Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1874-04-04
NO. 81.
Tales aud Sketehss.
From the Christmas Number All the Year round
WILL O. THE WISP.
A CHARMING STORY.
LcoSrINUED FROM YESTERDAY.
A CHARMING STORY


The elders perceived this change, and
pointed it out to Jacques.
Thou seest," said Monsieur, ''she isget-
ing quite pretty. Thou canst not be so
stupid as still refuse to marry her."
Pretty! !" cried Jacques II do not see
it. To my thinking, the Dame Anglaise
is prettier.''
''At least she would make thrifty
wife"
dependant" said Jacques, '.she is bet
ter as fellow-servant.
Thou art to hard too please" said Mon
sieur, angrily surveying the crooked figure
Of the little man.
Every man has right to choose his
wife," said Jacques; ''and mean to do
better than to marry that Stine.''
The innkeeper was baffled.
.'Our affairs stand still,' he grumbled
to his wife. The law will not allow you
to marry a man against his WILL do not
see what we can do"
Swat bit," said Madame; sit is not
possible that Jacques dislikes her,"
''And thou-dost thou also like her ?"
sneered Monsieur
.But that is different thing" declared
Madams; 81 cannot like q creature who
keeps me in fear and stands in my way
"It is true," groaned Monsieur, she is
bright-eyed marmot, but she keeps us in
deadly fear.''
Whatever the fear was, it preyed upon
the master of La Grue. From being
merely brutishly sulky man, he became
irritable and violent; even Madame, his
wife, began to moderate her temper. lest,
being both in flame together, they should
burn their establishment to death. He be-
gan to VOW often to his wife that he would
not have that Anglaise il the house
week longer that he would have Jacques
popped into the canal. and Slime shipped
off to the antipodes. He would wait ON
his guests himself for the future his wife
soothed him as we'll as she was able, but
Monsieur was hard to sooth, and when
quiet was timorous and moody. He left
of eating much, and his flesh began to fall
away.
j feel that shall have fever he
complained. "and when am ravng
shall be sure to tell the story"
Nobody shall come near you but me-
said his wife; and when his fears came to
be verified and she put him to bed in
state of delrum she suffered no one to
to help her in the task of nursing him
The lite Anglalse come on tiptoe to the
to ask how Monsieur Jared,
and Madame greeted her with face so
dark that she never cared to venture on
this mission again. The crisis of the fe-
yer passed, and Monsieur was restored to
his senses, without having betrayed in his
rawlings any secret that might be ranking
in his mind. The inn became more live
ly, and Madame. the landladv, was per-
suaded by her daughter to take drive
out of the town for change of air. Mon
sieur was not able to speak much, and
Jacques was allowed to sit bv him till his
wife returned
Jacques, said the sick man, family,
'they think | am getting better. but |
know l am going to die
NO. Monsieur, no, said Jacques.
II have not long to live, my friend, and
you must go for the cure the MARE
Bring them to me quickly. before my wife
comes back
But, Monsieur
"Go. or l shall die on the instant, and
my death will be on your head"
Slime had quiet times just now, and wa,
in the garden leaning against tree, with
her knitting-needles clicking in her fingers
The Anglaise sat opposite her, and they
were talking of Monsieur Lawrence
While thus engaged, they saw Jacques,
the cure and the maire, coming down the
courtyard Monsieur desired to make
his will and prepare for death, they said
to one another; and both were shocked.
Some time aiterward Jacques came run
ming through the archway into the garden,
his face and manner so excited that the
woman stood amazed.
Come, Madame he said to- the
Anglalse, ''you are wanted Immediately
in Monsieur's chamber" The English
woman followed him wondering, and
Slime went back to her kitchen to prepare
for supper.
Half an hour passed. Slime was stand.
ing at the window straining the soup.
when she saw the little Anglaise coming
hurrying down the courtyard, white
faced, her head hanging as if with weak
ness. missing step now and then. strik
ing her foot against the stones OF the pave
ment. and feeling, as ii blindly, for the
door as she entered the kitchen. She
snatched the ladle out of Stines hand and
flung it on the floor, seized the girl by the
shoulders. laughed in her face, gave sob,
and fell back swooning into the arms OF
Jacques; all of which meant that the will
o thc Wlsp hau turned ont yertable
at last.
"Ah, Monsieur le naire, Monsieur Ic
cure" she cried. recovering; ..let them
come here and tell the story. for my head
is still astray, and want to hear it again.
Come out OF this place, girl thou art not
Slime; thou art Bertha, daughter of Sir
Sydney Errngton, and Millicent, his wife,
both OF broken-hearted memory, in Dev-
onshire, in England. 1t is all written
down. Jacques, we saw it written down.
win the gentlemen come and read It 10
us. or will they not?" &a@
The cure and maire came in with
solemn faces. Madame sat on q bench,
and drank from . glass Of water, while
Jacques stood on guard by her side. Slime
retreated, and leaned with her back against
the wall, looking doubtfully at these peo
pie who had come to change her life.
There was no mistake at all about the inn
keepefSS diving statement Tho nurse