This pitiful tale. told in almost in.
audible tones, ana interrupted by fits
OF shivering and weeping, affected
Marius very deeply.
He hastily got together the elements
OF rudimentary banquet but Cecilc
in spite of her desire TO show her ap-
probation of this unhoped for succor
could not cat mouthful. Though the
room was warm. she shivcred more
and more. until ut last. overcome 10y
fatigue. she closed her eyes and fell
asleep.
This will never do" thought Marius
-'She will get pneumonia or something
in her damp clothes"
"If only there were n woman in the
house! Then we could put the poor
child TO bed"
He wrapped big cloak about her ant
fel! to studying her face. 1t was not
strikingly pretty, but il was a pleasing
face and n good face. Its greatest
beauty was now veiled-the large. vel
vety black eyes, tender and passionate
Suddenly she moaned, and then Mariu.
saw that her face was scarlet and hei
breathing labored.
"Ah. Just what feared"' he ex
claimed, and ran to fetch physician
The doctor pronounced the case yer!
serious, and sent n nurse to take car,
of the girl during the night. In th,
morning she must be sent to the hos
pital.
"The hospital"' thought Marius, wht
had horror of hospitals.
Hasn't the poor child suffered
enough already?"
He lay awake all night, thinking. an,
wien the ambulance came in the morn
1ng he curtly sent il away.
Months elapsed before Cecile wa
pronounced out OF danger. Mariu
Joarnier found himself intensely In
tcrested in the battle of life and death
and was oyerjoyed when the ply sicia
Informed him that the crisis wa
passed
Soon youth and health resumed thei
sway. Cecile wrought wonderfu
transformation in the lonely cottage
Thoroughly feminine in taste. size love
everything that is pretty and delicate
and Marius. enchanted by the simpI
elegance which had succeeded TO I'll
foTmer disorder Of his home smile
gratefully upon tho fairy who M
brought about tho change.