The Elk advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Elk Co., Pa.) 186?-1868, 1866-10-19
SAeeta0 Story.
POOR CHRISTINE.

they both stood looking up through tho
June sunshine at the great front of the
Cathedral at Rouen. Yes, fifty years
ago l stood before it as we ara standing
now, and think the very same birds
were building their nests then up over
the porch there. Look how they fly in
and out How many generations of
them have lived there, do you think, my
boyw
They stood in the open square, with
their backs to the cafes and the gay
shops. the sunlight falling tenderly on
the great gray sculptured walls before
them, lighting up shaft and capital and
niche with all their " kingly crowning,"
with all their wondrous workmanship of
living form and clustered pinnacle.
" Fifty Yeas agov he said again,
softly Poor Christine {"
Fifty years ago Frank Liston had
spent summer holiday in Rouen; he
was about nineteen then, high minded
enthusiastic youth. His father was
dead, and he was educating himself to
be an artist, and was looking forward
with all the eagerness of generous ma
ture to the time when he should be able
to remove his mother, who was poor
now, above all want. Young as he was
he had worked SO hard already that he
had more than once earned something
for her, and with flushing cheek had
poured his golden guineas into her lap !;
and she, by hard pinching, had saved
some OF these guineas, and this summer,
because in striving after such early
wages he had begun to outrun his
strength, she made him take few of
them again, and sent him across the
chauuol to visit (what in his heart she
knew he longed to sec) some one or two
Of the old picturesque Fren towns.
1t was bright June weather when he
reached the first Of them at which he
meant to halt, Rouen, and saw from far
away, the dark old city, towards which
for years his artists heart had tended,
t,ty.t,h.,l on,,l = fhn II
the Seine. lie hal been laughed at
by one or two before he started on mis-
journey, and had been told that this old
Rouen was nothing but miserable town
Of grimy, lettering houses aud blacken-
ed churches, but the youth had gayly
returned laugh for laugh. He knew
well what he had crossed the sea to seek
aud he knew that he should not fail to
find it. Nor did he. He found It even
in the midst of those decaying houses
aud mouldrring churches; he found il
in narrow streets and in neglected cor,
ners and wheresoevcr he discovered it
whether in open square or hidden alley
ne hailed it as men hail the sight ot
long sought, long unseen friends faces
liehad brought his sketching board ant
all his materials for drawing with him
aud, holiday though it was, he meant
to work throughout it, but the novelty
and the loveliness Of everything abou
him distracted him so at first, that a few
days had passed before he could do any
thing but roam and gaze around him
He had been for three days in Rouer
before at length he took his post one
morning before the west front of tn,
cathedral and began to draw. 1t was
mild, warm summers day, aud tn
square was very quiet. Only a fey
people passing in and out of the church
and occasinally child or TWO, attracted
by curiosity to steal near and stare a
him, disturbed him as he worked, an'
hour after hour passed happily over him
During hour after hour, too, there wa
Que person besides himself who, havin,
come to the square before him, remain
ed till long after he had gone away
girl selling rosaries and little images a
the cathedral door. After he ha
been working for some time he notice
her. When his work was over, aud h
came forward before he turned home
wards to enter for few minutes int
the church, he stopped when he came /
where she sat in the cool shadow of tn
porch. aud looking into her basket too
up in his hand a little rosary of cor
t beads.
"How much?" he asked.
"a franc, monsieur" she said.
She smiled aud thanked him as