Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1880-09-08
" Is it very dear?" she murmnred


"Ah! then, how long must [ work to
gain SO sous?" 1891.
"Twenty five days, my child"
"when do you return?"
"ln twenty seven days. On Christmas
Eve"
EDO not sell it." she whispered.
And away she ran without waiting for
a response from the peddler.
What had produced this marvellous
change? Why did Mathurine SO desire
this bonnet? Was the sentiment of
coquetry, instructive i'll all women, in
her just awakened? Or was it an un-
avowed desire to be recognized by the
simple villagers as one of them; the
hope that, at last, some JOY might come
to her? Something OF all these, no
doubt; but above all, the ardent, imperi-
GUS desire of a child which wishes be-
cause it wishes, without knowing from
whence comes the desire.
Mathrrine wished to earn two sous
peddler when he came again upon Christ
mas eve. "1-N
The next day she went to Pillemoine,
and seeking the largest farmer of the
place, offered him her services, on condi-
ton that every evening he should pay
her sous, and that every day she
should have two mersels of bread, one at
noon and one at o'clock. .H
Out of pity, not because he required
her services for indeed Mathurine had
not promising appearance-the farmer
acceded to her terms. So Mathurine be-
came not drone, but worker.
Her first days labor accomplished, she
returned to the village full of Joy and
happiness. Never had the time seemed
so short. The SOUS which she had in
her hand scorched her fingers. She
hardly appeared to be herself; she hated
no one: neither Noun the ringer, nor his
daughter Lisa. 1ag .a.
She seemed to herself to be better and
stronger. She crossed the broad street
without hesitation AS she reached the
farther side, the Angelus sounded:
I am no more afraid of Noun! Ding!
don! Nor of Lisal Ding! don! On
Christmas day [ shall be quite as pretty
as she! Ding! Ding! don! I shall have
beautiful, new white bonnet! Ding!
don! Noun himself will salute me!
Ding! Ring bell Don!'
Arriving at the village, Mathurine
sought for logging place. Under shed
back of a bundle of fagots, she made her
chamber Beneath bunch of fagots
which served her as a pillow, she placed
a large stone; under the stone she dug q
hole, and here she hid the sous which
she had earned.
At the break of day Mathurine placed
the fagots over the stone, and in short
time was at her work.
In few days the cure became aston
ished because his pensioner came no
more for bread.
"What has become of Mathurine ?''
he asked of Noun.
81 do not know, M. lie Cure"
"Why is it that we see her no more ?''
"My opinion is that she is up to some
wickedness," replied Noun, grufly.
Eight days passed and Mathurine had
not appeared. At the end of sixteen days
she had saved 80 sous. Her treasure
was accumulating Every evening, by
the light of the moon, she counted it
with trembling hands, her eyes brilliant
as stars. When she had replaced the
great stone with the fagots above it, she
danced in her joyfulness.
If any of the villagers had seen her
they would indeed have said, Mathurine,
the sorceress!
How changed she was! A brilliant
CLEAN in the shadow of her thought
taught her much which had been before
unknown to her. She remembered the
few whom she had loved and the many
whom she had hated In seeing others
work she had acquired taste for labor
and looked upon the prosperity of the
village she called home, she became
ashamed Of her misery. When she re-
membered the little she had earned, and
what it had cost her in hard toll. she be-
gan family to comprehend the goodness.
OF the kind cure, who for SO long time
had nourished her.
The evening before Christmas, Mathu-
rlne, as was her custom upon entering
her hut, raised the great stone. There
was nothing there! Nothing It is not
possible! Wildly she searched every
corner of the hiding place, but it availed
nauSht; all her treasure had been stolen
from her.
Whom did she suspect? Noun and
his daughter. They were the only ones
in her mind associated with such an
action, All her hate returned. Just
then rang out the Angelus:
"Ding! don! Noun has stolen it
from me! Ding! don! Noun and Lisa!
Ding! don! The white bonnet! Ding!
don! I will have vengeance! Ding!
don!"
She ran like CLEAN in the night to-
ward the church, without any plan,
without any project, without knowing in
the least what she wished to do; only
because the bells were ringing, she
thought Noun to be there.
The wind blew violently from the
mountain; the icy earth creaked at every
step, and the long frosty needles swung
from the branches of the pines. The
moon was obscured by drifting clouds,
and in the village all was silent Noun
had left the church, but before taking
his departure he had lit the small lamp
in the chapel of the Virgin.
L. Il