The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1877-09-01
CheGntdhQeurer.
APPLES.
How Madame Became An Amer.
lean.


I'd Iuster on her black hair, her tintlesl
face, the bits OF coral in her well.set ears
A high window this, into which the sun
light streaming illumines the siIter-very
hish-ihe topmost in The rambling, jam
bling, wheezy old tenement. Madame
prefers to be on the top story, she says
One is there away from the dust and
noise Of the street. Also, it costs less. AL
so, she will tell you gaily, she can see the
tops Of the sails, and the Bun-lit masts Of
theships that come and 80 at the wharves
toward which this diDgy street lookt
down. The ships bring wealth and plen'
ty to somebody. Some Of them come from
France. All, beautiful France! Its Ike
being poet, or having fine Imagination
to own u window one can see the world
outoi. .a
Should any one pity madame or off.
cionsIy offer her sympathy, she will shrug
her shoulders magniiicently, spread oul
her hands, and say. What will YOU?
glancing toward her window as though
The world were at her feet. Has she moi
her sunshine, her sewing and her little
Fiinc, who fits up and down the ladder.
like stairs like batterOy? FiGne ha.
black eyes and dancing smilc. Fifine il
Madame's poem, her princess; abe does
not know poverty. They had been pool
in Paris, but Fltinc had never gone hung
rs; they had wanted many things in Par
i, but Fifue had always her irilled dres-
se- and her tiny polished slippers, Wa.
not her father a professor? was not her
mother Il lady? Should they, then, asso.
riate on equal terms with that degraded
and degrading thing called poverty? Nay,
indeed il might own the house, but Ii
should not sit atthe board. TWAS poverty
that had driven this family, thoughtlessly
thoughtful, to America. Prof Pierre set
sail, and died on the passage.
"Ah, but he was a scholar? says mad.
anne, signing. al he have live" (mad-
ame's English il not quite 80 perfect as
her FRENCH, 1--WE shall by this time have
the little maisou champcire, the pretty
place in the country, and the little school
aud the garden which We have talk and
dream Of so much in Paris. For there il
0i room in Americana, so much oil roomn
So says madam. looking down on the
crowded, dingy street and the swarming
tenementR.
She looks up, smiling, from her work
AZ a light lootstep comes flying along tn,
ladder-like stairs. 80 come the angles!'
says madame, devoutly, rs Fifne dances
IN. She has her tiny apron full Of rec
apples, which tumble out and roll upor
the floor. The sunshine, cleaning on
madape'S scarlet sewing, seems 10 recog
niI1 the ripe round fruit, and glows anew
AZ having met it elsewhere in sweet, ia
miliar orchards and on sunny slopes o
llraway hills.
"AIl for you,mNman," cries FItine, look
ing down upon the treasure. "And oh,
mamap, he will give me a ride in the
great wagon ont to the beautiful country
and the little old mother2" .-
Matame's cheeks flush, her eyes Bcin
Iilla;e with All angry light. "What is i
YOU say, Fiine? And who gave yol
IheEe?n r....r
But the child only answered breath.
Ie-sly and coniusedly. The apples werr
delicious, and Fitine was happy, but mad
anne did not like strangers nor strangers
gifts. She sat anXiously at the high win
dow next day, looking down for Filne a
she came from school.
The street was long and winding, grimy
aad decaying; but people swarmed in i
~ il life waS not undesirable. TheJ
thrOye in the scents aud sounds and still,
ing air; they laughed, they Chatted, they
c'Ogtcgated in the tumble.down door.
way; and, looking their poverty square
in the lace, shook hands with i, as 1t were
Bat the street had its pleasures, too, ono,
IN a while, and its pictures. As at thi,
instant, when Madame, looking dow
from the high window, saw y wagon.loaG
oiappirs come joIting along, ruddy, shin
inEaad mellow. a boy IN u brimleRs ha
and blue shirt sat in the midst Of tn,
heap, and 4 tall, sunburncd young fell
Ior, with trousers tucked in his boots
walked alongside, hand'in.hand with {
child, who danced about him, with hel
golden hair flying and her pretty fee
t*imklins, a. she pointed up laughing Il
ihe lar window where madame sat.
In one sudden moment she saw the lit
te9ne caught up, deposlted in halt.ful
basket, and both. lifted on the youn,
mTms shoulder, disappeared in the house
Upstairs they came, tramping, laughing
aud FIGnc, eager, joyful and breNhless
Wi' deposited At the door.
oh, maman!7 she cried, clappiug he
hand, see what we have brought you
Aud here is Monsieur Jack" '...
Outside, abNShed, blushing, stood the
Young man with his basket. Madam
appearing on the threshold put him un
der confusion. She bad the bearing Of
duchess.
What will your" queried she haughl
Excuse, me, ma'am," was the stammel
lnS reply, IA the intruder doiIed his gtGg
straw hat 81 meant did not mean
That l', ! promised the little one a ride
"And?' said madame, slernly,
And" answered the youth, gatherin
up courage, his honest, kindly eve lool
Ing straight into hers, "she needs A liltl
change; ride would not harm her, mac
amer
Tits a liberty objectionable. In m
country it is not known that vendor
street veudOr-will intrude himUOi on
Iidy'' apartment people know the
place, and"
81 beg your pardon, madam. You al
right, interrupted the stranger, his chez
aashtug holly. "But this ia Americ
nor Paris. Good.day.
llewasgo gone. The place was blank ar
,5Ns'ola,e. The apples lay on the Zoo
me sunlight had faded from the windo,
ElanC set up u irightiul cry Of disappoin
meat Ah!no ride,n pleasure, no delight
IN rro'pectnOw. She did not 20 dancing Q
70 school next day, singing as she wen
que came back with \ headache, carryin
HS!oomtIy up to the top floor and Ii
va as!nnS mother. Two days, three, passe,
rune was really i'll. She chatted ince
AMY OF the ride and the beautiful coun
Z. She cried to sec Monsieur Jack. 4
"s had named her friend,
Tae day Madame slipped dowm-stai,
"0O! some apples. It was the day Il