An 'Attic' Philosopher

y of Mich

15th, Ei

ved in this quarter, I have dealt in her little fruit-shop. Perhaps I should be better served elsewhere, but Mother Genevieve has but little custom; to leave her would do her h

band, who is a joiner, to add some shelves to my bookcase,

e: but, now that I recall them, it seems to me that she was not as

he had received her full share already. Were I to live a hundred years, I should never fo

ely preferred the poor shops; there is less choice in them, but it seems to me that my purchase is a sign of sympathy with a brother in poverty. These little dealings are almost always an anchor of hope to those whose very e

become, according to the picturesque expression of the workshops, a worshipper of Saint Monday. The wages of the week, which was always reduced to two or three working days, were completely dedicated by him to t

ng it, while a country nurse seemed to be claiming her wages from her. The poor woman, who without doubt had exhausted every explanation and every excuse, was crying in silence, and one of her neighbors was trying in vain to appease the countrywoman. Excited by that love of money which the evils of a hard

t the throat, showed none of the noble stains of work: in his hand he held his cap, which he had just picked up out of the mud; his hair wa

the sight of the miserable man, who was trying in vain to steady him

and the neighbor

rmer in a rage, "do you in

red the woman from the next door, pointing to th

ywoman loo

at idle beggars! not to have a penny to pay hon

ard raise

ng but brandy! But I am going back again to get some wine! Wife, give me

t round the counter, opened the

rved the neighbor to the countrywoman; "how can t

rse, angrily. "They owe to me, and

xpense it had been to her. In proportion as she recalled all she had done, her words seemed to convince her more than ever of her rights, and to increa

passion, I cannot say; but she rushed into the next room, where I heard the sounds of quarrelling, with which the cri

ms the baby that the countrywoman was trying to tear from her. She r

defend y

stood up erect, like one

tammered he

d; a vague ray of intelligen

sumed he; "i

that he might take the baby, but he tott

brought it up: if you don't pay me for what has made it live, it ought to be the

im?" murmured Genevieve, pres

n, harshly; "the hospital is a better mother than y

and remained with her back against it, like a lioness defending her young. The neighbor and I contemplated this scene, without knowing how we could interfere. As for Michael, he looked at us by turns,

ing a prodigious effort

with water, he plunged his

he raised his dripping head. This ablution had partly dispelled his drunkenness; he

ild, and taking him in his arms. "Ah!

child would have a fall. The nurse began again in her turn to speak, and renewed her claims, this time threatening to appeal t

o we owe yo

to the bottom of his pockets, but could find nothing. His forehead became contracted by frowns; low curses began t

t for me, neighbor, and if that is not enough, I have my earrings. Eh! Genevieve, take them off for me; the earrings will square all! They shall not say you have been disgraced on account of the child - no, not even if

ms of his mother, he carried him

He went early every morning to his work, and returned regularly in the evening to finish the day with Genevieve and Rober

l training, had studied mathematics, drawing, and the carpenter's trade, and had only begun to work a few months ago. Till now, they had been exhausting every resource which their laborious

to my mind, Michael had come in, and was occ

the notes of my journal, I was

lightly bent. There seems a sort of weight in his whole being. His very features have an expression of sorrow and despondency. He answers my questions by monos

has forgotten. I have at last succeeded in drawing from him the secre

man was to have renewed and made glad their lives once more; his mother counted the days, his father prepared everything to receive their dear associate in their toils; and a

e facilities he should have in his new position of improving himself in his trade, and the hopes he had of turning his knowledge to advantage. At, last, w

them hopes of his return. His parents hardly saw him once

myself that when once he was grown up we should have him always with us, to recall our youth and to enliven our hearts. His mother was always thinking of getting him married, and having children again to care

ustomers and the joiner's work. Ah! if I could have guessed how it would have turned out! Fool! to have sacrificed my likings and my money, for nearly twenty years, to the education of a thankless son! Was it for this I took the trouble to cure myself of drinking, to break with my friends, to become an example to the neighborhood? The jovial good fellow ha

ps quivered. I wished to answer him, but I could only think of commonplace consol

rd us, and we regret having obeyed her! Who has not felt this weakness in hours of

be the sole exception to the general law. If it had been prejudicial to those who practised it, experience would have avenged them; but experience has, on the contrary, made it more universal and more holy. We only accuse it of being a faithless debtor because we demand an immediate payment, and one apparent to our se

has returned to his work.

one of the ornamental cottages in the outskirts of the city, a usual retreat for the frugal and successful workingman. Michael had not indeed the two thousand francs which must be paid down; but perhaps he could have persuaded Master Benoit to wait. Robert's presence would have been a security for him, for the young man could not fail to insure the prosperity of a workshop; besides science and skill, he had the power of invention and b

xation. I saw he was proud of the son he was abusing, and tha

ay. How many events have happened within a few ho

ves, and telling me of his son, whil

n the passage, the door opened, a

but he repressed it immediately, as if he wi

an open-hearted manner, which surprised me. Genevieve, whose face shone with

o see him, and he answered

erday," said Michael

had business at St. Germain's . I was not able to come b

son sidewise, and then

we must do as they wish; but there are some who would like better to eat brown

the proverb says, 'you must shell the peas before you can eat the

of the staircase," interr

r Raymond's plan, father,

hy

have sold

planing a board, t

ied he, with

t I was not rich en

w down the b

idea into his head which would have made him known, and he goes a

is there done?"

soldier would give up his cross. That is his glory; he is bound to keep it for the honor it does him! Ah, thunder! if I had ever made a discovery, rather than put it up at auction I would have sold

olored a

, father," said he, "when y

for it," added Genevieve, who

replied

cried she, "he sold i

to sell his business unless one half of the two thousand francs were first paid down. It was in the hopes of obtaining this sum that he had gone to work with the contractor at Versailles; he had had an opp

that I was quite affected by it. Genevieve cried; Michael pressed his son to his hea

neither obeyed the voice of ambition nor of avarice, nor even the nobler inspiration of inventive genius: his whole motive and single aim ha

all three were about to leave me; but, the cloth being l

that association of existences which forms one single being of so many! What is man without those home affections, which, like so many roots, fix him firmly in the earth, and permit him to imbibe all the juices of life? Energy, happiness - do not all these come from them? Without family life where would man learn to

; but let us rather enlarge this holy law; let us carry the principles and the habits of home beyond set bounds; and, if it may be, let us realize the prayer of the Ap