The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1874-08-16

them at Easter"
Thanks, Aubin; will put them on my
mothers grave"
And may pray there with you,' he asked
timdly, =" as if I were her sonf"
And my brother"
They knelt, one on each side of Annettes
grave, and prayed silently for a few minutes.
Then Aubin bent down till his face touched
the grass, and said: "Aunette, Annette let
me tell you that / love Armelle."
The girl rose from her knees; before her,
just behind Aubin, stood the Able Kerdrec
Then, without blush, with the grave rel-
gious simplicity of the Breton character, she
drew from her finger her mothers ring, and
gave it to the priest.
In the name of your mother, Armelle, your
humble holy mother, 1 approve of Aubin as
your husband; and as I know the mind of
Jean and Marthe Patriarche, betroth you
here to each other, in the sight of God and of
the holy dead"
The Able Kerdrec walked home with the
af1ianced pair, telling them the story of Tobias
and Sara; he babe them remember that life is
pilgrimage, and that their happiness de-
pended on their love for each other and for
God. Then he said that they were very
young, and had better not marry till after
harvest.
80, father" said Aubin, al could wait
Jacobs seven years now. 1 could do anything
30 that 1 may have Armelle for my wife at
fastn
Every we'll, my children ; will settle it all
with your father. You will do well, am sure,
and it will be pleasure to me to give you to
each other"
There was quite grand dinner at the farm
Marthe surpassed herself. The mayor was
present, with a friend of his, a magistrate from
Rennes, a little, sharp, thin man, with q voice
like peacock's. He wanted a vote from Pa
triarche, and therefore did him the honor of
drinking his wine and eating his chickens
Patriarche had no fancy for men of the law.
AS rule country people considered them a
bloodthirsty race, from the gendarme to the
arocaL The procureur imperial is the worst of
the lot. The only legal functionary they con-
slider useful is to garde chanlpetre, who looks
after their orchards. The farmer, therefore
was perfectly civil, but very careful to support
the dignity of the spade and plough. Yves
was in state of suppressed fury with the dry
little man who kept looking at Armelle through
his eyeglass. She, on her part, saw nothing of
what was going on ; she kept touching her
left hand with her right; it seemed so strange
to feel no ring there. Then she thought that
Aubin would soon give her another, with their
names engraved inside, and q date, which the
Able Kerdrec would bless. She remembered
the Alleluia flowers which she had laid on An
nette's grave, and that the cure was going to
tell the great event of the day to Jean aud
Marthe. The tears sprang to her eyes at the
thought of kneeling for Marthe's blessing.
After dinner, Patriarche went into the gar
den with his guests. The Able Kerdreo said
a few words in low voice to Marthe, who led
the way to the family sanctuary, and the loy-
ers went for stroll in a little green paddock
surrounded by thick hawthorn hedge. They
talked of their childish days, of how they lad
loved each other all their lives, of the happi-
ness which awaited them. Then Marthe and
the Able joined them, AID soon after Patri-
archie.
" God bless you, my children we have set
tied everything-M. PAbbe and 1. We shall
have to see to our daughters rousseau, that's
all there will be house to find for You
the old folks wonld be lost if you left them.'
Meanwhile, Yves met Daniel in the road, and
invited him to accompany him to Machecoul's
A1o uau overheard Ine conversation OF Aubln
and Armelle in the meadow, and his resolution
was taken.
" can't come," answered the straw cutter
" he refuses me credit now"
Come on, I'll pay )" said Yves. /
The fact was Daniels peccadilloes had null
tiplied of late he had taken to poaohing, if
to no worse. When a hen came in his way it !
was seen no more; he borrowed, and forgot to
pay !; everything short of actual stealing he
was capable of but he had not gone 80 far as
taking money, and he..made the strangest COM
promises with his conscience. The miserable !
man was very much altered in appearance |
lately; there was a wild wandering look in his |
eyes; sometimes he laughed idiotically at |
others he would remain for hours without |
speaking, and then suddenly tell such strange |
weird stories, that Loic himself might have |
oeen jealous. His hands trembled good deal : |
'till he was as good as ever with the scythe
md sickle, but moro gloomy, silent and fierce
ooking every day. When he went by, scythe