Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1876-03-09

from quaint meerschaums, there we
heard more glorious music than have
heard in any of our opera houses.
In the afternoon tine chubby German
woman walked bonnetless along the
streets, TO take coffee with each other,
and students, with fiat caps upon their
heads, sauntered about with the mevlta-
BILE pipe, and the youngest faces had
great seems across them, giving III
duels which are so frequent, and which
they seem to delight in.
In Paul's studio were sketches OF all
sorts. Groups that he had seen-stn
dents quarreling, students at play, and
nnder the influence of wine. Grave old
men, and pretty, demdre naidens with
braided hair. A picture of myself that
he painted then, l have yet. will
give it to you, Rosine, one OF these
DAYS, when have gone to him. :,
] lean from the window, and outside
stands the old woman that we met that
day at the church porch, telling our
fortunes. Not that she was fortune
teller, Rosine, but her witch like face
suggested the idea, and he made the
picture to suit bis fancy.
Over rs droop blossomlng vine BRAN
ches. A rose stands in the window, in
painted china pot. Its buds are in
my hair. The blue ribbon futters.
The girl bushes. Yes, that was as
You knew me, but idealized by the
lover who painted me. Poor old wo-
man She often came to me in the same
miserable garments, and though she ne
yer asked charity, l always gave her u
great deal more then If she had.
"You do not know how much you
give me, madam, she once said.
Il do not give you more than you
need, think, said |.
well, well" she muttered, "what
need to count the crumbs cast upon the
waters, they return all the same.
know the old womans name now ;
she was called Madam Brun, and she
was French by birth. What her life
had been, never knew. never asked
and size never volunteered the inforlua-
ton. When you look at her picture,
YOU will not wonder that, Though l
offered her charity without being asked,
| l never could intrude upon her conf
dence.
Rosine, we lived together three happy
years, my Paul and I. Never word
that WAS not loving passed between us.
A baby reposed upon my breast-a boy,
with Paul's dusky eyes, with his sweet
dimpled chin, and high, white forehead.
| NV heart was satisfied, utterly satisfied
And with this had those other things
of less worth thar love, that loving
hands bestoW upon their treasure. Not
a wish bnt was grat:ked,
Then, suddenly, Rosine, as earth
ouakes happen, as tornadoes come, the
storm of my life burst upon me. On
the foor of the quaint old studio Pau
lay dead, the peucil in his hand, the
picture OH the easel, just half done.
A moment before, he had laughed at
some Jest of mine, and l had looked
back at him, as l lett the room, AND
thought he had never looked SO hand
\ some. The heart that loved me 50 had
ceased 10 beat. could not believe il
FIR a long, long while. would not
b lieve it.
\ think was mad for time. Can
sou\ wonder? But that nay baby. will
his faS TIERS eyes, babe me live, ! should
have i lied myself. / remember wak'
irg ons night, and say ing to myself;
Gone of us is dead which is it
Paul, or II"
We HI. Il seemed one. Could one Of
US live without the other? And for &
awhile, r osine, there was just this one
thought, 4 other; then something Of
which | Ii. d never dreamed before, be-
gan TO dog me-poverty.
One day Rosine, | understood that
4 had no money, and that without
money SUM ner friends depart I-shal
never forget the change in the once
smiling lanl ilord, the once soft ano
courteous vol ,ce of the landlady.
Even nv little maid puckered bel
brow, and tos sed her braided head, now
that the Eng fish lady was as poor as
herself. -Aiit then, Roslne, as | sal
rocking my babe upon nv knee Que
morning, the 70 came a tap at my door,
and MaGa,u Bun followed it.
She ca,na forward and sat down be>
fore me, aud, without word, drew q
paper rom her pocket, and laid it on
my knefs
ssWhaa is 1t ?" asked.
She spread it out.
shook my head.
81 do not I'M derstand.'
go, child, clEld!" said she "Cone,
then, I mast tell you. It is now nearly