The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-08-25

in such spots as were marshy. He threw the seeds of gourds and cucumbers at
 the foot of the rocks which they loved to climb; In dry spots he cultivated the
 sweet potato, while the sugar cane grew In the clayey soil and the cotton plant flourshed on the heights. He reared some plants of coffee the hills where the berry, though small. was excellent; and his plantain trees, which lined the banks fthe river and encircled the cottages,
 furnished food throughout the year. Last
 ly, to soothe his own cares, he cultivated
 a few plants of tobacco.
 On the birth of Virginia, Domingo mar ried Mime. de la Tours slave, Mary. who cooked the meals, cared for the poultry and went sometimes to Port St. Louis to sell the superfuous produce of the
 plantations. which was not however, very considerable. If you add to the person.
 ages already mentioned two goats which were brought up with the children and
 great dog which kept watch at night you
 have complete idea of the household as well as of the productions of these two
 little farms.
 Mime. de la Tour and her friend were constantly engaged in spinning cotton for
 the use of the families, and as they schooled themselves to depend on nothing
 that could not be produced at home, they generally went barefoot, reserving their
 shoes for Sunday, when they went to early
 mass in the little church of the Shaddock Grove. This church stood at considera- be distance from the valley, further off, In fact, than Port St. Louis; but they preferred to worship there rather than in | the city, where there coarse dresses might be subject of remark, and where | they would be too much brought into con tact with the world which they had for saken
 It was amid such surroundings as these. under such conditions as these, that Paul and Virginia grew up side by side In in- nocence and health. While they were yet in their cradles their mothers talked of their marriage and soothed their own cares by looking forward to the happi- ness of their children. Remembering their I own misfortunes they found consolation | in refiectlng that their more fortunate children, far from the cruel prejudces of Europe, would enjoy at once the pleasures | of love and the blessings of equality. | Their tears had never been called forth | by tedious application to useless sciences l Their minds had never been wearied by lessons of mortality, superfiuous to bosoms unconscious of i'll. They had never been taught not to steal, because : everything with them was in common; or not to be incorporate, because their sim ple food was left to their own discretion;
 or not to lie, because they had nothing to conceal All their early childhood passed thus like a beautiful dawn, the prelude to a bright day.
 Rarely had there been such an attach
 ment as the two children manifested for each other from the first, and their af- lection appeared to strengthen as they grew older, until they seemed to have but one heart and one soul. But Mime. de Ia Tour had keen appreciation of the un-
 certainties of this mortal existence and
 would sometimes say to herself: "1f I were to die, what would become of Nir- gnia, thrown on the world without for tune?'
 She had an aunt in France, a woman of
 quality rich and unmarried In spite of
 the fact that this aunt had behaved cru- ely to her, Nine de la Tour, soon after her daughter was born, resolved to write
 to the proud relative, hoping to enlist her sympathies and engage her interest for Virginia. For twelve years she wrote regularly but not an answer did her aunt vouchsafe to her niece. At last, however, when Virginia was twelve years
 old a messenger from the governor at Port St. Louis appeared in the happy val ley and announced to Mme. de la Tour that His Excelency had letter for her from her aunt. The good woman flew to the city, her maternal joy raising her above all the trihing considerations which had caused her heretofore to shun the placee.
 "Ah" said M. de la Bourdonnais, the governor, coldly your aunt has written
 me concerning you and recommending you to my consideration. We will see what can be done--there are so many to re- | lieve-all in good time. Why did you dis | please your aunt? You have been much | to blame"
 The letter from which Mime. de la Tour | had hoped sc much proved to be merely an ill-natured lecture filled by the '.riter i with praise of herself and condemnation | of her niece. There" exclaimed Mme. 1 de la Tour to Margaret when she i rived home and threw the letter the | table. lis the result of twelve years of l patient expectation" She could contain herself no longer and burst into tears. | Margaret and the children sought to 1 comfort her, and at last she dried her | eyes, declaring that, after all perhaps it
 was better as 1t was. You are the cause
 of my affliction, my children,' said she | but you are also the only source of my | delight Affliction has reached me. but l only from distance; here am surround | ed with happiness and will never again 1 look to the world beyond this valley Having made this resolve, every day l to these two families became one of hap | piness and tranquility Neither ambition l nor envy disturbed their repose They did l not seek to obtain a useiess reputation
 which may be produced by artifce and | lost by calumny, but were contented to be. | the scole witness and judges of their own | actions. Passers-by on the road to the | Shaddock Grove would sometimes ask of | the inhabitants of the plain who lived in | those cottages up there, and were always l told, even by those who did not know | them, "They are good people,"
 Paul at 13 was stronger and more in- | telligent than most European youths of | 16 and the plantations which Domingo | cultivated were embellished by him. He i set out groves of the lemon, orange and 1 tamarind trees, together with the date | palm. the agathis. with its long clusters | of white flowers which hang from 1t like 1 the pendants of chandelier; the Persian | lilac, which lifts high in air it's gay. flax | coored branches the paw-paw. the i branchless trunk of which forms a col , umn studded with green melons sur | mounted by capital of broad green | leaves The seeds and kernels of the gum i tree, the terminala. mango, alligator | pear guava bread-frut and rose-apple l trees were also planted by Paul. who ar ranged charming retreats amid his groves | and flowers.