D BOY.

FROM THE FRENCH.

"Don't cry any more, Genevieve; you must get married again," said a
man in the working dress of a slater, just returning from his day's
work, to a poor woman who was sitting at the foot of a camp bed,
weeping, and rocking her baby at the same time. "Your husband is
dead; he fell from a ladder, and it killed him. It is a great
misfortune for you and your family; but crying won't help you."

Saying these words in a rough voice, to hide the emotion caused by the
poor woman's despair, the workman brushed away a tear with his coat
sleeve.

"My poor George!" said the woman.

"If your son was only good for anything," added the workman, rudely,
throwing a glance of disdain upon a poor, pale, weak, and crippled
boy, who was seated on the floor in a corner of the room; "if that
child would ever grow into a man, I would take him with me, and teach
him how to clamber over roofs, and to keep his balance upon the beams,
and drop from the end of a rope. But no, he grows worse and worse
every day; and now he can hardly bear his own weight. He is almost
twelve years old, that son of yours; and if they said he was four, it
would be a compliment."

"Is it the fault of Jacques that he came crooked into the world, my
brother?"

"No, certainly not. I don't blame him, poor child, I don't blame him;
but he will always be a useless mouth in the world. Luckily, he will
not live long," he whispered in the ear of his sister. Then he rose,
and went out, calling, "Good by till to-morrow," in a tone of voice
which betrayed the anxiety he felt at the situation of his sister and
her children.

"_Luckily_ I shall not live long," was repeated by a sweet, sad voice,
in an accent which only belongs to those who have suffered deeply.

"What are you saying, Jacques?" inquired Genevieve.

"That I am good for nothing. My uncle was right."

"Take courage, my son. When you are older, you will grow stronger."

"Yes, if--" said the boy.

But he left the sentence unfinished, and his mother was too much
absorbed in her grief to ask him what he meant. It was late, and in a
few minutes the poor family retired. It was hardly light when Jacques
went down into the court-yard to see the grooms curry the horses, wash
the carriages, and get ready for the day.

It was summer, and very soon a pretty little girl came down into the
court. Jacques uttered a loud cry when he saw her.

"Without crutches, Mademoiselle Emilie!"

"So