The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1871-08-05

spite OF her pride in her half vagabond
life, .Clairette was less ambitious of III
dependence, and felt disposed to come
under the dominion of husband.
This very natural desire, but still q
vague one at eighteen, beside. being
subject to circumstances, became I'M.
perious, like the satisfaction of a point
Of honor, when Clairette returned from
the wedding of Marghelide with the
tailor Latane.
Marghelide was the younger BY
what inexplicable grace of St. Joseph,
the patron Of spouses, should she take
! the lead of her associates She was
assuredly less pretty than Clairette, and
! likewise less amiable-who would dis
pute that What charm had given hel
the preference in the eyes Of the brisk
young Latane
Ali, here it is! Margheiide wore d
splendid red petticoat, as brilliant as
a poppy, and which scared away the
cattle, but which produced duite con
tary effects on all the young men; the
color of this red petticoat relieved sc
sharply on the green Of the meadows
and the gray Of the brambles as to be
easily seen hall a league off. Latane
completely bewlldered, must have run
for the petticoat the same as lot Of
frogs after the baited hook on the end
of fish line.
Woman is naturally disposed to re
gard her toilet as a sort Of talisman. and
not alone the city dame, but the SIM
plest young girl of the fields. 1t suffices
| to wear a pettlcoat to possess an in
stinct for Colors and calicoes. !Clai
rette had it IN the highest degree; she
was sure that she had discovered
Marghelide's secret she ran off to sell
six of her sheep, and bought the deep.
| est scarlet petticoat she could find IL
the market.
From that day forth Charlotte never
went to the spring, to church, to ball
or to a fair without wearing the attrac
tive garment in which the lucky Mar
ghelide had captured the tailor Latane
In vain, however, did she glide
through the crowd and thus display
herself The women found her tawdry,
the young girls looked envious, while
the young men politely invited her tc
dance but no mother ever dreamt OF
selecting her as a wife for her son, and
no son ever uttered a word about taking
her as a housekeeper.
A year of fru1tless efforts passed, and
not whisper OF proposal of mar
riage. What bad luck Soon hen
friend Bieby followed the same delight
full road as Marghelide, and espoused
the farmer Menichot
Clairette became Respondent. She
had lost fifteen months in displaying
her red petticoat, and she could not
imagine the cause of her failure. Was
Blebe, then, the more charming? No.
body would dare maintain that false
hood. 1t was sufficient to see them
alongside of each other at a dance.
Clairette always had thirty partners
more than her rival. Was she more
entertaining Biebe could not put to-
gether two oLsecutive ideas, and when
her beau spoke TO her, she answered
only with downcast eyes.
81 have it, said Charlotte, media
ting, and eager to know the cause OF
her disgrace. "Biebe wears a distaf]
at her side constantly, even with the
vtter-jar on her head, and when carry
ing the basket with the worzmen's
meals
The distaff, 1T must be admitted, had
about it certain matrimonial virtue
which enticed young men anxious to
marry, the same as a mirror attracts
looks. Clairette was determined to
have one Of these magical utensils II
a plain willow distatf proved so highly
advantageous TO the housekeeper Biebe,
what would not be +hn effect Of a hand
distaf of hazel, exquisitely carved by