Ellsworth American., 1875-11-11

poor eyes hard with her bony kuuckles.
In few moments she looked up; hel
lace was so changed-so sof.ened. that II
seemed as If those tears had done tn,
I work OF storm shower
Pardon. Madame;r her voice was sad,
but no longer harsh. II never had a
daughter. was to have had one. but that
Is over; she was to have been the wife of
my son Louis when lie left The army. lie
was my youngest and he died at Sedan.
ana ms poor Marie has gone away to ser
/ vice at Bayeux. | have no one now"
/ Your husband is dead then?" The
| irown came back Tor moment
~ e., Madame. he has been dead twen-
~ years aud more, and | am used to be-
lng alone, for my Louis was a soldier long
before tbis war; but 1 could work then.
and when one works there is not time to
think. could sew and make lace too"
But you are working now" | tried ot
LOOK into The room. doubly dark by the to-
tai absence OF sunshine in the narrow
street aud from the blackened walls inside.
lhe room was very bare. On one side was
tiny stove and upon II an eartnern stew
pan; close by was a small heap OF chopped
iagots. There was a chair without back.
aud behind the old woman was a dark bed
stead " IN dlngy quilt. 1t was all miser-
ably poor and squaiid.
but no, madame" she shook her head,
this Is not work, this is only bread. Since
thl> was Paralt Zed. she touched her loft
tLumo.-'I can 40 longer make the lace
work or the embroidery. There is the ri,A
oi spoilinS the work. and the risk is too
great Even il could do il. | can no long
er 90 10 s.eA it. From here-,he touched
her lett hlp-"l am useless The spinning"
she irowned at the distali- makes
bread for the slrl and me Ala. must earn
bread. She eats SHE began to rock back
ward aud forward again. Mon Dieu! she
eats Ike regiment"
'She /. your servant?-' put the oues-
uoh doubiiuIiy, for ii seemed surprising
th's poor old woman could afford 10 keep
any one but herself
she !, Jcaune--that i all
wished had not been so inquisitiye,
Tor the cloud came over her face again.
was standing sideways. and | saw the
oI"Aer appear In the shop opposite. and
then come forward aud lean against the
door post, ready to listen, while he smoA-
ed hio pipe.
81 tooA her from the A2s1ice." the Old
woman went on and her voice had got
back all it, former har,hnes-. Il had
enough tor two then; she j. better than 40
so awkward child. She j. iit,d to do
mischief over and over again she could
have h!icd her stomach with the pitchers
and pipAius she has broken. One day She
id4l~. and the next She breaks She grow-
worse aud worse. Not even does >h,. look
IKE another gir!." She gave a heavy si.b.
aud pointed her di,taii AZ the char: tn,
oAcN lay on the ground beside it "Snr
'hIe" tRlt down just now; aud there
ne whole sccuc-,hc dark dingv room.
where everything was >hrouicd Ia my,-
tery OF gloom ancient spiuuing wheel
the wiich-l.ke figure aud face of the old
woman her white cotton cap aid red face
telling out intensely against the black back
ground-seemcd more llAe bit ot middle
age drama than reality; aud when she
pointed that wcird-looAiug distAr at the
broken chair | almost expected to see IL
transformed into a hObgoblin
| recovered from my dream 10 find the
red eyes scanning my face, a. II they we're
impatient for an answer
But the char can be mended," said.
NO. no; she shook her head hopeless
ly, Jeanne could never mend ANYTHING.
she can ony ereaS ! 4. and dfidi!9y, aud have
| thought would 90 and lind Jeanne.
and see II anything could be done
We'll, du Terpir. Madame, said Il
hope 10 stay ia Fire til tomorrow. and
perhaps We may meet ayain. | will now
20 aud see what Jeanne l. about"
She took no further notice OF me or OF
my saluta,lom. but went ON spinning.