The Palatka news and advertiser., 1916-12-29

ilcl cNelyu DO you HOJ COHlpGt
: hend?" Her voice was as wistfl
t as her eyes.
| Won Mier nodded. He comprehend
ed. Also he was notary, a ma
of law. So he added, "Yet, Madame
| who have aided and abetted you i
} this affair, which the world will ca
: a deceit, must now, as years cree
! on, represent to you that we shout
well, Madame, tell the truth" H
sighed.
THE truth, Monsieur!" reiteratet
the charwoman. "But Marie Rose
the little one! the pretty baby! Sh
is altogether the truth. With rev
erence, Monsieur, is it not fac
that the Blessed Virgin has appeare,
in vision to a girl of France?"
certainly, Madame"
"Then to me, too, has appeared
maybe my little Marie Rose. Listen
Monsieur; when the night is cold anc
the fog thick from the Scheldt, anC
after the watchman has made his cry
from the Templars Corner, there
comes knock on the door. I open;
she is there. She comes in, she creeps
along the sand floor, up, up, she
creeps into my arms, into my heart.
Oh, Monsieur Won Mier, it is not cred
ible you would have me kill her!"
Madame! Madame! we must wax
en- from our dreams"
Monsieur, it is no dream. For her
| have toiled and scraped and saved
and knitted and stitched. Look" she
got and opened one by one the five
drawers of the tall bureau. "Behold
Monsieur. the garments have made,
the fine lace I have woven with my
hands, the little shoes I have croch-
eted and the stockings and muffers
and three caps, the little aprons, all
for Marie Rose, and now you propose
to me to kill her."
"But, Madame, soon Philippe will
marry. Philippe will present to
YOU small granddaughter in reality;
is it not wise to confess, or at least
to say. for example"
"Well, Monsieur, what shall I say
for example?"
"Precisely, Madame. One moment.
I will myself explain to the COM
many and everyone that little Marie
Rose-is-dead."
The charwoman looked at the poet
notary.
"But, Monsieur, she is not dead.
She is so alive, in my heart, I cam
not" Her tone was quiet, persis-
tent. plaintive.
"Figure to vourself." continued Won
Mier, "also. Madame, that you are no
onger perhaps able to scrub floors.
wash stems and widows, eat scantilv.
md sit hv an emptv stove. You non-
.inuo to do these things, YOU fell i'll,
YOU have no one to care for her, you
ire taken away from"
"Never. Monsieur, never from the
,ureau containing Marie Roses
lothes. from the door where so often
n the winter night she knocks and
pen"
"Also. Madame. your will. 1t is I
Who drew it up for YOU: it is likewise
who say to YOU. burn it. II is
ere. I brought it with me. It is a
ocnment of much ridiculous fancy"
f.r |
i Will not burn IT," the old char
'ollrp asserted. leave IN 1t the
We tnonSand francs | have saved to
ny little Marie Rose, and if they
annot ma her
HOW can theV ma one who never :
ad existence, Madame, please to eX-
IAN Z! HIS emphasis struggled to I
e marsh. r
then the money goes to
1ne ornhan at the Sisters who will r
1rlSten it Marie Rose; and also | he '
-Ow upOn it oil the garments with
'e fine lace and the knitted cans and c
rtHers. the nlcture books and toys "
nd the Christmas tree"
Madame. this is follv! OF posi- n
We surety Philinpe will contest such n
will &C vou have here" He VI
'urhed the narchment. c
"No. Monsieur. IMPOSSIBLE. be-
'use Phlinne knows of little Marie p
ose, and he would not defraud her" +
MADAME. thiS is a fable. hvpoc- h
svi" The old notary was righteous :
working himself irto FRENZY TO ~
oli~p the canons. which he secretly +
athed. "
Here was noem. a lyric. . hnau- 7
ful fantasv. the varv kind Of thino 6
q had nut into his own dnCpicnd :