The Huntington argus. [volume] (Huntington, W. Va.) 1872-1905, 1873-02-22
A PROVENCE ROSE.
By " Guido" Author Of "EoHe Farine,' >, ON
der Teo Flags" " Idaiia, >" etc.


leisure for her household labors: when
these were done she would draw out her
mothers old Breton distaff, and would Vi,
and SPIN. When twilight fell they would
so forth together to dream under the aven-
ues and the glisteniug stars, or "a often
wonld wait within whilst he played on his
mountain flute to the people at the door
ways in the street below.
"ls it betterto go out and see the stars
and the leaves ourselves, or to stay in doors
and make all these forget the misfortune
of not seeing themT' said Lli on one of
those evenings when the warmth and the
sunset almost allured her to draw the flute
from her husband hands and give him his
hat instead and then she looked down into
the narrow road, at the opposite houses, at
the sewing-grls stitching by their little
windows, at the pale students studying
their sickly lore with scalpel and with
skeleton, at the hot, dusty little children
at play on the asphalte sidewalk, at the
sorrowful, darkened easements behind
which she knew beds of sickness or ofpar
alyzed old age were hidden-looked at all
this from behind my blossoms, and then
gave up the open air and the evening stroll
that were so dear a pastime to her. nd
Whispered to Rene "play, or they will be
disappointed
And be PLAYED instead of going to the
debatng-club in the room round the cor
ner
ale has ceased to be patriot, grum.
bled the old vine. at is always so with
every man when once lie has loved a wo.
man
Myself, | could not see that there was
less patriotism i'll breathing the poetry OF
sound into the ears of his neighbors than
in rousing the passions ofhell on the breasts
of HE brethren.
But perhaps this was my ignorance: !
believe that of late years people have grown
TO hold that the only pure patriotism is,
and ought TO be, evinced in the most in
tense and the most brutalized form OF one
passion" Envy eldest born OF hell
SO these two did some good, and were
happy, thougb more than once it Glanced
to them to have to 90 whole day without
tasting food OF any sort
| have said that Rene had genius-a &C
MUS bold, true, impassioued, masterful-
such genius as colors the smallest trifle
that it touches. Rene could 10 more help
putting an ideal grace into those little
sweetmeat boxes-which sold at the very
highest, in the booths Of the fairs, at fifty
centimes apiece-than we the roses, can
help being fragrant and fair.
Genius ha. way OF casting its pearls in
the dust as we scatter our fragrance to ev.
cry breeze that blows. Now and then the
pearl Is caught and treasured, as now aud
then some solitary creature pauses to smell
the sweetsess ofthe air in which we grow,
and thanks the God who male us
Bntas ninety nine roses bloom uuthauk-
ed for one that is thus remembered. so
ninety nine OF the pearls OF genius are trod
den to pieces for one that is set on high aud
crowned with honor
In the twilight OF a dull day a little, fee
bic, brown old man climbed the .taircas Sc
and entered our ltth attic with shambling
step
We had no strangers to visit US who
visits the poor2 We thought he was an
enemy the poor always do think So being
so little used to strangers
Rene drew himself erect, and strove to
hide the poverty Of his garments, standing
10y his easel Lii cam9 to me and PLAYED
with my leaves in her tender cares-ing
| fashion
You painted this ". Rene Claude -
asked the little brown old man. lie held
IN his hand one Of the bonbon boxes. the
/ preltiest Of them all, with a tambou,ine-
| girl dancing in a wreath o. Provence rose.
Rene had copied me with loving fidelity in
the flowers, aud with sigh had murrnur-
Ell as he cast the box aside when finished
That ought TO fetch at least a france -
But be bad got no more than the usual two
Sous for &c.
The little man -at down on She chair
which Lii had placed for him
so they told ue where ] bought thi- -
twas az a booth at 81 Cloud. Do you
know that it is cbarmiug2
/ Rene smiled little sadly Lii flushed
With JOY It was the ir-t praise which she
had ever heard given to htm.