The St. Cloud journal. [volume] (St. Cloud, Minn.) 1866-1876, 1870-05-12

early with headache. Justine sal
nothing. She left everybody to max
their own discoveries. These woul
not be long about, she knew; for Mad
anne Merard's fierce little eyes wen
poking here and there With a lsisurel
yet unceasing scrutiny.
It was Madame Mererd who had ed
ucated Justine, placed her in Fontaine'
kitchen, aud desired her to renal,
there and the invaluable servant hat
accordingly, for years past, done he
best to make his life miserable, BIZ
soup and his coffee clear, strong, ant
well-aavored. She did many otne
things washed, scrubbed, marketed
waited at table, put Toto to bed-n'
easy matter. She would go about will
the air of sulky martyr, working mir
acles against her will. Madame d.
Tracy, with all her household, was no
so we'll served as Fontaine, with thi.
terrible ewe-lamb of his. "
| Madame Merard was the only per
son who ventured to drive this alarm
ing creature; but then, to Judge freu
the old lady's conversation, she seemed
gifted with sort Of second sight. She
could sec through cupboard doors into
the inside Of barrels ; she could over.
hear conversations FIVE miles of, or the
day after tomorrow. Madame Nicho'
las must have been nearly demerted
when she tried to palm off her Tues.
days eggs upon her last Friday. JUS
tine herself never attempted to i'm
pose upon this m,stress-mind, and
would take from her, in plain language,
what the maire, with all his official dig.
nifty, would never have vcntured to
hint.
At Madame Merara's own sugges-
ton and Justine's, a girl from the vii
lage had been lately added on to tho es-
tsblishment. A girl? a succ ession Of
girls rather. They would come up in
their Sunday clothes, smiling and cheer
fal, bobbing courtesies to the Merards,
to Toto, to Monsieur, to Madame, to
the all-powerfal Justine, anxious for
employment, and willing to do their
best. And then they would immedi-
ately begin to perish away, little by lit
tie; smiles would fade, the color 80
out of their cheeks, aud one day, at
last, they would disappear, and never
be heard Of any more. Justine the
Terrible had claws, and a long tongue
and heavy hand ; she did not drive
them over the cliff, but she sent them
home in tears to their mothers. Fon-
taine used to try to interfere iu the be-
half Of these victims, but it was in
vain. Catharine made a desperate SAL
ly once into tbs kitchen; she was rout-
ed ignomioiously by Madame Morard,
who would be experimenting the pun
ishment.
"Why don't you send Justine away p
Catharine said to her husband one
morning after one Of these scenes.
"My dear, you do not think what
you are saying! 1t is not from you, my
dear Catharine, that should have ex-
pscted such proposition" And Fon-
taine, who had interrupted his ham,
mering for an instant, shocked at the
bold proposal, resumed his occupa-
tion.
Madame Merard had observed one
or two notes calling for remark in the
last arrivals gogglo blue eyes, and she
went stumping down stairs early one
morning for little consultation in the
kitchen before breakfast. The old Ia.
dy, in her morning costume, and short
jacket or camisole, aud stiff starched
cap, and slippers, managed to look
quite as formidable a. she did later in
the day. Her mustaches seemed to
curl more 6ercely, unrelieved by the
contrast of varied and brilliant toi'
lette; her little, even white teeth, with
which she could crack whole plateful
of nuts, seemed to CLEAN beneath the
mustaches. Madame Merard was sur
prised to SEQ that the draving:roou
door was open as she passed still mor'
aghast was she when she looked in ast
perceived the shutters uuclosed, th'
little bits of rugs spread out here ant
there upon the floor, the furniture stand
ing on its legs instead Of being pilet
up in a heap, the piano dragged on
from its dark recess in a convenient sn
gle for playing. .. What was tn
meaning Of all this? What madnes
did 1t denote? !? Wero they going t
give an evening party? Had they Civ
en- one without her knowledge? Th
old lady trotted up to the piano-he
own daughters piano. magnificent.
done up, with music piled upon th
top! She looked round and saw win
dow open, cup with flowers in tn
window, and work-basket and writin|
materi, lis upon the table The ligh
began to dawn upon her. What di,
they make common sitting-room 0
Lconie's state drawiug-room, which va
never made use of ic her life time ez
cept on the occasion of Toto's chris
xon:r- ~.I o.no r-ho,, a h.1l ,vns <,:un,