The Northern Pacific farmer. [volume] (Wadena, Minn.) 1878-1885, 1881-04-07
FAITHFUL NANETTE,

indeed, for miles around, WAS Nanette La
Croix. She had a hundred lovers, all of whom
expressed themselves ready to die for her;
though she, cruel thing. would not give more
than smile in return. Her heart was free,
she said, and hoped it ever would be; she
had no notion Of making herself slave for
life by marrying.
So spoke Nanette, just as hundreds have
spoken before her; and she really believed
for while all she said. No foot Was light
or at the Oui,0uette than hers; no Jest was
nerrier than that which fell from Nanette !;
10 maiden curled lip so saucily when her
game wes linked with that of any Of the
eooux. And yet all this time she was in
I've with Pierre Latour. the handsomest,
etavest and blithest of the village lads. She
found it out, too, but not until he was lev
led for the CONSUMPTION, when the certainty
of his long absence, and the probability
that he might never return, reyeale i to her
the secret.
Poor Pierre loved her as his own life; and
now, Oh the eve of leaving her, uncertain
whether she returned his love. he was near
ly beside himself with despair. he rallied
courage, however, and resolved to tell his
tale, for difidence hitherto had sealed his
tongue though his eyes had long since
spoken his alteration in more eloquent Ian
guage. He found Nanette in tears. TWAS
al unguarded moment for her, and Pierre
had no difficulty in winning en acknowledge
ment that she returned his affection.
And will you be mine when I return:
Promise me this, he said, and will strive
to become great, and will win, if bravery
can do it, the Cross Of the Legion Of Hor-
or"
Nanette promieed-how could Sue help
~ III
secret was to be kept between them, SO the
villagers were none the wiser, and, as
Nanette was as gay as ever, no one sus-
pected that her heart was far away in Rus
STA, whether the imperial army had gone. j"
But this secret proved most unfortunate.
for the young men, ignorant of her engage
ment. were attentive as ever-indeed, more
so, for she grew prettier daily. Pierre, ev-
en- before the army reached the frontiers,
heard from those who had left the village
later than himself that this or thatgallant
was always with Nanette. and that gossips
said it would be a match. How could he
help being g little jealous? And when, Ia
ter by six months, and just before the Rus
sian territory was invaded, he met All ae-
quaintance from the village, and heard that
the son of Q rich notary was dying for her.
is it strange That he began to fear he would
yet lose his beautiful Nanctte? Ee had
heard SO much Of woplan's, Inconsistency, es-
peciallv whom young and wealthy suitor was
the rival, that he treubled for her fidelity
All know tbs horrors Of that campaign in
Russia. Of the half million who followed
Napoleon into the hostile territory not
1.-THE came back alive. OF these, however,
Latour was one. Yet he almost wished he
had persisted in the fatal SHOWS, FOR he had
lost an arm. end that, too, without gaining
the Cross Of the Legion Of Honor. Not
that he did not deserve it; but. in that aw-
full retreat, there was no time for the En-
peror to think Of bestovin9 favors. Slow
~, and almost in rags like Thousands of
others, Latour begged his way back to his
native village. J.
It was bright morning in autumn. more
than a year after Lato,r:s departure, when
one of the village gossips stopped minute
at the window Of the cottsge where. Nanette
and her mother dwelt. a..
who do you think has come back2' she
said. "Latour himself He arrived yester-:
day afternoon" =: -
At the announcement, Of her lovers re-
turn. Nanette's heart leaped with Joy; but
when she heard he had been back SO long
without coming to see her, her spirits sank,
for she had continued 10. love the absent
0OlaleI, III Spite VI LIE nctdlS eoA SuU ueS
hundred other admirers. :: -..
He is come back i'll soTTy plight,
though" continued the gossip, lame,
beggar, and with but one arm. Heis sick
q heart, too, and so ashamed that he will
not show himself; he says he only wishes to
die; be is not fit to live with the young and
happy"
Poor Nanette! Her heart was full of
pity for her lover. She turned aside to
conceal her tears. Yet still she wandered:
why he had not come to see her. and she
felt almost angry again when she thought
of it.
"ae tells ME news, toe, which Inever
knew before, you are so sly about it, Man.
cite. He says you are to marry the notary's
con. do believe, from the way he spoke,
Ae has never got over his old love for you;
when he spoke of the notary's son he sigh
ed, looking at his tattered garments his
stump of an arm, and his leg lame With
t1ayel."
Nanette heard no more. She understood
all now. She left her mother to entertain
the gossip, and hurrying upstairs attired
hereslf in her holiday garments, and then,
selecting the choicest fruits from her gar
den and filling her apron with flowers, she
hurried to the cottage of Pierre's family.
Never had she looked more charming.
Her white head dress, falling low on her
shoulders, relieved her dark tresses and ad-
edgreater effect to her brilliant black eyes.
A handkerchief wound aroun d her neck
anodestly concealed her swelling bust. Her
arms, Rounded and mellow as antique mar
BILE, were bare almost to the shoulder; in q
word, always beautiful, her dress and her
high spirits now made her perfectly bewitch-
ing.
who's there?" said voice as she knock
ed. ~:. 80. =.
She knew that the family we're all abroad
at this hour at their work, and that the
voice must be Pierre's, else she would
scarcely have recognized it, so discontinued
and SO homeless WAS the tone once so han.