Litchfield enquirer., 1873-01-23
From ''Every Saturday" IA BONNIE MERE MAMNETTE.

according to the good aGVlce Of the m4l who drove us from Caen, we decided te stop for day at Wire. instead of at once taking the ths train so Granville. Ac cordingiy, We and oar luggage were de posted at the Hotel St. Pierre, the en trance to which. as is common in these old-fashioRed towns, was through the kitchen At it's door stood our hostess
 waiting to receive us, net Ouly as travel lers and customers, but to give us that hearty greeting which so smacks of vel come, and at once makes one feel at home.
 Between our driver and ourselves a thorough friendship had Sprung up. and this he conveyed in his manner, as he presented the Monsieur ct Mesdames An. glais to La Bonne Mere Nannette, as she stood there in . short, full. brown petit coat, a striped red kerchief crossed on her bosom. lined with blue, the perfect type of handsome Norman country-wo- man, aged, seemingly. between fifty and sixty.
 "Go, my chiid," she said to pretty fair girl who" stood little behind her, eying us with curiosity; '' go, and show to madame the chambers which we have;'' and following our young guide, we were conducted through two or three rooms, with comfortable, clean-looking beds, and carved wooden presses; and having made our choice, We descended to the salon to partake of the table d'hote dinner, which was just being served. The result of all this was, that instead of leav- ing (as had been our intention) for Gran vile the next day, that day week found us stin at Wire, the rest of the party ex- ploring the valley: while I, seated on the bench in front of the hotel, with Mere Nannette by my side. asked her to tell me the story of her life, which, from various things We had heard in the town, I knew must be one should like to listen to.
 Madame will not think me vain,'' she said, turning her still lovely dark eyes to- wards me, ''when I tell her that some forty years ago the travellers and the customers whe came here daily to break fast or dinner, called me La Belle Nan nette. My cousin, whose husband was master of the hotel, would often bid me not to pay heed to their fattering speech es, which meant no good to 8 poor orphan girl, who thought her fortune was made, when food and shelter were offered to her in exchange for the services she rendered
 in doing the work and being servant at the Hotel St. Pierre"
 Jeanne Ferouelle, good woman that she was, might have spared Nannette all ;hese cautions, for the child had been made deaf to the pleasant words other men might say, since Raoul Vanier, the young son, had whispered in- 70 her willing ear his tale of love.
 An! Madame, where can tell you to ook for man, who shall describe to you what Raoul was at the time of which I speak? He was tall, broad and handsome, with head up, and limbs made nobler each day by welding the great hammer, ,he sound of which loved far more than ;he sweetest music. There was but one grand drawback to our happiness. Mar ,el Vanier was 8 rich man, with money 'mith's in Calvados, and he looked that lis son should choose, higher than Nan lette, poor serving-maid. But for a lime he seemed to close his eyes to the oye- making which could hardly escape his notice, for the forge stood as madame tees it ROW; and where the roses bloom, )f which her country thinks ao mueh. here used RaOul to stand and give a whistle. which some good angel seemed always to carry to Nannette's ears, and 'he would run to the window, to kiss her land, and read some sign, which told her where he was going or how and where hey could meet.
 Marcel Vanier, 1t seems, was vexed 1t all this, but being a cunning man at leart, be thought such young love, if un- opposed, would surely fade out and die. But when month after month went by, md still the only one whom Raoul stroll d with to the castle, and fingered whis- oering with beneath the shadow of the ,ld trees, continued to be Nannette, Mar ,el felt the time was come to put 6 stop o this foolishness. At this time one of he best thought of men in Wire was Pas ,hal Cloutre, the wool dyer, whose only ,hild, Eulalie, was counted beauty in Wire, added to which her father boaSted le could give her a better dot than any nan in the town could match. It was on his girl Marcel Vanier cast his eyes. and liter few talks between the two fathers, he whole matter was in their minds settled, md neither of the parents troubled him. elf as to what his child might have to Jay. With Eulalie there was little fear of for Paschal Cloutier's will vas law in his household; besides which, Raoul was comedy enough to win any wo- mans heart, and was already the envy and admiration of all the girls round, although they said it was of no use look ng at man who could only see one wo- man.
 Marcel Vanier decided that he. would speak first on this matter to his son, who should then pay a visit to the Cloutiers, md see Eulaiie at home; after which, Paschal said, he would inform his daugh- ter that in Raoul Vanier she saw the man he had chosen for hls son-in-law, an hon. pr he ranked far before his being Eula- ie's husband. Accordingly, 8 few days after, Marcel told his son that he desired they should have little treat together.
 ''Let it be walk to Rene Sage's," he said; ''and, to sustain us, what sayest thou to dining at the Hotel St. Pierre?"
 Raoul, we'll pleased, gave his consent, and at the hour, to Nannette's great sur prise, the two of them walked into the kitchen.
 Madame Ferouelle has a good dinner to-day, I hope, Nannette," said Marcel vanier, more pleasant and cheerful than was his wont.
 "Oh yes, m'sieu," answered Nannette, not knowing quite how she had best be- have herself towards one whose goodwill she so desired to obtain.
 ''That is we'll. Set two places, for my self and my son."
 ''Yes, certainly, m m'sieu;" and away ran to secure the best places she had vacant, to put on her red apron, and make her hair look quite smooth under her cot ton cap; for lace one such as I wear now was then far beyond her poor means.
 Madame may be sure who ever might be neglected, Marcel Vanier was well served. Nannette scarcely dared venture glance at Raoul, who, wen-pleased at the atten- tion his father was getting, sat with con- tented look on his handsome face, listen ing to the news which the commercial the great takers at all country tables, were obligingly giving to the com pany. Little did it matter to Nannette, Charles X. would be forced into exile or not; the thing was. should she be able to secure for Monsieur Vanier plen- ty of stuffing with his helping of the veal The chances as to the Duke of Orleans being made King of the French was very secondary to her, while she had to man. a1 hot Dc fok l..