The Iowa transcript. (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1858-1866, 1866-09-28
POOR CHRISTINE.

81 remember it 50 years ago, Fred" an
old man said to his boy companion, as they
both stood looking through the sunshine at
the great front Of the cathedral st Rouen.
ayes, fifty years ago stood before il as we
are 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 boy?'
They stood in the open square. with their
backs to the CAFES and the gay shops, the
sunlight falling tenderly on the great gay
sculptured walls, before them, lighting up
shaft and capital and niche with all their
wondrous workmanship of living form and
clustered pinnacle.
" Fifty years ago. he again said softly.
"Poor Christine! -
Fifty years ago Frank Liston spent sum-
'mer holiday in Rouen; he was about 10
then, high-llinded, enthusiastic youth.
His father was dead, and be was educating
himself to be an artist, and was looking
forward with all the eagerness Of gener-
GUS nature 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 euineas into her lap; and she, by
hard pinchlng, had saved some Of these
guineas, and this summer, because in striv-
ing after such early wages he had begun to
outrun his strength, she made him take a
few of them again, and sent him across the
channel to visit (what in his heart she
knew he longed to see) some one or two Of
the old picturesque French towns.
It was bright June weather when we
reached the first of them at which we meant
to halt, Roueu, and saw from far away the
dark old city, towards which for years his
artists heart had tended, stretched out
amidst the windings Of the Seine. He had
been laughed at by one or two before he
started OH his journey, and had been told
that this old Rouen was nothing but miser
able town of grlmy, lettering houses and
blackened churches, but the youth had gaily
returned laugh for laugh. He knew well
what he crossed the sea to seek, and he
knew that he should not fail to find it,
even in the midst of those decaying houses
and those moldering churches, he found it
in narrow streets and neglected corners
and wheresoever he discovered it, whether
in open square or hidden alley, he hailed
it as men hail the sight Of long sought, long
unseen friends faces. He had brought his
sketching board and all his materials fol-
drawing with him, and holiday though il
was, he meant TO work throughout it bu
the novelty and loneliness OF everything
about him distracted him 50 at first, that q
few days had passed before he could do any.
thing but roam and gaze around him. He
had been three days in Rouen before al
length he took his stand before the cathe
dral and began to draw. 1t was mild
warm summers day, and the square wal
very quiet. Only a few people passing il
and out of the church, and occasionally
child or two attracted by curiosity to stea
near and stare at him, disturbed him as b,
worked, and hour after hour passed happily
over him. During hour after hour, too
there was one person besides himself who
having come to the square before him, re
NAMED till long after he had gone away;
girl selling rosaries and little images at the
cathedral door. After he had been workin,
for some time he noticed her. When his worl
was over, and he came forward before h.
turned homewards to enter for few mo
ments into the church, he stopped when h
came to where she sat in the cool shadow b,
the porch, and looking into her basket tool
up in his hand little rosary of coral beads
Glow much % he asked.
"A franc, monsieur" she said.
She smiled and thanked him as he CAV
the money to her, ana he looks his bead
and passed on. He thought for moment
"What pleasant smile she has = and thel
he thought no more of her till the mex
morning, when he came back to resume hi
work, and found her in her place again.
That day he took note of how picturesqu,
the quaint old Normandy dress looked 0,
her, the great high cap, SO scrupulousl,
starched and white, the short petticoat f,
bright in hue. A trim, neat figure, too
rounded and light and firm q young
bright face, not beautiful, but pleasant L
look upon. He should like to make sketch
some morning of her, he thought, and tina
day when his work was done lie went up tt
where she sat, and entered into talk will
her. He had frank, fearless, beyish habi
Of talking to every kind of persons VIII,
came across him, man or woman, gentle OF
simple. For years already ever since h,
had thought of becoming painter, he hae
been accustomed 10 roam about the country
attaching himself sometimes in all simpl
faith to strange enough companions, falling
into odd adventures, running occasonall,
some risks, and yet always, by some goo,
guidance or instinct, escaping scathles
AIOm OIL pTluRinS Ills Ifcsu, uoues', trust
ing nature, that, thinking no harm Itself
suspected no harm in others, unminded an
unsaddened out of every trial. lie went u
to the girl aud asked:
DO you come here with your baske
every day"
They had already exchanged little no
Of recognition.
.'Yes, monsieur, every day." she an
swered.
"Well-and don't you get very tired .
1t I" he said.