The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-05-29

human utdlL, lCl ~ 10 SNt N"
, or in real life--the chord of
hopeless love. In this story. also,
oes not introduce. as he does In
his works, so much of that
upon vice in its various phases,
lille it may pass as art" or "a
RAFT of real life," is, nevertheless.
in its execution and immoral in
$. When Balzac in his lifetime
Used of immortality in his writ
vas much paineduand called at
, the many good women he had
his novels. Pre-eminent among
Eugene Grandet. In his way
vas sincerely and devoutly re-
nd IF. as Victor Hugo said at his
I is not darkness now with him,
> perhaps he would rather be
/ the novel of Eugene Grandet"
many of his other writings.
GRANDET, the wealthiest cit
izen of Saumur, like tLeodo-
gran, the King of Camelaird,
fair daughter and none other
There was no doubt that II.
vas the first citizen of the rather
lie French town. He was a
ned. heaItless old miser, but he
ger, and few of the citizens but
me time or another felt that
While all the people feared him
hated him, they had, neverthe-
rtain local pride in the posses
nan of such wealth, and used to
there were three millionaires
ce, and as for NJ. Grandet he
so much that it was doubtful
d tell how rich he was him
Ssenticed in his youth to a
-andet had made up his mind
in the world, and in anticipa-
e higher station to which he
ed to climb at whatever cost
to,read, to write a fairly legi-
md to keep accounts In an en-
nrste If not a very scientific
~
Tipped, he worked his way up
master cooper and saved his
Ing a little loan business upon
rity with the necessitous and
the interest he could get.
as 40 years old before he could
n matrtnony, and because of
nee and gravity beyond his
lie we're beginning to call him
andet. Grandet did not delay
thus long because he was fin
is choice, but because he was
" particular about the dowry
would bring him. At 40, how
elected the daughter of a rich
.hant, who. at the command OF
married him. and never, knew
ay thereafteE
ere the days of the wild. swift
! of things in France. and for
1 thrones wene beginning to
nds; the old order had been
to the melting pot and If men
parte, Murat and Bernadotts
d crowns out of 1t. men like
ould mold fortunes. When the
Bic, strong=and glorious In. bat
cruel and destructive in gov
Offered the church lands for
. Sasnnur district Grandet saw a
and putting together his own
tune and his wife's dowry, he
n old abbey with one of the
eyards in the district and sew
ing farms for a small fraction
alue. Now. indeed. was he be-
an of real Importance, aslanded
Z, and gave up his coopering.
randet he was now, and peo-
n to treat him with respect
hey felt 1t or not.
they laughed at. his crude peas
! and ridiculed him behind his
1T they soon ceased to laugh at
pertaining to Citizen Grandet
found to their cost that he and
s were no laughing matters.
: they learned to obey instinc-
It stern, infiexible,, Inerciless VIII,
/ Grandet wanted to be mayor,
ey made him.
lie a good mayor, no one could
he did not govern, justly, though
zee was never tempered with
Grandet neither neglected his
as mayor nor those many little
of ''honest graft" whereby high
fficiais are enabled, in every
nrich themselves II they choose
and which were at that time in
articularly numerous and profit
course, Grandet was a most
ed republican. 1t paid to be so
days. But as the consulate be-
JADE before the shadow of the
umpire the great Corsican, who
] busily at work regenerating
wen in the government of the
tant provinces, had at last in
such reforms as greatly to dis
worthy mayor. and so reduced
ngs that when the Emperor
ismissed him Grandet was not
give up his job. There was no
it.
lis growing fortune Grandet did
lge his manner of living. He
BIT In the modest house in
had lived for so many years
RI one servant suff1ced for his
establishment. This one
vas a character in her way
her great he1ght-she was a
ny muscular woman-was
. lie Grand Nanon. Nanon had
Q from door to door in Saurnur
~ of great distress for bread.
for employment. But until
to the door of Grandet none
I've her-she looked so gaunt.
ernly. SO incompetent. But
looked at her, saw that she
bile of doing the work of two
women, and hired her for the
It salary of so francs a year.
had bought Nanon- because
a bargain-nothlng else. But
sver forgot that he had taken
Then no one else would and
y master and looked after his