The Grange advance. [volume] (Red Wing, Minn.) 1873-1877, 1876-03-29
bert with his hands again upon his ;knees

bert with his hands again upon his knees,
he resumed-he was not pleasant to lis.
ten to, for he spoke with thick utter.
ance. and rolled his r's--"My father"
said he, ''being much occupied in business.
it has naturally fallen upon me to assist
my mother in these difficult, and, I NAV
say delicate transactions We have no de.
sire to force my sisters inclinations.''
"Certainly not" said Mademoisello.
Adalbert continued: "We wish that
the number Of eligible proposals should
not be too limited, and with this view we
half '-@7*7s 60 ss''"~~-' y,
"That We have" said Madame Simon,
land ] assure you that it is no easy mat.
ter: 1t is small town, and we have
made strict search, in the environs: it
has cost US many railway journeys
"None SO long as this" said MAIDEN.
olselle. 49,
"Permit me to continue" said Adal-
bert. 'You have asked me, Madame,
how You could assist us in our perplexi-
ty. will tell you. In the course Of our
researches we have discovered that a
highly respectable Notary has recently
arrived at Rouen, unmarried, and making
good income, having sown his wild oats,
and therefore anxious to settle in life.
Now this sounds very suitable; but,
before any decided measures are taken.
before negotiations al e opened, it is de-
sirable that my sister, who is so particu.
lar as to looks, should sec the individual
in question.
81 am not SO particular as to looks
said Mademoiselle 1.-The gentlemen pro.
posed to me arc caricatures Of humanity."
Madame Enault, in spite of the tire.
some manner of Monsieur Adalbert
Simon, was amused by his narration, and
between her love of fun and her desire to
oblisc. she became eager to carry on the
matter to the satisfaction of all parties.
But she had to regret that Monsieur lie
Sous"prefet was absent on business, and
that only her son Maurice was at home.
But Maurice would escort them to the
courts of law, and it was very likely that
Monsieur Chevalier would be found there:
indeed, it was most likely. Maurice only
knew him, by slght-but he could point
him out at once on this she rang the bell
and requested that Maurice would come
to her Immediately. He duly appeared,
and after the proper salutations were
over, his mother took him aside. and in a
few low words explained the Mutation to
him.
Maurice Enault was charming young
man Of about eighteen, handsome and
courteous, with smile Of which the grace
to a keen observer but thinly yelled the
irony. However, the family of Monsieur
Simon, the wine merchant, was not COM
posed of keen observers, and the warmth
of his expressions. and readiness to as
sist, delighted them, as he led the way on
this singular enterprise. While they
walked, Madame Simon confided to him
all her difficulties, with alternate admira-
ton of her daughters charms and re-
greet at her contumacy, eni;vened by
stringent remarks upon the personal ap-
pearance Of her suitors.
By the time the court was reached,
Madem"iselle's expectations had risen
high; and when they entered, her eyes
glanced rapidly from one official to the
other, seeking the possible man. Mau.
rice surveyed the assembly with equal
ardor, but Monsieur Chevalier was not
present. SHOW unlucky !" said Adalbert ;
I'VE positively must find him, for my
mother cannot, and will not, submit to
any more traveling." Maurice begged
them to wait, while he made inquiries for
the missing notary. He left them for q
few minutes, and returned with the mes
sage thai Monsieur Chevalicr was not
likely to be in court that day he was
engaged on business about the sale of
some newly-built houses half mile away
from the court, Madame Simon was i'll
with fatigue, and famed herself violently.
Mademoiselle was flushed too much for
her complexion, and there was spark of
ill'temper in that eye which looked
straight. Monsieur Adal3ert alone was
equal to the occa sion.
ut is evident" said he, ''that we must
now go on to the new houses, and appear
to be anxious to look over thcm.''
"What, another walk? 2 said poor
Madame Simon.
A ten minutes walk brought them to
| the site of the new houses, some Of which
were not yet completed, and heaps of
stones, rubbish, and cart and truck
here and there, with bit of neglected
ground in which it was difficult to see q
future garden, had a truly dreary aspect.
Up and down the slushy ground trudged
dirty, slovenly, paunchy man, with a
greasy complexion. which was marked
with smallpox; he walked with his
hands in his pockets, and whistled a
tune.
Mademoiselle Simon paused in her
march toward the new buildings, and
said in low tone to Maurice Enault,
"You must ask that workman whether
Monsieur Chevalier is to be seen within