Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1904-05-17
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Ever since his appointment as president
of the court of first instance, this young
man had added the appellation de Bon
fons" TO his original name; in time he
hoped that the Bonfons would efface the
Cruchot, and was at no little pains to
compass this end. Already he styles
himself c. de Bottoms. The magistrate
was about 33 years of age, and the own
er of the estate of Bonfons. In addition
to this he had prospects; he would sue
coed some day TO the property of his
uncle the notary, and there was yet an
other uncle besides, the Able Cruchot
of Tours; both relatives were commonly
reported to be men of substance. The
three Cruchots, with a goodly number
of kinsfolk, connected. too, by marriage
with a score of other houses. formed
sort of party in the town, but they had
their rivals.
Nine. des Grassins, the mother of a
son % years of age. came assiduously
to take a hand at cards with Nine. Gran
Diet. hoping to marry her own dear
Adolphe to Mademoiselle Eugene. She
had a powerful ally in her husband the
banker, who had secretly rendered the
old miser many a service. The three
des Grassins had likewise their host Of
adherents, their cousins and trusty aux
iliaries.
The Able, well supported by his broth
er the notary, closely disputed the ground
with the bankers wife; they meant to
carry off the wealthy heiress for their
nephew the president. The struggle be-
tween the two parties for the prize of
the hand of Eugene Grandet was an
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the keenest interest. Some solved the
problem by saying that NJ. Grandet
would give his daughter to neither. The
old cooper, said they, was consumed with
an ambition to have a peer of France
for a son-in-law, and he was on the look
out for one who. for the consideration Of
an income of three hundred thousand
livres, would find all the past, present
and future barrels of the Grandets no
| obstacle to a match.
Those whose memories went farther
back said that the Grandets were too
prudent to let all that property go out
of the family. Mile. Eugene Grandet,
Of Saumur, would be married one Of
these days to the son of the other NJ
Grandet, of Paris, a rich wholesale wine
merchant. To these both Cruchotins and
Grassinistes were wont to reply as fol-
lows:
in the first place, the brothers have
not met twice in thirty years. Then NJ.
| Grandet, of Paris, is ambitious for that
son of his. He himself is Mayor of his
| division, deputy, a colonel of the Ma
tional Guard, and a judge of the Tri-
bunal of Commerce. He does not own
any relationship with the Grandets of
| Saumur, and is seeking to connect him
self with one of Napoleon's dukes"
In the beginning of the year 1911 the
| Cruchotins gained a signal victory over
| the Grassinistes. The young Marquis
de Froidfond being compelled to realize
his capital, the estate of Froidfond, cele-
brated for it's park and its handsome cha
teau, was for sale; together with - DO
pendent farms, rivers, fish ponds and for
ests: altogether it was worth three mill
ion francs. NJ Cruchot, President Cru
| chot and the Able Cruchot, by uniting
| their forces, had managed to prevent a
| proposed division into small lots. The
| notary made an uncommonly good bar
/ gain for his client, representing to the
young marquis that the purchase money
J of the small lots could only be collected
| after endless trouble and expense. and
| that he would have to sue large pro-
| portion of the purchasers for it; while
here was NJ. Grandet, a man whose
| credit stood high, and who was, more
over, ready to pay for the land at once
in hard coin. In this way the fair mar
| quesite of Froidfond was swallowed
down by NJ. Grandet, who, to the amaze
ment of Saumur, paid for it in ready
money. The news of this transaction
Travelled far and wide; it reached Or
| leans, it was spoken of at Nantes.