Year: 1873

The Countess of N, of the Eau bourg St. Germain, had rescued from a life of misery young girl, Antoinette. She gave Antoinette employment in her household, married her to an honest DOT ter of the neighborhood, and showed her many other marks of peculiar kind ness.

 One day she gave her rich and rare robe, which she herself had worn. The girl guarded the present with pious tenderness, not daring even to wear it lest she should soil it. She assured her mistress that she would always treasure it as family trophy. But one day the kind countess fell i'll, and soon died. Antoinette's heart was nearly broken, and she chung more closely than ever to the robe. Being obliged to seek other employment, she took, with her hus- band, little room on the fifth floor of house occupied by the poorest sort of people, and there continued her life of humble industry. One evening, on re- turRing to her room, she found stretch ed out before her door the body of a woman. Tie strangerwas aroused, and explained that she, lived on the floor above; that she had a sick husband and several children; that she had gone out to get her pay for little sewing in or der to save her family from starvation; that the party had put her off till the next day, and that, on returning, she had fallen from exhaustion at Antoin- ette's door. The latter assisted the poor sufferer to her apartment, and found a most pitiful state of things. Then she returned and got some food for the famished wretches. But that was not all. Remembering the kind ness which had rescued her from fate even worse, she determined to raise some money for the unfortunates. All her little savings were in the care of g small banker of the neighborhood. Thither she hastened thenext morning, only to learn that the banker had aE- seconded the day before, with all the funds in his possession. This was seri- ous blow to the poor woman, less on her own account than on that of her more wretched neighbor. But one resort re- mained. She took down the precious robe, looked at it tenderly, and said, "You are not alive, dear lady, but your robe may yet relieve the needy" The Mont-de-piete loaned her sixteen francs on it, and this sum was given to her poor neighbor.

 But in the course of time Antoinette herself met misfortune. Her husband was one day brought home in @ horribly mutilated state: he had been run over by heavily loaded wagon, and nearly killed. The next day he died, and left Antoinette with four small children, and no money. She struggled along fol a short time, always intending to re- deem the robe, when she found herself compelled to take her child in her arms and beg on the street. A cruel police officer comes along, arrests her, ano sends her to prison.

 At the expiration of. her term she emerges with sixteen francs which sht had hoarded, and with her thoughts, as before, faithfully on the robe. Passing what should she see suspended for sal' but the robe itself Half frantic, she rushed into the store, threw down heI sixteen francs, and cried out, That i' my robe-give it to me; here are you sixteen francs p'' The merchant smiled "Not so fast, my good woman," sait he; " have been offered fifty francs for that robe; it is very rare piece and I will not sell it for less than sixt, francs" Antoinette uttered Q cry o nguish-" Sixty francs that is thre napoleons, and I have less than one Oh, my God Brushed to the door, ant fell on the threshold-dead.