The Grenada sentinel. [volume] (Grenada, Miss.) 1868-1955, 1869-02-06
VOLUME XIV.

the transactionOf business Lsnoir found
her in one of the upper rooms, engaged
with oneof the maidserVants, in unrolling
some cloth. She did not hear him coming
In, and he could not help shaking his head
as he saw her a plump, rosy, good
humored girl Of twenty one, with glossy
black hair, and lively black eyes, and a
pretty, round, good.tempered face. Obi
If she had but been boy, he thought,
with deep sigh. Charlotte heard the
| sigh, and, looking up, saw the old man
standing in thedoorway, with his pen be-
hind his ear, and a woebegone meaning
on his wrinkled face.
"Monsieur Lenoir'' she said, knitting
her smooth brow into a froWn, edo you
know that this cloth is moth-eaten ?"
I Monsieur Lenoir was very sorry TO hear
| Il, but begged for five minutes private
i conversation with Mademoiselle.
"To be sure" airily replied Charlotte,
"Marie, you will fold up that calico,
please. shall be down Directly,
Monsieur Lenoir sighed again. His er-
rand was sad one, but II must be spoken
To his amazement, Charlotte interrupted
him at once.
Thank you" she said, but please tell
that Monsieur Roussel that shall carry
on the business myselfp ~
If the pen had not been very firm be-
hind Monsieur Lenoir's ear, it must have
dropped at so astounding an announce
ment. Without seeming to perceive his
amazement, as expressed in staring eyes
and open mouth, Mademoiselle Morel con-
tinued; "Whenever my poor father came
to see me, he lamented that was q girl I;
so, not knowing what was TO happen,
did my best to qualify myself for business.
learned bookkeeping"
"But, Mademoiselle," interrupted Le-
noir, bookkeeping is nothing
You do not know theintricaCies of bust
ness. ,s- ~. s
In her turn, Mademoiselle Morel inter
rupted the clerk. She laid her hand upon
his arm, and, looking in his face, she said,
good humoredly, but very firmly
"I know good butter, and good -four,
and good cloth, and good wares, Monsieur
Len0ir, and none but good wares will |
keep My father neither took nor gave
credit, | believe. His word also was his
bond ; he was honorable in his dealings
and prudent in his ventures. What he did,
l shall do; and, Monsieur Lenoir," she
added, feelingly, "no cloth Of this texture
and this price shall get moth-eaten under
my rule. Why" she added, raising her
eyebrows, pursuing her lips, and shaking
her young head, there are several
hundred francs lost at the very least,n
Monsieur Lenoir stared and was dumb.
Remembrance was useless and he knew It.
OF course this poor deluded young thing
would never get on-neVer, not even with
his assistanee-but she had will of her
own, she was of age too, and it was plain
that she emerged from. her convent with
the determination of having her own way
henoeforWard.
Monsieur Lenoir was simply and sadly
sceptioal but VeFrieres was bitterly non
icai. II foretold Mademoiselle Morel's
downfall, and watched her going down.
The process was not rapid one, Char
lotte got on very well. Monsieur Lenoir
didthe travelling and the going about, and
she stayed home aud minded the hebusiness
1t was hard for one so young 10 lead this
dull, confined life, and so Charlotte soon
found but pleasure is unknown in Yer
rieres, and she had no choice. Sometimes
she wondered if she should 60 on SO till
old age, buying and selling, and making
money but she was SO fara true daughter
of Verrieres, that she never thought of ex.
changing the dullness Of her native place
for the gayeties Of large city. Now and
then she longed for the country, and gar
dens, and green fields but she could not
have these and attend to business, so she
tried to be content with her shop, and her
store-rooms, and the yard, and the creep
ers, and to find music In that chfnk of
money which had 80 long charmed her
fathers ears. In the meanwhile, VerTieres
went on wondering how long she would
last, At first, Mademoiselle Morel knew
nothing of the eommotion her unexpected
resolve had excited. But by and by good
natured people, who felt bound tBtell her,
that her downfall, slow, but sure, was pre-
dicted, and that not even in her own
family was a voice raised to prophesy her
success. Louise Roussel, a Attle ohatterer
Of some seven years old, whom Charlotte
was very fond Of gave her more informR-
ton on that head than Charlotte cared to
hear She came in to her one evening,
flushed and breathless with excitement
30 cousin" she cried, running up to
Mademoiselle Morel, who was in the yard
watering Tie creepers, such news My
big brother Henri has just arrived"
ayes; for a week only, you know.
They all say am so like him. Am
like him ?" And she raised herself on tip
toe, and shook her auburn hair, for Char
lotte the better to see the likeness.
MademoiBelle Morel looked down into
the ehild's bright face
Yes, you are like him. she said, alb.
stractedly, and she remained thus, with
the watering pot in. her hand, like one in
dream. ag.....s t.Gy4a4
And they told him about you, you
know pursued Louise, "and papa
gfoahed, and said you would never do.
And Uncle Joseph laughed, and said you
would never do; and Henri, you know,
said, Why not2 Women do very well in
business when they have brains and not
heart sfA&8 a54
Charlotte was silent; If It were not that
she changed color q little, she looked as If
she had not heard the child,
And Henri Is going to Uncle Joseph's
tonight continued the little thing and
ashe will not be back till Friday, mamma
win ask you 10 come and spend to-mor-
rows holiday with US. They asked Henri
II he would mind seeing you--ha said no;
but II would be awkward for a whole
day"
Still Charlotte was silent.
How hot IT is under theskylight y she
said, tlast; come out with me, Louise !"
and, passing through one ofthe out houses,
they came out on tho brink Of the river
behind IL Charlotte had d wooden bench
placed there, and of an evening, when the
shop was shut she liked TO come and Sit
here and breathe Rlittle fresh dir. twas
also 4 iayoritehaunto Of Monsieur Tienoir'a,
who was great angler, and who devoted
| TO bis fayorite pursuit everything Ike
spare time They found him there, stand
ING on aistone,sti6, straight, and still, like
an old heron watching for his prey.
Charlotte sat down on the bench without
speaking b him, and Louise neslled
against hef. The evening was very calm
and still. The stream was silYery and
gray; above the Willows and aspens on
tie opposite bank rose pale crescent
moon Che lowing of distant cattle came
from remote paatures, and fromthe neigh
boring gardens the gay laughter Of the