The St. Cloud journal. [volume] (St. Cloud, Minn.) 1866-1876, 1870-04-28

her. Fontaine turned away much di
appointed :he wanted his wife to shin'
and he guessed the painful impressio
her ignorance would produce.
clio ho said d'Merard, in dro]
little squeaking voice, "Madame Mer
ard must give you some lessons, M
young lady," He was good-naturedl,
trying to avert disagreeables.
"Lessons ~ said Madame Merard
hoarsely. ut is no longer the fashion
tor young women to interest themselves
IN the management Of their domestic
expenses. 1t Is perhaps because they
contribute nothing to them."
"Catharine felt very angry at tbi.
unprovoked attack. She made an ef.
fort. "t shall be very glad to learn any
thing you will teach me-" she said. But
already she was beginning to wonder
whether she had not been wrong to
wish tor the tete-a-tete to be in terrupt
ed. If i: is hard to seem amused
when one is wearied, it is also difficult
to conceal ones pain when ono is
wounded. They all sat down to break
fast. Monsieur Merard asked for a
pin, and carefully fastened his napkin
across bis shirt-front. Madame Merard
freely used her knife to cut bread, to
eat dainty morsels off her plate. Every
thing went on pretty smoothly until
Toto, who lad been perfectly good for
whole fortnight, melted by the reap
peara2ce ofbis grandparents, and per-
haps excited by some wine the old lady
had administered, became as one pos
sessad. He put his hands in the
dishes, helped himself in this fashion
to nice little sole he lad taken a fan
cy to, beat the rappez with his spoon
upon the table-cloth, and held up his
plate fer more, so that the gravy drop
ped down upon Catbariue's dress. She
put her gentle hands upon his should.
er, and whispered gravely to him. This
was a terrible offense. Madame Mer-
ard took snuff, and wiped both eyes
and nose in her handkerchief, shaking
her head.
"Ah !" she said, "Charles, do you re-
member how patient his poor mother
used to be with him ? She never re-
proved him-never,"
II don't think poor Leonie herself
could be more gentle with her son
than his stepmother is,'' Fontaine an
swered, with great courage, holding out
bis hand to Catharine with a smile.
But this scarcely made matters bet
ter. Catharine had found no favor in
Madame Merard's little ferret eyes.
She hooked afraid of her for ono thing,
and there is nothing more provoking to
people with difficult tempers and good
hearts than to see others afraid. All
day long Catharine did her best. She
walked out little way with the old
couple ; she even took a hand at whist.
They began at one and played till five.
Then Monsieur le Cure came in to soc
bis old friend Madame Merard, and
Catharine escaped into the garden to
breathe to little air upon the terrace,
and try and forget the humiliations
and weariness Of the day. SO this was
the life she had deliberately chosen;
these were to be the companions with
whom she was to journey Lencetorth.
What an old menagere what econc-
mics what mustaches ! what fierce lit
tie eyes what living tariff of prices
A cool, delicious evening breeze came
through her rose-trees, consol-
ing her somewhat, and minute after
ward Catharine saw her husband COM
ing toward her. de looked beamius,
as if he had just heard good news he
waved his hand in the air, and sprung
lightly forward to where she was stand.
ing.
"All the morning have not been
without anxiety; I was afraid that
something was wrong," he con6ded
frankly to Catharine. rBut now I am
greatly relieved. My mother is telling.
Monsieur le Cure that she and my step
father fully intend to pass the winter
with u.s." Catharine tried to say some
thing, but could not succeed-her hus-
band noticed nothing.
Fontaine, from the very good-nature
and affectionate fidelity Of his disposi-
ton, seemed to. cling very much to his
early associates, and to tho peculiar
prejudices which he had learned from
them. The odd ways were familiar to
him, the talk did not seem strange. 1t
was Of people aud plac.s he had known
al his life.
Their habits did not offend any very
6ne sense of taste. The t,anslations
which English minds mako to them
selves Of foreigu ways and customs are
necessarily incorrect and prejudiced.
Things which to Catharine seemed
childish, partly humorous, partly weari-
some, were to Fontaine only the SIM
pie and natural arrangements of every
day. He could sit contentedly talking
for hours in cabane, with the fla6 fly.
ing from the roof. He could play
aVav the bright long afternoons With a