Smyrna times., 1903-08-19

After the wedding there was a sup
per at a boulevard restaurant and,
after the supper, dance. Early in
the evening Marius Lournier ap-
preached the radiant young bride and
extended his hand.
"Good-by, my child" he said.
care you going so soon, father?
Please stay little longer" Cecile
coaxed, looking at him affectionately.
'No, you cannot persuade me-
feel-rather tired"
And he added with a dismal smile:
Il am not so young as l used to be" "
lie made his adieux to the bridal
pair and walked slowly home to his
cottage at Montrogue.
Merius Lournier was fifty years old,
but possessed of a modest fortune and
q philosophical disposition. He had
long been a widow er, and his exper-
ience of matrimony had not been
pleasant enough to tempt him to re-
peat it,
One drizzllng November night, as
he entered his garden, his attention
was attracted by the vaguely outlined
figure of 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 it did not move,
mechanically reOpened the gate and
walked toward it.
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 the
rain, - said Marius.
In spite of her resistance-which
was but feeble, poor thing g!-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 Martel, 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 a tobac.
co shop license which had been pro-
missed to the widow long ago.
Their last article of furniture, their
few trinkets, had been sacrificed to
obtain funds for the journey.
Soon after their arrival the mother
had died very suddenly, leaving Cecil'
alone and almost penniless in the grea
city in which she did not know
human soul.
By dint of great economy the CIR
had contrived to live for a few week
on the little money remaining in he
purse; but that morning her landlad.
had informed her with great polite
ness that she must either pay her ar
rears of rent or go elsewhere.
She had wandered through tn
streets all day, without eating or rest
ing, aud at night had turned her step
instinctively toward the cemetery
Montrogue where her mother lay a
rest.
This pitiful tale, told in almost IL
audible tones, and interrupted by nj
of shivering and weeping, atfecte
Mmius very deeply.
He hastily got together the element
srudimentary banquet; but Cecil
in spite of her desire to show her al
probation of this unhoped for succo
could not eat a mouthful. Thoug
the room was warm, she shlvert
more and more, until at last, owe
come by fatigue, she closed her ey
and fell asleep.
This will never do" thought NJ
rius. ''She Will get pneumonia
something in her damp clothes.
'If only there were a woman in t
housed Then we could put the pc
child to bed"
He wrapped big cloak about b
and fell to studying her face. 1t "
not strikingly pretty, but it was
pleasing face and a good face. L
greatest beauty was now veiled-t
large, velvety black eyes, tender a
Passionate. Suddenly she moan
and then Marius saw that her face "
scarlet and her breathing labored.
"Ah Just what 1 feared, he
claimed, and ran to fetch physi cl