Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1875-11-13
Cabs aud Sketehes.
JEANNE.
BY THE AUTHOR OF PATTY"
CONTINUED FROM YESTERDAY.

CONTINUED FROM YESTERDAY
''Ah but it is strange hope Madame
is well; said Madame Robillard.
Jeanne touched both her eyes rapidly
with her finger, and all at once under
stoodwhat allied Madame Robillard.
"Is Madame going to Avranche ?" said
Jeanne, with such shy, wistful look.
Yes and then l said, wonderingly.
"but how came you to be so far from
Wire ?''
Jeanne .ierked her head with much Of
her old awkwardness toward her mistress.
I'VE are not going back to Wire,
Madame" she said smiling. g! s3
l turned in some surprise to Madame
Robilard. l have lived so much among
the French peasantry that this removal Of
Of an old woman from one town to anoth-
er seemed like the uprooting of forest
tree. so.,s ..tfa,,
DO you say you are not going back to
She bowed her red face, but it was sad
to see that no change came into those lit
tie fixed eyes.
''Yes, Madame, it is true; we none of
US know what Is good for us. When l fell
blind; said in my misery that le bon
Dtem was harder than he was to Job. for
at least Job could see. Well. Madame,
when | was young, my husband offended
my brother jacques and we quarreled, and
since then / had not heard of Jacques.
He lived at Dol, and did not know If be
was alive or dead But, Madame, Jacques
was more loving than was. When he
knew he was in his last illness, he sent
for the notary and caused inquiries to be
made for me, and when he heard of my
afilction he said he should leave all he had
to leave to his blind sister. If had not
been blind he would only have given me
me few francs, and the rest to the poor:
but when he heard OF this he said was
one of Gods afflicted, and the money and
the house in which he lived should ALL be
mine; and, Madame, we are on our way
to Dol; and the child jeanne a...
The red, mask-like face softens at the
word there was plainly some newly es-
tablished relation between these two. -
shook hands with the old woman and
congratulated her. ..s .,+as.
Il thank Madame" she said, "and
Madame must congratulate Jeanne, for
the money is hers more than mine; it is
chiefly for her that take this long jour-
ney. The cottage is home for both Of
US, and it would not sell for much, and
there are papers to sign, and the notary
has sent the money for our journey, and
bid us come as soon as we could. Madame
understands that for my few years it does
not matter where spend them"
Il congratulate Jeanne" too," said
"She has changed surprisingly; did not
know her." 4u3
l should have known her now. As
spoke she hung her, head in the old,
awkward fashion. and her face grew as
red as fire.
Madame Robillard gave little sigh.
II can no longer see her." she said. 'but
she has not changed for the worse,
Madame know that she is the best child
that ever lived. Would Madame think it,
that when lost my eyes and could do
nothing, not even the spinning, the child
took work at the factory of NJ. Lagrange,
in the Vaux de Wire; and. Madame, she
has earned more than had earned by the
yarn. Yes, Madame, the child / thought
only tit TO break pitchers has done this
All, mon Dieu! have learned my mis-
take.
suppose Jeanne knew what was CON-
ing, for she had turned her head round
to look out of the window behind her.
Just at this moment our fellow travellers
came back. and was disappointed. for
wanted to talk to Jeanne. fass'
care you going straight to Doll"
asked the old woman.
'But no, Madame, we stop at Avran-
ches The notary has told us where to GO
and sleep, and there is a diligence for Dol
at eight in the morning.
II will come and see you off, said,
for this change in Jeanne had re-awak-
ened my interest.
Early next morning found my way
through turning out of the high street
of gay, bright little Avranches. to the yard
in front of the Hotel de France, whence
most of the coaches start.
The diligence for Dol was standing
there. but as there were no horses, and |
looked round for my Wire friends. The
yard was full of movement and hustle;
there were several of the chaise carts so
necessary to commits roydguers; stablemen
in blouses, with shocks OF hair very like
hay, were going about swearing and jost-
ling one another. Also there were two
hideous. skinny white, pigs, which came
curiously after me snuffing, and grunting
as if l was something good to eat.
uO not ulHu coDlcssluS tuat uIu uOr-
ribly afraid of pigs, and begin to think
my project romantic and absurd. and wish
myself back at the Hotel de Londres.
There had been rain in the night, and the
yard was soft with mud and little puddles.
The men in blouses splashed into these as
they rushed about between the stables and
the vehicles. felt l had no business
there. and | resolved to give up my ad-
venture, and go back and look at the ex-
quisite view of Mont St. Michel from the
public gardens.
turned round disconsolately. Madam
Robillard and Jeanne were coming up the
yard.
But the girl did not see me; she was so
absorbed in guiding her companion, now
safe out OF the puddles. now from being
jostled by one of those mop-headed stable.
men, that she was quite unconscious OF
observation. She certainly looked awk-
ward, but there was tenderness in the
way she bent down over her companion.
Her face was really sweet with its look OF
carefulness for the blind woman's com.
fort.
Jeanne courtesed when at last she saw
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