The democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1868-1874, 1871-06-12
CLAIRETTE THE HUSBAND HUNTER.

Clairette lost her father and her mother
when she was but thirteen years of age
She was good-naturcd girl, but had rsth-
er flighty head, and always looked at
things upon the surface, and took very lit.
tie pains to get at the sense which lay
hidden beneath them. She accordingly
allowed her uncle and guardian to neglect
her property, paving no attention to it
and liked better to frequent fairs, markets,
the festivals of patron SAINTS, and to enjoy
Sunday amusements, rather than to hoe in
her fields, spade up her garden, and lead
her sheep to the pasturage.
Clairette was by no means indolent or
inactive; she would pass an hour every
morning dressing herself, and two more
during the day smoothing her ribbons do
ing up her scarfs, and putting away her
skirts. After this came walk here, and a ,
promenade there, so that the poor child
had not a moment to spare To make
amends she had several nice companions
how many one has at her age! The child
seems to make stores Of friends, and all the
more because at every step it takes in the
world it is sure to lsse one. A dozen
young girls had attended school aud made
their first communion with Clairette. Al
ter this important act, which brings US
ont of our infancy, and which assigns to US
our place in the great workshop here be-
low, each was allotted her task in the tam-
lily. Marghelide did sewing during the
day and spun in the evening; Biebe looked
after the house and carried out meals to
the field hands; Lixandrine took the sheep
and the COWS to pasture. ,,
Clairette alone, as idle as little savage
she called this liberty-was proud oil her
independence, and pitied her poor conPan-
ions who gave themselves so much trouble
in tue world. "0f what use is it is
Biebe's Sunday dress any the better ior
plodding along muddy paths strewn wltn
briersl Has Lixandrine finer complexion
for getting tanned in scorchlng summer
sun tending her cowsP
The time came, however, when, in spite
other pride in her half-vagabond life, Olal'
rette was less ambitious Of independence
and felt disposed to come under the dClnill- u
ion of husband. This very natural de-
sire, but still vague one at eighteen, De
sides being subject to circumstances, ee.
came imperious, like the satisfaction oil !
point Of honor, when Clairette returned
from the wedding Of Marghelide with tne
tailor Latane.
Marghelide was the younger. By wnal
inexplicablc grace Of St. Joseph, the patron p
Of spouses, should she take the lead oil nel
associates7 She was aSsuredly less pretty
than Clairette, and likewise less amia9ie-
who would dispute that What charm
had given her the preference in the eyes 0'
the brisk young Latanc?
All, here il is! Marghelidc wore
splendid red pettieOat as brilliant as . Pop
py, and which scared away the cattle, ou'
which produced quite contrary eiiecI ol
all the Young men the color Of this LUCKY
pctticoat relieved so sharply on the greer
Of the meadows and the gray Of the oram'
bles as to be very easily seen half ieagut
of. Latane, completely bewildered, mus, US,
have run for the petticoat the same IS 10,
of frogs after the baited hook on the enc
Of fsh.linS.