LOUIS DUVAL.

 of Louis, was by trade a paper-stainer, and a skilful
 workman; but he had long been out of work; for
 France was at that time in so sad a state that multi-
 tudes of artisans could find no employment, and when
 it was obtained, they could scarcely procure sufficient
 food for their families with the wages they received,
 for work was cheap and bread was exceedingly dear.
 Thus what Margaret had said was quite true,-in the
 cities and towns and villages of France were thou-
 sands slowly perishing with hunger. It was very
 mournful.
 And sad it was for Louis Duval to think of starving.
 He could not understand why it should be. Around
 him he knew the rich were living in luxury, and
 why should he, and his father and grandmother,
 have nothing to eat? Ah, who shall tell how many
 gloomy thoughts came into that little boy's mind, as
 he sat, leaning his head on his grandmother's knee!
 At length he looked up-
 "Grandmother," he said, "you shall not starve.
 I will go and beg."
 "You must not beg, Louis," replied Margaret,
 sternly. "The Duvals were never beggars. Be-
 sides," she added, mildly and sadly, of whom would
 you beg, my poor boy? The rich care nothing whe-
 ther or not the poor starve. Starve and welcome,"
 they would say. They are too much used to hear of
 such things to mind it. No, no: they dance and sing,
 and go to court and to the theatres; they dress in
 gay clothes, and dine daily on luxuries; but they never
 care who suffers, so that they do not. It is so in
 France now; but it will not always be so, perhaps,
 though we may not live to see the change. No, no,
Louis, you must not beg."
 At this moment a sound of distant music was