El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1910-11-25
The Herald's
Daily Short Story
hassM...~

! take up arms against France, how they
had come TO the city to hide them
selves among the crowd under an as
sumed name. to earn their living by
the work of their hands, how she had
become a Iaundress, and how happy
they were in their humble house, be-
cause they loved each other
Then followed an impassiOned praise
of love revealing the strength of her
passion. the nobility of her soul, the
pure simplicity of her heart. the I'M
bounded admiration of her husband,
FRANCHISE de ChalOst laid bare every
corner of her soul, she appealed TO the
memories of the old. the present hap
piness of the young people in love,
the pity of everyone present. Tears
were streaming down her cheeks, she
reached, without knowing it herself, tie
utmost heights of magnetic eloquence
and when she begged the judge to let
them die together, if they must die.
when she threw herself into the arms
of her husband, the crowd that filled
the courtroom burst out sobbing, and
a general cry for acquittal went up.
They did not wait for the assent Of
the judge, who in vain. was trying to
hide his own emotion, but broke down
the barriers. raised the accused high
on their shoulders and carried them
out of the courtroom. the judge him.
self now applauding their act.
Years afterwards we find the two
in a modest home. half farm, half
mansion, at CastillOn. Their humble
position has made no difference to
FRANCHISE de Chalost, and if she looks
a little more mature now, if there are
silver threads in her hair, her heart is
no more than 20 yet.
Is she then happy? No, she lost
her happiness the very moment she
thought she had won it forever.
While he listened to her speech in
front of the tribunal Chalost felt
proud of her, happy to have won the
heart Of such a woman. He admitted
readily that his own feeble arguments
were as nothing compared TO the ire
sistible elOquence of his wife. and as
they were being carried out of the
courtroom on the shoulders of the
crowd his heart was filled to overflow
ing with love and gratitude towards
her.
But after that day FRANCHISE had
become a popular heroine the adored
pet of Paris. she was pointed out to
strangers. people went out of their
way to look at her, her name was on
everybOdy's lips, it was mentioned in
all the papers and famous men and
women came to their modest lodgings
to congratulate her, while he was re-
duced to being the husband of citi-
zeness Chalost'' She was first, he
only a poor second. and the idea that
this was always TO be SO, grated on
his masculine pride.
Without any fault of Franchises her
ren0wn spread all over the country
and when a great poet wrote an i'm
mortal poem bout her, the whole mat
ter became unbearable TO her husband.
While FRANCHISE bore her halo with
modesty never for a moment suspect
ing what was going on in her hus-
bands petty mind, while her own soul
remained simple and unspOiled as ever.
he grew more and more bitter in his
feelings towards her. She had saved
his life of course but need he ever
be reminded of that? Even she her
self loves TO dwell on that memory,
all unconscious of the impression it
makes on him.
Instinctively he begins to look for
revenge. for a way of showing his In
dependence. of proving his masculine
superiority, and hoping to humiliate
her. he is openly unfaithful. He heaps
upon that shining head of auburn
tresses. insult after insult
Years pass on. and he, the murderer
of her affections declines into an old
age, unhallowed by the tenderness of
love His sordid petty revenge hast
ened his wife's death and now rebounds
upon himself peOpling his dreams with
spectres of past happiness.