The Portland daily press., 1878-12-24

more ancestors from the curiosity-shop in the
Rue ST. Placide. The woman In charge
there told me that one of the professors at
the Sorbonne, who buys rare books OF her,
said they were Spanish infants; but l an
swered, of course, that you must have had
young ancestors as well as OLD ones, reply
which seemed to puzzle her."
"Thanks, my FRIEND" said his wife without
looking up from pair of slippers she was
embroidering for him; and then, with that
air of command which think is natural to
to all happy womanhood, she ordered her
eldest daughter, who had begun to prick up
her ears at the polite conversation about an
cestors, to vanish promptly upon secret ser
vice; and the young lady vanished accord
ingly; :,
Lapineau, now scarcely able to conceal his
exultation as he proddced satin scarf made
up of all the colors of the rainbow COM
mixed and contending after the fashion of a
Scotch tartan in the barbaric ages, II have
bought you 'un plaid' to put on when you
60 to the theater. With that you will have
the true Maria Stuart air. But now tell me
what you will choose for your great gift of
the year, and promise you shall have 1t?
These gentlemen, uncle and nephew, who
will do US the honor to keep the reveillon
with US tonight, are my witnesses"
The children began to flock in and gather
round the table like 50 many animated flow
wers, while the snow fell and wind walled
without very mournfully. 1 noticed that
Madame Lapineau cast a sdelong glance at
the window, through which the departing
daylight could hardly be seen for the rudy
glow of the fire at her hearth; then she
cleared her throat, and said quietly, "Sup-
pose you were to portion Leonie, my friend.
l will find the girl good husband, and can
do without any New-year's gift for myself"
thought that Mrs. Lapineau looked rath-
er slyly at me when she talked of finding
husband for Leonie, and that there was Sc
cret understanding between her and my un-
Gle; but she did not give me time for self-de-
tense, and presently added demurely; ga
very. little money will do (here my uncle
looked uneasy: three hundred francs is
enough to buy her what she will want for
her wedding. l, indeed" observed the COM
Portable matron, with not unbecoming pride,
"had all my things by three dozens of each.
besides % new dresses but Leonie will want
no follies of that sort. Besides, reflect on
those 2S dresses even now with abhOrance.
They would not wear out, and 1 had not the
courage to give them away; so that was
obliged to 60 into the world with gowns 10
years old, till was ready to cry with vexa-
tion every time We were asked out to din
ner."
know now that the charitable lady subse-
quently carried out her intention of offering
husband and portion to Leonie Montjoie,
and am not quite sure that was not the
husband she proposed, for my uncle and she
were whispering together the whole evening;
but, if so, her niece must have closed the ne
gotiations in rather a peremptOry manner,
for never heard any more of the project.
We sat up very late last Christmas eve, for
the children could not be coaxed to sleep,
and we could hear their little feet perpetual
ly pattering over our heads in their bedroom,
as they scampered to and fro to look into
| their shoes, which were ranged in the fend-
ers, and see what sic Petit Noel" had put
into them when he came down the chimney.
This was, indeed, subject Of so much anx-
iety to sullen boy of seven years old, who
had reason to believe that Gle Petit Noep'
would testify disapproval of his general surli-
ness by presenting him only with birch rod,
that he finally succeeded in slipping inside of
our precautions; and no sooner was that sal
utary instrument of parental discipline placed
in his shoe than he glided furtively out of
bed, and changed it for a dolls hat in rose.
colored satin, provided for his sister. There
was dreadful scene of sobbing next day
when the andacious trick was discovered by
the injured little damsel, and it was only ap-
peased by the surly boy being epjoined to
make restitution. went home at last from
the hospitable night-cap makers fir eside,
now just year ago, striding along the quays
by the water-side for air and exercise till I
came to the Place de la Concorde, aud then
struck across for the familiar street where
Leonie Montjoie lived. l felt quite guilty as
saw the brave girl still at work ironing
some delicate lace for rich person who
wanted it early for the morrow's festival.
could see plainly into her tiny well-ordered
home in the ground floor of the old house,
and marveled how neatly it was kept.
Presently the girl stopped in her work,
and passed behind screen, where
l fancy her sister must have been
sleeping, and almost Immediately, in her
quick, active way, emerged with pair of
shoes in her hand. Into one of those shoes
she put smart Lavalliere kerchief, and into
the other she dropped white rosebud, such
as it was then the fashion for girls to wear in
their bonnets. think tear dropped on the
little shoes as she put them in the chimney
corner, but if so she brushed it courageously
away, and beard her singing In low sweet
voice, one of those old ballads of Franche
Comte which may have been sung by her
great-grandmother while her lover was riding
fast and hard to the trysting place they had
appointed. 1t was quaint, delicious ballad,
made up half of wit and half of sentiment,
which she sang, and have never seen it
either in print or in published music. The
words of it are, think, very nearly as fol-
lows:-
As the last notes of the girls voice d led
away walked on, and have only seen her at
rare intervals from that day to this. Posi-
bly, l may have been a little piqued; and
Madame Lapineau's feminine assortment
may not have been so wholly at fault as 1
supposed, when she guessed that was not
so much averse to her scheme as wished to
make us all believe; possibly couple of hun
dred new plays and novels, with many new
sights and sounds, besides the general de-
ceittulness of riches, may have rendered my
heart dull and callous. Yeti don't think it
could have been that I did not care for the
girl; because her smart figure and lovable
face went rambling about my mind the whole
afternoon OF st. Thomas's day this year of
Grace 1876, now about to end. Nevertheless,
l had enough to occupy my attention, if it
were only to avoid being run over in the
crowded streets while dazed by the.cross-lignts
and streams of gas which glare from every
window as early as there is any pretext for
setting them afame. 1t is difficult to find
ones way along the principal streets of Paris
just now, for the mob of sight-seers. Before
my own entresol and all down the central
boulevards. from the Madeleine to the
Chaseau-d' Eau, there are wonderful wooden
shads or booths, as in an old world fair.
WASAO WV oOuo WILL VI SluCIdChS dIt SOlQ
at imaginary bargains for three sous or even
to the shrewder sort of foreign purchaser for
five. All the open spaces of the Queen city
are like bazaar which only empties OF its Gus
toners when half dozen rain-drops scatter
the gaiy dressed crowds as volley of small
shot over stubble-feld dispense flock of
sparrows. The theaters are deserted, for the
shops are far better places of amusement,
and the public has no money to spend
on anything but Christmas boxes and
New-year's gifts, as aforesaid. Saint Sylves-
tire and LIE Petit Noel reign supreme all over
France, but their court is in Paris, and their
state receptions are held at the Hotel du
Louvre, now brimful of wonders, piled six
stories high. They have minor thrones,
however, set up at the "Bon Marche," the
"Petit st. Thomas" "La Belle Jardiniere,"
and in a score of other places, suited to all
whims and to all fortunes.
I confess was hardly prepared for what
occurred this morning, but it has made me
strangely happy. 1t being Christmas day 1
went out early before the day was aired to