American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1878-03-16

- w hat IN the world is he after, Ady?'
cried Mrs. Lefty.
Looking for shells, 1 suppose" said
her husband, who objected on principle
to answering, 81 don't know" to any
of his wife's suggestions.
"But don't you see he throws down
the shells?''
Perhaps he wants a particular
kind"
At this moment the little girl rose and
called cut, 6 Viens, V5ctor. II taut qut
nous en- alJons.''
g She is speaking French!n cried
Lefty. They are Creole children, ]
guess
81 reckon they are," said her hus.
band, laughing. " -
Now hear me air my French, Ady
Little boy, come over here, won't you?'
she called, with her best accent. "What
are you doing?" she said, as he stood
before her.
Fishing, madame -
"Fishing! With your handsP''
eyes, indeed, madame. They come
in on the waves. If one is quick enough,
one can seize the little fellows before
they get back. l knew a boy who
caught one as long as my hand" and
he held out his tiny hand with pride.
"I should think it would be slow
work. WHAT'S your name, little man?'i
''Victor Lorelli, madame"
"What pretty name! What pref
ty boy!"
In truth, little Victor had a rare beauty.
His was such face as looks out at you
from the canYasses of old painters, a
scarlet little mouth, curling dark hair,
cheeks tinged with delicate bloom, deep,
wonderful eyes shaded with a fringe of
jet, and over all an expression of cher
ubic innocence,
g / t0isk you would look at him,
Adrian!'' cried Lefty. s'Did you ever
see such eyesP And oh, his eyelashes
Victor, do you know I would give a
hundred dollars for those eyelashes of
yours ~
"Would you, madame?" said Victor,
SO soberly that Lefty burst into a ring
ing laugh as she said &c Indeed I would |!
But l don't believe your mother would
let you give them to me at any price. :"
&c Come, Victor" called the little
girl, :" it grows late. Mamma viii be
looking for us.''
Well, well, Marie, 1 come" Then,
lifting his little cap, Where do you live,
madameP' he asked.
{" In that great white house near the
beach,, - and Lefty pointed it out stCome
and see me some day, and I will give
you some of the prettiest little cakes
that ever you saw
1" | will come, madame;'' and with a
grave "Bo'o jour-" he joined his sister,
and the two, after heaping their arms
with driftwood, trotted off over the
sands. Fe.
'What funny little fellow he is ~
cried Lefty; ''but his face is simply
lovely. Adrian, wouldn't be the pref
test creature in the world if had his
eyelashese"
"You are pretty enough as it if, Mis-
tress Y vanity Don't think too much of
your looks, child. Remember, Favor
is deceitful, and beauty vain'''
oh, certainly; but I've always long,
ed for dark, curling lashes. How in
sipid face is without them! It's like
a house that hasn't any blinds.'' And
Mistress Lefty looked quite pensive for
q moment.
CATER ALL" she said, g it is well that
poor people haven't it in their power to
sell any of natures gifts to them.
Think what monopoly the rich would
havc!'
The children, however, were soon for
gotten. But her words fingered in Vic
tors mind.
Marie" he said, as they hurried
home, "the pretty lady said she would
give a hundred dollars for my eye
ashes!''
''Did sheP' cried Marie, her eyes
growing large. sob, what pile on
pile of money! We could live on it
brewer, couldn't weP''
81 think so; and poor mamma
cry so much. l mean to do it,
Marie.''
" Mamma won't let you, Victor''
g 1t is best not to tell herr
So the two babies plotted together.
Poor innocentsi They had been bred
n so hard school that they could not
understand a jest. Smiles had come
nut rarely to their sad little faces. From
heir birth, almost, misfortune had fol-
owed their parents. Two years before,
heir father had been drowned in that
eautiful sea; and since then the moth
r had tried, with falling health, to pro-
ide>for them. Seven months passed;
terrible storm had swept over the is
and, and then their little home had |
DATED out to sea, they barely escaping
nth their lives. The mother was a |
'rench woman of good birth and edu-
alton; but no way to. earn money
eemed to open to her but washing and
1ending delicate laces, or doing fine
eedleWoFk that tried her eyes, and for
ri1lC6 she was hI1t nOnr1u ,1oiI