Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1874-04-01
NO.. 7s.
Gales and Sketehes.
From the Christmas Number All the Year round
WILL o. THE WISP.
4 CHARMING STORY .

\ CHARMING STORY.
Ring, ding! tinkle. tinkle, ting!" rang
the chimes in the cathedral tower, beginn-
ing to play their airy tune in the clouds,
as bewitched old lady came into town OF
Dindans one evening, following will q
the wisp.
Dindans is dreamy old Flemish town
with canals full of yellOw-green water, and
brown boats with little scarlet flags; with
strange old beetle-brewn ihouses overshad-
owing the streets; with a market-place
and fountain multitude of pointed ga
bles; a cathedral covered with saints and
angels little children in muslin caps. and
bells that made delicate music aloft in the
air. A real traveller stopping at Dindans
is rare apparition, and people came out
of their houses that evening to gaze at the
little old English woman who trotted be-
hind the truck which jolted her bag along
the pavement.
When the tired little woman stopped
before the wide entrance Of the queer old
inn, La Grue, there was no one about.
and she walked into the sanded hall and
glanced through the opening at the other
end down the long, ancient courtyard.
with its vines and gallery, and rows OF lit
tie windows, and on to where apple-trees
and scarlet geraniums were blushing
through the sunlight from the garden.
curious stone staircase wound out of the
hail. and there were doors on each side
of her. She hesitated, and glanced all
round the unpeopled interior, until the
sound OF q voice came out of the nearest
door
with her hands on her knees. and the
knitting lying in her lap" said the shrew
ish voice of woman in clumsy Flemish
French, though told her but yesterday
that the stockings must be done immedi
ately"
Thou nearest said mans voice,
Thou must be more Industrious
| "And with look that would sour the
wine, p" continued the woman; ''enough to
make people think one was unkind to her
Thou must be more cheerful" grum
bled the man.
| And see There are travellers at our
door, aud here she is gossipping, so that
we do not even perceive them!'
\ door, which had been ajar. was quick
ly opened, and young girl came out with
pale face, and eyes heavily encircled
with the redness of suppressed tears. The
young figure looked SO much more refined
than any thing one could have expected
in the place, that the traveller forgot her
own business in the surprise. At the same
moment waiter came running to take
the luggage, little man with keen per-
tubed tace, and something like hump on
his shoulders. This was the Oldest Inn in
Dindans, explained the girl. There were
not many chambers ready, for travellers
did not often stop to pass night in the
town. There was suit of small rooms
running round the courtyard, but they
were at present used as fruit-lofts or lum-
ber-closets, Ovor the archway into the
garden was little apartment, like glass
case, which was occupied by gentleman
who had been long established here, and
must not be moved. But Madame should
have the best chamber, occupied by Mon
sieur and wife when nobody came. 1t
should be made ready for the dame Ang-
lais at Il moments notice.
The stranger had had an intention oil
trying to escape, but something in the
girls manner mysteriously vanquished
her. She took possession Of an ancient
| looking room with heavy, dark wainscots.
and ono window in which the only things
noticeable We're two well-painted portraits
on the wall They were Monsieur and
Madame van Melckelieke, explained Jac-
ques, the waiter, painted by Monsieur
Lawrence, the English artist, who lived
in the little glass chamber, and studied all
his evenings in the little painting room ot
the Cercle des Beau Arts up above in the
tower; a very respectable club, which re-
ilected credit on the house. Their meet
ing-room for social purposes was behind
| Sdllc-a-mdngcT.
Madame the stranger got rid OF her dust
and made herself at home in her chair by
the window, feeling herself to be a disap-
pointed old woman, who had been fitting
about the world for years, seeking an OBJ
iect which it now seemed folly to think OF
finding.
In the pleasant courtyard the evening
sunligh. was gliding the peaks OF the little
windows, and the grapes that hung from
the vines, but leaving Il cool well OF shad-
ow about the old archway, through which
famed softly the illuminated garden, bril-
liant with scarlet and green, and bristling
with gold-tipped apple trees. As Madame
looked, a mans head was thrust from one
of the queer little windows in the glass
chamber, an English head, brown-haired
and thoughtfully intelligent. 1t leaned
ont OF tne gol'cH uackSrOuHu, y'dHceu al
deserted ironing-table, which stood I'M
der the vines below, Withdrew itself quick
ly, ana disappeared. This was Monsieur
Lawrence, no doubt.
Our little old woman had returned To
her own perplexities, when the maiden
who had received her again appeared a,
the door, ray from the window touching
the girl as she announced that Madame
was served Her face shone upon the
traveller out OF the shadows under the
door-way--a pale, delicate featured face.
with distinct beauty of its own, which
was partly owing to its subducd intensity
of expression. The eyes had still that
look of suffering from unshed tears; the
mouth had a look of he roic patience. She
lowered on the threshold, while Madame
| fixed sudden stare on her and made u
sharp ejaculation in English.
"Madame's dinner !" said the girl;
thinking that she had not been understood
in French. But the stare was not remoy-
ed from her face till she fell back abashed
acrOss tho thrasbold and cloSad iha iaar