Des Moines courier. ([Ottumwa] Iowa) 1848-1854, 1853-07-21
A PRETTY STORY.
THE LACE-MAKER OF CORNELL,
BIZ PERCY b. ST. JOHN.

Cornell is little village near Caen.
in Normandy, that peculiar province of
France which gave birth to the conquer.
or of England, William, and that hardy
Norman race which has furnished so
many distinguished men to our father.
land. Ii is strange old struggling vii
lage, like many hundreds of others in
France. and would. perhaps, never have
made much impression on my mind, ex-
cept tha, | passed some sixteen months
OF my 5oyhood, learned The French Ian,
guagE. and also that il WAS the birth
place Of Pauline Cholean. the lace work
er. The town of Caen and its neighbor-
hood is grea. part inhabited by lace.
makers. who in summer work at their
own doors, i'll winter at their rooms, adj
Journlng OF an evening to a warm COW.
stable. where they enjoy the beHefi. OF
the comfortable heat, aud of water
lamps. that enable them to practice great
economy. A bright candle is placed in
lhe midet, and around this the girls stand.
With fat bottles full OF water, that throw
a bright white light on The exact spot Of
lace at which they are working. Some
times of an evening in winter, after
leaving school. carrying home my books
and taking dinner. would escape TO lhe
table Of Cornell, where the lace work
ers congregaied. in company of others
older Than myself, To eat roast chesnu;s,
tell and hear stories, and listen to ihe
conversation. Being very learned in tales.
| knew the Arabian Nights. the Persian
Tales. and Crusoe. by heart--l became
very popular visitor. and | initiated
myself in the art of sIory.ielllng, while
the nimble fingers of he Norman girls
piled their pretty trade. Others, how
ever, added variety to my Oriental iic.
sions, by relating old legends of the
province, aud II is q mater Of consider.
able regret 10 me, that cannot al pres
eui recu.ieCi one of them.
One of my most patient lisieners was
Pauline Cholean, the child of the parish.
She was twelve years old, my senior by
3 years. and looked on he. with per-
tect awe. thought her the most beau
,ifu! creature had ever seen. Her blue
eyes. her curly golden hair. made an
impression on me | can never forget
When was telling story she would
bold up her head every now and then
from her work, and say: "How wonder
iul how beautiful !" or something of
ihe kind; and | would. am sure, feel
more delight at .his applause than ever
orator telt from the lumul,uous shouts
OF thousands. Pauline's father was an
officer, who had gone out the year be-
fore to Algiers with The invading army.
Her mother died a few months later, and
her father not being heard of again. she
fell from comparative ease into poverty.
She was taken by the haaG By worthy
old priest, whose housekeeper council
led her TO learn trade. by which, in
the absence of oil pecuniery resources,
she might support herself. In the mean
time, inquiries at the war office indica.
ted that her father had fallen a victim TO
his military duties. in an engagement
before Constantine, and that, though his
body had not been found. he was report
ed dead.
Thus did Pauline Cholean becomsa
lace maker. Poor girl she had zen
brought up 10 better things, buywha'
could she do! She had no rela'ves, so
she determined for The iuiuryfo suiiice
unto herself. Work eryearied her,
il was her delight. Peope often asked
her why she worked SO hard, She
could not tell. She leFit her duly, and
all said she would esfn more than any
girl in the village.
left Cormeil FIR Paris ana wander
ing afterwards in nlmany iorelgh region,
los. sight. of cours.oi OF Pauline Cho.
lean. NV wandey.e ended for time
n paris again "a there was in May
last. =, ,he Use of an intimate friend.
W. had Led. and were waiting the ar.
80, a "a few visitors, amusing oursel.
- ".neanwhile with .ha, slipshod con
sfsation which travellers are ap, 70 in.
cuige IN when our party was announc.
ea' II was composed of two gentle
men, an old one and young one, both
officers, a lady fi.lle over thirty, and