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

Il and welcomed. She found this as di
: ficult to believe 10 as all the rest. For
9 tame was always thinking Of wha
would give hsr pleasure. Her sister
: were to come to her for their holiday
! always-whensver she liked, he said
and Catharine's heart beat with deligh
tthe thought Of welcoming them to he
own room. The pretty room up stairs
looking down the street, should b.
theirs, she thought; she would buy tw'
little beds, some dower-pots fjr th'
window. Every day she looked in OF
her way up and down, planning small
preparations for them, and one little
scheme and another to please them
How happy they would be! This
thought was almost perfect delight to
her. She loved to picture them there,
with their little beloved ugly heads.
She took Toto into her confidence, and
one day he came rushing IN with a
plaster statuette Of Napoleon at St.
Helena hc' had bought on the street.
"Cest pour tes petites seurs,' said he,
and his stepmother caught him in her
arms and covered his round faces with
kisses. Fontaine happened to he pass
ing by the door at the moment. His
double eyeglasses were quite dim, for
bis eyes had filed with tears Of happi.
ness ss he witnessed the little scene.
"Jo me trouve tout attendri !" said
he, coming in. "Ah mon annie, you
have made two happy by coming here.
l am shedding tears of joy. They re-
lieve the heart"
1t was a pathetic tumble. When
Fontaine was unconscious he was af-
fecting in his kindliness and tender
ness of heart, and then the next mo-
ment he would BY an afterthought be-
come suddenly absurd.
In the first excitement Of his return
Fontaine had forgotten many little
harmless precisions and peculiarities
which gradually revived as time went
by. On the morning that Monsieur
and Madame Merard were expected he
appeared in neat baize apron, dusting
with feather brush, arranging furni-
ture, bustling in and out of the kitch-
en-, and personally experimenting all
the preparations made to receive them.
"Can't I do something W Catharine
timidly asked.
"Va-t'en, mon enfant," said Fon-
taine, embr acing her. ~ am very
busy"
Catharine knew it was silly, but she
could not bear to see him SO occupied.
She took her work, went and sat in the
djning-room window waiting, and as she
sat there she thought of the day she
had como with Madame de Tracy; q
stranger, to the gate Of her future
home. ...
Toto came running in at last to au-
nounce the arrival of his grandmother
and grandfather. Fontainc took off
bis apron and rushed into the garden,
and Catharine went and stood at the
door to welcome them, a little shy, but
glad, on the whole, to do her best to
please her husband and his relations.
Monsieur and Madame Merdard were
heavy people. They had to be careful.
ly helped down from the little high car
riage in which they had arrived by
justice and Fontaine, who together
carried IN their moderate boxes and
packages. Although her trunk was
small, Madame Merard was neatly and
brilliantly dressed. Monsieur Merard,
who was very, very stout old gentle
man, wore slippers, velvet cap, and
short checked trowsers. He took off
his hat Immediately on arriving, as. a
matter Of course, and sat down, breath
less, in chair near the window.
"Venez, mon amie," said Fontaine,
much excited, leading Catharine up by
the hand. "Mon pere, ma mere' (the
maire had turn for oratory aud situa-
tion0 II bring you a daughter" he
said i; "accord to her a portion of that
affection you have for many years be-
slowed on me-"
A snuAy kiss from Madame Merard
on her forehead, something between; a
snuff and shake Of the head, was the
portion evidently reserved for. Catha-
rine. Monsieur Merard signed to her
to advance, and also embraced her
slowly, on account Of his great size.
After they had seemed to take no more
notice Of her, only every now and then
Catharine felt the old lady's sharp eyes
fixed upon her like the prick Of two
pins.
"Eh, blen, JUSTINE" said Madame
Merard, addressing the cuisiniere.
"Has every thing been going on we'll 2
You have taken good care of Monsieur
and Of Toto? What are you going to
give US for our breakfast to-day ?"
"Monsieur is responsible for the
breakfast" said Justine, irascible now
that she was sure of an ally. IF he
thinks it is possible for cook to attend
| to her business when the masters are
perpetually in and out Of the kitchen,
be is much mistaken"
"You are right, ma 6lle," said Mad