The Opelousas journal. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1868-1878, 1873-01-25
THE MOTHER OF JACQUES.


of anything but vines, and these,
strangely enough, flourish best where
the soil looks most unprOmising. Much
aOf the ground runs to waste, and is fer
aE7~pa,4aaply in long stretches and furze and
nI7s1rsS - s-77-~si5eIt 1hy cttttfffps 0f piHes.
Just In Il ,..:.lL2a0f one of these wastes,
about halfway between Bordeaux and
TrOchu, a small cottage stands on the
high road a loOsely-piled stone fence
surrounds the garden-a mere strip in
front, but wider at tie side, where it
slopes downward, and shows Il stuntcd-
looking vineyard. Beyond this lisa wood
of fir trees.
Some cabbages grow in the narrow
strip, and at the side is an herb garden
backed by a stack Of FACETS. The resin
GUS fragrance that comes from this
mingles agrecably with the scent Of
basil and savOry in the plot beside IT,
and seems to make the hummlng crowd
of bees that hover over this last ne
cessity. q something that theeye would
naturally seek. There are vines cling
ing to all sides Of the rcd-tiled cottage,
and on those which grow at the back
fishing nets are spread out to dry.
1t is the month of July, 1870, but there
is that stiffness Of atmosphere which
seems to belong to a later time OF year.
Even the bees move lazily. They and
a cloud Of gnats buzzing round thehead
of donkey just within the. cottage
door, make the only sound III the slRnce
of the place. The gnats become too
much even for the donkeys patience.
He flaps his capped ears, and his tor
mentors wheel round in Il larger clrde,
ready to begin fresh attack.
"Go on there, BobOt," says q chcCE
voice, and BObOt comes forward. liz
shakes himself and his gaily-fringed
net, by way of keeping off the trumpet
ing crowd, which till now has only at
tackled his head. BObOt might make
Il dash to the small shed just opposite
the fagot stack, and take refuge under
the shadow Of its tiled roof, but BobOt
is a donkey of discretion-he knows his
Office and its duties, and he places him
self in the full sunshine Il little way
from the back door.
Out of the cottage comes the owner OF
the cherry voice. She has IL checry face
too. though it must be more than sixty
years old, and is wrinl1led and brown a.
a walnut; but her dark eyes are, full OF
light as they glance up under the vel
low handkerchief which shades hen
head the handkerchief hides even hcl
can. except it's pair of starChcd white
strings tied in two bows under the chm
She wears a black jacket and Il lilac
skirt, and between this last and hel
sabots are leathern CATERS. She brings
out first one brown pannlef ana tlfen
another, and fastens them on the pa
tient BObOt. While she stoops ana fls-
tens the last a figure comes out IRON
the stunted vineyard. 1t Is that OF a
tall youth, about nineteen years Oid
As he comes up to the donkey you see
what a handsome beardless face he has
one Of those faces not easily forgotten
it is so full of strength and sweetness.
"Mv MOtherr-he puts strong brown
hand on each of her shoulders" why
not wait for me? Wilt thou never
spare thyself?"
She looks up at him with proud de-
light, but shakes her head rebuklngly. =,
"Listen to him then, my Bobot. Is II
not enough to make thee believe, 1nno-
cent ass that thou art, that the mother
is decrepit and useless, and that he,
jacques. who was but now the baby OF
the house, is to do all the work Is II
not Dresumntuous Jacques, my BOOot
to fancy that he can fix thy pannlers as
the mother fixes them 2"
JACQUES bends down and kisses hel
forehead.
"The mother is not to tell Bobot any
more stories," he laughs in a bright
saucy way, "but she is to give place
while jacques fills the panniers. 1T Is
time we were off, friend BObot. l eN-
pect there will be news to-day from the
army" TT
The donkey understands. He flaps
his ears impatiently and takes a stcl
"Hola, Bobot! but thou art of rest,
The mother Of jacques breaks Oft hel
sentence with a conciiatOry pat, and
considering how the gnats are singing
in his nostrils, BObOt's patience may DC
considered exemplary. He stands very
still while the panniers are filled W!tI
ctbbages aud herbs, and covered witt
heather. jacques is not allowed to till
these lnaided. His mother trOts back
ward and forward, helping and prals-
ing, and laughing, and finally she pats
B0bot and then stands on tiptoe to re
ceiye the parting kisses of her much
beloved son. He leads Bobot on round
the cottage, out at the little gate III thu
stone fence. He stops here and kisses
his hand to his mother, and then goes
quickly along the sandy road that leads
to TrOchu. .:..,s. =
The mother of Jacques has not fol;
lowed him to the gate. Her son W1lI
look back for her when he reaches th9I
crOss-rOad, and she can Only Y commant-
this point by standing on q little mounC
which jacques has made for her Oesldt
the plot of herbs. She mounts this anc
stands waiting patiently; one brown
hand with its wedding-ring finger
shades her eyes, the other is doubled
into her waist by way of support. She
has to stand some minutes, for the line
of yellow sand is longer to traverse thai
to look at, and she chatters to herself
about her boy: ',:,
"My jacques! and how good he is tt
his mother! He takes no care but TO-
her; and at his age he is SO fine, SO hand
some a youth, it would not be wonder
full if he was to think more of the pretty
girls of TrOchu than of his silly ole
mother. There is FranGOise Chenet
she thinks no one sees, poor child, but
can see, how, as we come from mass
her eyes follow after my JACQUES as h!
gives me his arm to lean on. Well
well, she is q good girl-not so prett!
as some, but she likes work better thai
fine clothes, and she will be happ1e
than Victoire and the rest. Ma fol! /
might have been that my jacques wa
taken with the bold, black eyes OF Vic
toire. Then indeed should have caus
for sorrow, for the head Of Yictoire. i
filled with thinking of the ducasse ant
fine clothes. She win never be a house
wife. All, there never was q mother s.
blessed as I amir -...,..s
Al. this point the old Eugenie-he
name is Eugene DuclOs-spies out he
jacques and Bobot at the cross-road
They wait just an instant. Jacqne
waves his cap in the air.. and then th
road turns suddenly, and they are 'ou
of sight B.