The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1878-11-13
PERE GOWN.
CHAPTERl.

Twas AT the top OF my cOur-a grassy slope,
thickly set with apple trees-we should call
seems to suggest pavement, which it is far
from doing in Normandy. Not but what there
are plenty Of stones in my cour, and Oracle,
my precious, only daughter, sits in the sun
shine making Druidic circles with them
Oracle, who is vision of delight, the small
tyrant of our fields and home. Mira, the big
dog, is watching her with grave and puz-
zled mein, some occult resemblance in the
flint stones to well-polished bones seeming to
enchain his interest. There is another circle
maker close blythe. cow-tethered by a
chain passed round her horns to an iron pin,
driven firmly into the soil. To give the cow
q new center Of operations is my present OBJ,
ject-but where to put her? She has eaten
up all my grass, and is now looking wistlully
at the green yell tied round Gracie's hat, as
if she would like to eat that too. BE-
Ny speculations are cut short by a low
growl from Mira, the object of which, see
next moment, man leaning over the gate
the one that leads forestward-a sallow,
heavy-browed man, in the universal blue
blouse and closely fitting fur cap, this last
quite out Of keeping with the climate. He
touched his cap politely.
Monsieur has nice COW; but she looks
thin. And the grass of the court is worth
nothing"
1.-THE grass is not bad,"1 remarked, "if
there were only more of it." -
"Ah! Monsieur should see the grass in my
cour, thick and luscious, and I have no cow
to eat it. Will Monsieur sell the cow"
No, would not sell the COW. 1t had cost
ingcow, whose milk foams in the pail, m ilk
that will develop into cream and butter. I
would not part with the cow. but would my
new friend sell his grass?
"Ohw cried Oracle, running up at this mo-
mems, cit is my little pere Gown. Bo'jour,
you promised me?" ...-s
"Not yet" said Gown, STOPPING down to kiss
the proffered face. have not found a piece
Of wood suitable" $50 E-.:.-.
But there is wood everywhere" . T..
Gown, in spite of his heavy and forbidding
look, is kind and obliging. He certainly has
got a nice piece Of grass, with not SO many
at once, without troubling the notary to put it
into writing-a lease o. his cour for an indeti-
mite period, at a rent Of 81 francs per year,
payable quarterly in advance. .s..
As we came out I saw the Professor coming
along, and paused to wait for him. The Pro-
lessor and his wife reside in the neighboring
town, our only Compatriots within a circle OF
many miles.
The character heard of Gown from the
Professor, hardly tended to reassure me. He
was a fisherman, it seemed, having boat Oh
the river, and often sleeping on board it. No
one in the village liked him; he was ''sauvage,'
morose and uncommnn1caJiYe, living an utter
ly lonely life. The only person who had a
good word for him was the cure. "Covin,"
he said, sis industrious and attentive to his
religious duties. I have known him to spend
hours in the church, praying, his face working
with strong emotion, his eyes fixed upon the
sacred images"
But the cure added gravely that although
estimable in some points, he feared the man
was passionate and revengeful. His unbridled
temper had already brought him into trouble,
about which the cure declined to say any
more. ~' .4-
found out what the trouble had been from
another quarter. He had attempted to assas-
sinate his proprietor (his landlord), and had
only lately finished a term of Imprisonment
for the offense. I comforted myself by the
thought, that even the most ungovernable of
men would not assasslnate tenant who paid
his rentregularly, and determined that Gown
should get his quarterly payment with most
scrupulous punctuality. ~.--sg.. 81.
Soon after this exchanged my COW for a
pony, an operation which called forth many
ieers from the Professor. OF course, having
pony and no COW, no longer wanted grass,
but hay. And so next spring put down both
cours for hay. ...-... .....s.. ....
One evening, soon after, wanted some
and went mp to GOWNS cour to cut a swathe
OF the rich, sweet heritage. The clank Of the
scythe brought Gown ont of his cottage, and
he watched me for a few moments with low
ering brow. -. .s ~ -.ss-5 4.
1T is forbidden to cut this grass" he said
lust as had finished. -"pf 81
"How!" cried, II may not cut my own
grass! Do I owe you any rent, Monsieur
Covin?' ....2... .S. -.--...-..
II did not let it for such purpose. I forbid
you to cut any more" a.
II don't want any more at preasant, but In
afortnight's time began to cut the hay"
II forbid you!' he cried, in voice husky
with passion.
"All the same I shall begin:' 5'.s. ~.
"And shall prevent YOU" ~ '1ft Z
-.'Good; We shall ser!' II - ~
He followed me to the gate, muttering and
talking to himself: | went home with the I'M
pleasant feeling that it was my destiny to
have desperate feud with NJ. Gown. All the
same would not give way. The hay should
be cut if I had to cut it myself. go gsese
This turned out to be the alternative. No
one would come to cut GOWNS cour, not for
any inducement could offer. &ef2, 'st5<s5I>
. 1t was "in the prime OF summer. time" a
sweet, fresh morning, when I rose and shou,-
dered my scythe to BEGIN on GOWNS cour. ]
kissed my sleeping wife with kind of feeling
that was bound on Il dangerous errand. ]
reached quickly the .cour, and taking my
stand under q tree, began to sharpen my
scvthe. At the sound Of the milestone and
scythe Gown appeare on the scene, his face
white and wrathtpl, and began an harangue
Atlast, with kind of a fierce war-hoop, he
bounded forward and placed himself in front
of me. T.. ~.
! ''Not another stroke-not another blade O
grass!" so = ,@les. @EG a...ie ". ..
Had been prudent should have should
cred my scythe and walked away. But prim
tive instincts of com Dat were reused within
me. It seemed to me impossible to give way
was not going to cave into afellow like that
II don't want to quarrel with YOU" said
slowly, and feeling white all over; but
mean to cut the grass. Stand away" and
raised the ecythe for sweep.
Gown leaped forward and planted Himself
in himself in the way of the scythe. turned
aside, and began my storke at another
place. With wild bound he leaped in from
of me, the scythe gave sickening jar
#=E CHAPTER II. GtJ&
Quite faint and queer, I leaned upon M
scythe, looking at Gown, who with eyes blaz
ing forth from face of deadly palor, swayef
to and fro, as ii about to fall. 7 sprang for
ward to hel, him, but he thrust me away will
all indignant gesture. had wounded him
but could not tell where. I might hay,