The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1881-04-09
DOUCE


She was so quiet and gentle in voice
and manner that her family called her
"douce' '(sweet, and Douce was her
name to all the neighbors. ,. ID. ....
She had been christened Helen, but
to all intents and purposes the nick
name was the only one by which shewas
known. She was not a pretty girl so far
as features and complexion went, but
with nothing mawkish or insipid about
her. as might be inferred from her
name.
The tones of her voice were SO even,
her movements so quiet and deliberate,
that you could not understand how
Douce was the ruling mind in family
of six children, five of them boys, and
unruly ones at that. But the truth was,
she was the most daring of all of them,
though she would climb the tallest tree
and ride the most dangerous horse with
the same calm composure of manner.
Her mother mad been al invalid for
many years, and her father, q prosper
GUS merchant at the little town of Oak
port, about two miles from his resi-
dence, was too busy man to do more
than pass his nights at home, generally
too tired when he reached there to spend
much time in social intercourse with his
family.
Mr. Tureau's residence, as have said,
was about two miles from town, but one
mile was through thick, swampy for
est, very bad walking in rainy weather,
and dark and dismal enough even on a
summers morning.
1t bore, too, an evil reputation among
the country people in the neighborhood,
for, fifteen years before, a peddler had
been robbed and killed there, and his
body had been found near an old rotten
log by the roadside. On large beech
tree which overhung the spot had been
carved by some boy, "Here Amos Grove
was murdered. s.i.ln .u. ........
Of course, the ghost of the peddler
was presumed to haunt the spot, and as
the murderer had not been discovered,
the ignorant, superstitious people of the
neighborhood all believed the spirit
would never rest in its grave until the
criminal who did the deed was brought
to justice. ''
To the little Tureaus these woods
were perpetual delight. Such nutting,
such berries, such persimmons were
found there, that in spite of thrill of
terror when they passed the spot of the
sad tragedy, nothing short of visible
apparition would have kept them from
the woods. ...
Douce, who feared neither man nor
ghost, was always their leader in these
expeditions. At sixteen she was as fond
of swinging on grape-vines and mount.
ing to the top of tall trees as when she
was ten. This sounds as if Miss Douce
Tureau was rather tomboyish; but she
did these things so gravely and quietly
that somehow no one ever thought OF
reproving her for her gymnastic feats.
"Let- Douce alone,'' said her father.
"She has wary eye, and a firm, strong
grasp, and she'll never come to harm.
1t is not a ladylike amusement for g
young girl to climb trees, but she is not
a tomboy, and does not climb them be
cause she is of a rough, masculine ma
ture. 1t is, perhaps, an eccentricity
and in her case accept it when l should
not in some other children. Besides, il
strengthens her muscles and makes hel
hardy" 5.. ..
One fine September morning Mrs
Tureau astonished them all by insisting
upon walking to town with her husband
"The walk is too long for you, Mary
he demonstrated. us
"No, indeed" she answered, 81 fee
equal to it, and l prefer the walk tc
riding. / will spend the day will
Cousin Jane, and be quite rested wher
you return in the evening. The cool
Oora), too, wants to 90 to town Il
spend the day and night with her sis
ter" 81. H!.rH ~ t hail..
"As you please; but if Dora is going
who will stay at home with the children
We shall not get back until after dusk
you know"
"You're not afraid to stay here will
the children, Douce, are you?" asked
her mother. e.ft#, ..s
"Afraidp Why, mamma, I did no
suppose you thought me such foolisl
coward! What can harm usp'' .ia"
3 OF course it did not seem as if Their
could be anything to harm them in tina
quiet place; so, after an early break
fast, the children walked part of the wa
to town with their parents Douc
stood and looked after them as they left
with a strange heart-sinking, she after
ward said. -e,r..,.. .Ilf .....
81 thought it was because MANN
was always at home," she said. 18th
house would seem so lonely without hel
But then WAS so glad to see her able I
walk again, that l could not understan
my depressed feeling"
There was deal Of work to be dor
that day. The house was to be cleaned
churning done, and Douce thought sh
would surprise her father and mother b
ia o nice tea when they returned. Assiste
by her sister Alice, girl of twelve, 81
was still hard at work when the cloc
struck twelve. 3aidi y19YY lWInaet Fl
sis it possibleP'l she cried, "noo
already, and not thing cooked fl
dinneri Well, children, there's bres
and cold meat and some jam in IL
safe, and wen make a cup Of tea ar
have a picked-up dinner"
Picked-up dinners, with tea and jar
are things not to be despised by CHI