The Argosy — page 324: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

The Curé’s Sister. | 303 the refinements that the instincts of her blood tell her should be hers. I am certain she is of noble birth.” I looked at him in an astonishment that held me silent. Do you not know that Léonie is a foundling ?” he asked. “ A foundling!” I repeated. “Ves, a child from the Foundling Hospital. I had a baby sister who died, and my mother, grieved for the infant’s loss, went to the hospital and asked for a child to nurse. ‘They gave her the little Léonie, and she has loved her ever since as her own child. At twelve years of age, the foundlings are given up to the hospital by their foster-family and are then generally placed out as servants, or apprenticed to some trade. But there are exceptions to this rule. At that age, the hospital pays no longer towards their support, but it permits the foster-mother to retain the foundling, if she and the child both wish it; and, unless very poor, they often desire it, for the affection between them is very great, and few families are pleased to part with a child, who for twelve years has been one of themselves. My mother and I both agreed we would never let Léonie leave us. That is how she came to be my sister, monsieur.” I grew agitated as I listened. This little history, like a key, un- locked for me so many of Léonie’s sad feelings. ‘Everyone in the village knows Léonie is a foundling,” continued the Curé; ‘‘ but as she has been with us ever since she was an infant the fact of her not being really my mother’s daughter is seldom spoken of; indeed, it is almost forgotten. And as for poor Léonie herself, we are everything to her; and she, of course, has never known any other home than ours.” ‘And yet you fancy she is unhappy or discontented ?” I said. ‘She has been gloomy this three years past,” he answered, sadly. * And now, if she loves this young Count, I fear she will be wretched indeed.” ‘Ts there any hope of his marrying her ?” I inquired. “Marry a foundling!” cried the Curé. ‘‘ There is no fear of a Count de Villet doing that.” “And I think the Countess de St. Erme intends to hinder even a chance of such an alliance,” I said. And then I reared to him her strange conversation with me. ‘“‘Léonie will never accept money or gifts for renouncing her son’s love,” he cried; *“‘but she is so eager to learn, that the offer of instruction may tempt her. I will speak to her, my friend. I will warn her against the love of this frivolous young man. I will see his mother also ; perhaps she will take him back to Paris.” Here our conversation ended, and I went home wondering I had never guessed before why Léonie was unlike her family, and why her grace and delicacy had impressed me as something strangely anomalous with her position. And what are her thoughts? Does she ever dream of the mother that forsook her, the father who was a curse to COMMICOAOOKS.€O mn