Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1878-11-10
pERG GOWN.
CHAPTER /.

CI1hI LIN i.
Twas at the top of my cour-a grassy slope
thickly set with apple-trees-we should cal
it an orchard in England, where a court
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 ell-polished bones seeming to
cnchain 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
new center Of operations is my present OBJ.
ject-but where to put her? She has eaten
at the green yell tied round Gracies hat, as
il she would like to eat that too.
My speculations are cut short by low
groWl from Mira, the object of which, see
next moment, q man leaning over the gate
the one that leads fore ,tward-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"
"The grass is not bad" I remarked, elf
there were only more OF it,"
"Ah! Monsieur should see the grass in my
cour, thick and luscious, and have no COW
to eat it. Win Monsieur sell the cow"
No. would not sell the COW. It had cost
me too much to acquire real practical work
ingcow, whose milk foams in the pail, milk
that will develop into cream and butter.
would not part with the COW, but would my
new friend sell his grass?
ri oI o.ia y,,tf tic
mems, cit is my little pere Gown. Bojour
petit PEREZ and have you made the little boat
you promised me?"
'Not yet" said Gown, STOPPING down to kiss
the protfered face. have not found piece
Of wood suitable"
But there is wood everywhere"
Gown, in spite of his heavy and forbiddine
look, is kind and obligng. He certainly has
got q nice piece of grass, with not so many
flint stones cropping mp. We strike bargain
at once, without troubling the notary to put il
into writing-a lease OF his cour for an indef
mite period, at Il rent Of 81 francs per year
payable quarterly in advance.
AS we came out saw the Professor comm Q
along, and paused to wait for him. The Pro
lessor and his wife reside in the neighborine
town, our only compatriots within circle Of
many miles.
The character I heard of Gown from the
Professor, hardly tended to reassure me. He
was fisherman, it seemed, having boat OF
the river, and often sleeping on board it. Nc
one in the village liked him; he was Salvage,
morose and uncommnnlcatiye, living an utter
ly lonely life. The only person who had
good word for him was the cure. "Covin,
he said, "ls industrious and attentive to his
religious duties. | have known him to spend
hours in the church, praying, his face working
with strong emotion, his eyes fixed upon the
sacred images"
Data
estimable in some points, he feared the mar
was passionate and rcyengeful His unbridled
temper had already brought him into trouble
about which the cure declined to say any
more.
I found out what the trouble had been from
another quarter He had attempted to assas.
sinate his "propretor (his landlord), and had
for the offense. [ comforted myself by the
thought, that even the most ungovernable oil
men would not aSSasslnate a tenant who paid
his rentregularly, and determined that Gown
should get his quarterly payment with mos.
scrupulous punctuality.
pony, an operation which called forth many
jeers from the Professor. Of course, havine
pony and no COW, | no longer wanted grass
but hay. And SO next spring put down both
cours for hay.
One evening, soon after, I wanted some
fresh grass for the pony, and took my scyChe
and went mp to GOWNS cour to cut swathe
of the rich, sweet heritage. Tho clank of the
scythe brought Gown ont of his cottage, and
he watched me for q few moments with low
erng brow.
cit is forbidden to cut this grass" he said
Just as had finished.
"How" cried, Il may not cut my own
grass? Do l owe you any rent, Monsieur
Covin?"
81 did not let it for such purpose. forbid
you to cut any more"
II don't want any more at preasant, but in
a fortnight's time began to cut the hay"
81 forbid you'll" he cried, in I. voice husky
with passion.
call the same, shall begin"
"And shall prevent YOU"
"Good; we shall see!'
He followed me to the gate, muttering and
talking to himself. l went home with the I'm.
pleasant feelins 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.
This turned out to be the alternative Nc
one would come to cut GOWNS cour, not for
any inducement could offer.
1t was "in the prime of summertime" a
sweet fresh morning, when I rose and shoul
dered my scythe to begin on GOWNS cour
kissed my sleeping wife with q kind of feeling
that was bound on a dangerous errand. ]
reached quickly the cour, and taking my
stand under tree, began to sharpen my
scythe. At the sound of the milestone and
scytheSCovin appeare . on the scene, his face
white and wrathful, and began an harang que
At last, with kind of o fierce war-hoop, be
bounded forward and placed himself in front
of me.
mot another stroke-not another blade O.
grass"
Had I been prudent should have should.
cred my scythe and walked away. But prim
tive instincts of com sat were reused within
me. 1t seemed to me impossible to give way
was ot,going to cave into a fellow like that
u don't want to quarrel with YOU" l said
slowly, and feeling white all over; "but
mean to cut the grass. Stand away and
raised the scythe for a 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 front
of me, the scythe gave a sickening jar
CHAPTER II.
Quite faint and queer, leaned upon my
scythe, looking at Gown, who with eyes blaz-
ing forth from a face Of deadly palor, swayed
to and fro, as If about to fall. I sprang for
ward to he'll him, but he thrust me away with
All indignant gesture. I had wounded him
but l could not tell where. I might have
severed an artery; his death might7be upon
my head. Gown sank upon one knee and
threw off mis- shoe; the scythe had cut throug oh
the leather, it was full Of blood. There was
an ugly wound on his foot, which he began to
staunch With WiSpS of grass that he snatched