The Findlay Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Hancock County, Ohio) 1870-1881, 1877-10-19

tween them, human nature asserted its
claim, and the women folks of these
two homes became earnest friends
Though Mrs May disapproved of the
shiftlessness of Mrs Antoines house
keeping, of the dirty ruffied pillow-cases,
of the painted plaster Paris parrot
on the clock shelf. of the number Of
the Colonel's empty whisky bottles and
! old boots that strewed the ground oppo
site the front entrance, and the calm
ness with which Mrs Antoine regarded
the confusion of her kitchen and the
, ragged condition Of her sons clothing,
while she worked endless bands of very
dirty but very fine embroidery, vet she
loved the little woman with all her heart,
and had done so ever since the night that
she locked the drunken Colonel in one
of the state rooms, and battled death
with her until at dawn a fifth little An
ioine lay in his mothers arms Don't
talk to me- she would say to her hus
band. @One has only TO look at those
boys To know there is pluck in their
mother And if Gus Antoine, tn. eld-
est, was sample of what the rest would
he, her words had their weight.
Gus was fifteen, clerk in 4 book
store at Conflict, and it was principally
from his earnings that the family were
supported. They saw him walking
bravely to town early every morning,
carrying his dinner in little tin pail,
his jacket, whose buttons were all old
bachelors, in that no one had mate,
fastened tightly to the throat, where it
was met by turned paper collar and
fashy magenta necktie. Squire May
liked the boy. Once, when he had call
ed on an errand, he stood for long
time puzzled and curious before
box of geological specimens which
the Squire had collected. "What are
them things?r he asked. Fossil
leaves" replied Squire May. Il give
myself vacation every summer,
and go off for week or two geologizing."
The boy ask few more questions be
fore he left, which showed him bright
and observing. \ fortnight after he
came again. "Pye been reading all
about them things" he said. The sale
of books was not brisk at Conflict, and
during the intervals of trade Gus had
plenty of time to read. Still, the Squire
was surprised to find that the boy had
gone through a volume of Hitchcock
and one of Hugh Miller, making him
self as intelligent master of their con-
tents as it was possible to be without the
aid of specimens. a recited what l
read daytimes ever night to mother"
he continued, "and if father would only
lend me Sarsaparilla, that's the mule. I'd
like to go jollygizing with yer.
I'll take you with me in NV buggy
said the Squire, "if you can obtain leave
of absence from the store"
Through their three years OF neigh
borhood the friendship between the two
grew and strengthened, till at the time
at which our story finds them the Squire
remarked to his wife that he didn't be-
lieve he could think more of Gus An
tome if he were his own son, and he in
tended soon to commence reading law
with him. There was one other who
looked forward to the boys visits with
pleasure, the Squires only child, little
Hope. She had gone strawberrying and
hazel-nuiting with them before he had
won her fathers favor All the Antoine
boys had strongly marked French fea-
lures, with startled black eyes and hair
to match, forming strong contrast to
Hopes blond beauty. Mrs. May had
been Mortified on their first arrival to
find her little girl seated beside a stump, |
on which her toy dishes we're displayed,
entertaining troop of ragged boys.
The entertainment consisted of dough- |
nut broken in minute mits, and, most
astounding sight for New England
mother, the youthful An:oines had
brought as their contribution TO the feast
a cup half filled with New Orleans mo-
lasses, some scraps of dried orange peel,
and bottle in which there still remained
a few spoonfuls of whisky, with which |
ingredients and little water Gus was
compounding drink and filling the tiny |
pewter cups with all the expertness of
California bartender.
While Gus was away '.lollygizing with
her father, Hope went every day to re
cite French lessons with Mrs. Antoine, |
and to learn to make the marvellous en-
broidery, whose great eyelets were filled
in with cobwebs like wheels. in lace
stitches Of pOinte d4lencOn. SO the
summer passed, but with the fall came |
the elections. Squire May returned
from his brief vacation to learn with
surprise that the free State" party had
nominated him as their candidate for
the district judgeship, and that his oppo-
nent on the Democratic ticket was Col.
Antoine. The election was closely con-
tested, but ended in the usual way, Col |
Antoines friends coming over froa
Missouri, voting for him, and rendering
the party triumphant. Squire May was
heard to protest loudly against the lille
gality of this proceeding, and as he drove
toward his home it was observed that his |
usual calm temper was much disturbed. |
The day following the election was an
eventfll one to Mrs. Antoine and Hope |
as they sat on bench under the broad
leayed catalpas in front Of the Antoine
mansion. A grotesque shadow was
thrown upon the path, and Hope grasped
Mrs. Antoine,s arm in alarm, wondering |
what strange animal would follow. 1t
was only peddler, and both she and
Mrs. Antoine we're soon deep in the
contents of the pack, which consisted in
several cases of cheap jewelry, few
pieces of fiimsy dress goods and some
coarse Hamburg embroideries. Mrs
Antoine looked over these interestedly,
but with a smile on her lips. Il can
embroider better than that myself and
so can this little girl"
LET me see what you do" said the
peddler, and Hope displayed a long strip
of the mingled embroidery and lace
work, the pattern in each eyelet being