Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1874-06-19

uOth. -uautltlllC. IL Nbu COmt ucTt, hdQ
emoiselle will be able to rest.''
They had come out from the fields by thi,
time into the highway, which was growing
more and more crowded every minute
AlademOiselle de Latouche recognized Hugh
as she passed him. and nodded kindly; but
she seemed tired and there was no spirit in
her greeting. The sight itself was amusing
enough-a quaint scene of genuine country
life. Here was group of peasant-women,
proudly striding alongside of the soutane.
the glory of the family. The brother, the
priest, walked with his thick shoes and
tapping skirts, the proud old mother by his
side in her old-fashioned Normandy cap and
kerchief the modernized sisters in cheap
white satin quillings Then some little
children and some nuns went hurrying by to
one of the converts in the town a little
farther, some recruits, who had been very
tipsy the day before, were still parading in
their ribbons and with it all came an
eager, cheerful hum and chatter of voices, to
which every moment brought additional
notes through every gate of the little town
to which the procession was bound, the
people were pouring.
The choir Of Joyeux rang shrill and loud.
the rain had ceased, the hedgcrows and
willow-trees were fresh in the narrow field
ways. the feet of the many pilgrims had
worn streaming track as they passed, plod-
ding peacefully through the nineteenth
century to worship at the shrine of three
hundred years before. There goes Femme
ROulet, the farmers wife, in her great
grandmother's earrings; there goes priest
from the seminary, who was born twenty
years ago, perhaps, but who is living with
! :. u / ! Il r Il l.
The way is long, the path is wet and slip
perry. Poor little Blanche had stumbled
many time before she finished her long
:hree miles she was unused to such fatigue,
and could scarcely drag her tired feet along
the crowd bewildered her she clung to her
ribbon, and tried to think of the HYMN that
the country girls were singing As they
marched along This was what she had
hoped. to find herself one of Il goodly COM
Ianv pressing onward 10 the true burning
shrine Of religion but She was tired her
spirits tagged her attention wandered
herself mechanically counting the Jerks Of
the flagstaff aS it crossed and recrossed the
| priests little black velvet cap. Suddenly.
a. she clung in her diSmay to the green rib
| bon of the flag. the great prop and mainmast
! lA-tAA ~tNlitl ~ -iNt WHY N-tlltIt Wis Il
shrek. Something had struck her
shoulder.
Barriers had been put up round about the
chapel, but just outside the barriers Hugh
thought things looked little uncomfortable. !
1t was all good-natured enough, and the
people were only pushing in fun but with |
50 many girls and children in the crowd. it |
was certainly dangerous fun. There was 4 |
= i.
hand. a sudden heaye. and somehow, before |
any one knew why, wave passed through |
the crowd some women screamed. little |
pale and fainting figure almost fell into
Hugh arms. Madeleine, the banner-bcar-
er, slipped and fell; Louise the wiSher-
woman sprawled over her. There might
have been a serious accident if NJ. le Care.
who was a strong man, and Hugh, who was
active and ready, had not sprung forward
together and made a sort of rampant against
the surging crowd. Hugh would not have
been greatly concerned Tor Madeleine, who
was well able TO bear any amount of push
ing. or for Louise, who was loudly bewail-
Ing herself-but he still held up the almost
sen>eless little lady Of the castle it had
been his fate to rescue her and he was re
lieyed when the pressure subsided, and he
found himself in quiet corner of the great
place outside the barrier.
Blanche revived in a minute, smoothed her
hair ont of her eyes. and sat on step
trembling a little and silent, and biting her
lips. She dld not even say Thank You
that wild sea of heads and struggling arms
was still about her.
Then she heard Hugh asking if she felt
better, and found that she was safe and
once more able to breathe and IN one mo-
ment she was herself again, shaking out her .
crumpled lace ana smoothing her dress
lou VIII nave 10 20 nome now SHd
Hugh, IN tone oil some satisfaction hat ,
induced you u come 10 Such I,aoe' Nlau- ;
emoSele? 1t Is all very Wen .I., I9r thoHe t
peasant women, nul 4oi you me l'liio-
cent eyes looked up
OF me " ny 9Hou'u ho' uo d. 'A'l :
90 salG bT'hohe' turning lSIl5 "s'iH ~
the very thought. Vh' now wei am i
1t not dlsaSreeaoie 10 de We'le"- i 'IlI' I
carnage ferhalN' IN mere j. No'-
-leur ,I ie CuiT c.,., o,.or,ol MIL, Mod
al -. - .,,,l -,
leiHe' "o va az - Iitl q
.e'In - !, S'3''''-. It, taoI
:, ~ W -. -, !
- Iilc o'9'i. ou. '''i' wa
rei'ii 'l, otIlu.'.y ,i e., III PHI.
nan no' lam ~ " i''''''' .
'.ie .r 'G'N ~ VI - Il ~ - '
me- o", 1t va ~ ,. 80 81, !. t
l'elilcii''ei ''i"' NY '''''i' u'i'.' 81 !
y little carriage happened 10 he passing |
at had been setting down some farmers t
from Nitry, compile OF miles oii), and INTO t
the carriage MademoiSelle de latouche ana /
Madeleine were assisted, and they drove on
together, mutually condollnS, two White $
women under the green avenue. NJ le
Cure hurried after his flock Hugh (who 9
lad had no 'breakfast) made hls way INTO
the town; all sorts of refreshments were be- Il
nc prepared for the Use Of the pilgrims. ,
Such pious excursions should give good ap- II
petite. t
Hugh felt somewhat remisS as he walked z
home to dinner that evening. He feared 0
that he had neglected his duties as 4 guest h
but n truth hc had been 50 well amused. Il
that he had forgotten all about the unseen b
lady, who might probably be expecting him. Fl
\ sort of Scriptural cleam was upon the
sea. in the air. uuon the little VILLAGE lvin, L
IN the sea shore sort of Eetbelem.like !,
star was peerinc from the eddyinr beichts h
two women were standing bv a well not far II
from the castle garden TALKING torether n, n
they pulled the iron handle Of the cronl G.
rbey were still in their white dresses and .
white frilled cans. at has been che dav of il
Heaven" said one t. the other. 1--WE =
,roSsed the field singing in choir. Madem- a
oiselle Blanche led the hymn. What pity
that she was 50 frightened in the crowd 1t a
was nothing coming back. NJ. lie Cure Il
ound the dryest, incest way. Look, | am h
not weary. and yet have been on my feet 81
since three O'Clock this morning. All our l'
Cure is a good man. | would not exchange II
or him Of St. Rambert, though he drove in t'
The Bishops carriage st
"Well. make haste" said the other in Il