Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1882-10-25
THE STORY OF MARGOT.


enough in old Margot's cottage; but
what did that matterP Margot had
lyes like q cat-so the children said.
She was seated by her wheel, far in the
shadow. spinning as skillfully as if she
had been out in the open sunlight it
self.
She was quite parsonage in the viii
age, this Margot-a better spinner still,
IN spite of her seventy years, than
many a young, bright-eyed girl, who
would gladly have held her place rs an
unexceptionable workwoman.
"What will youp" the people said.
"She has had her sorrows, poor wo-
Ran, and she is alone in this great
world. Assuredly she deserves all the
Kindness that is bestowed on her. We
jill know her story. All, me! but it must
have taken an incredible courage not to
despair under her trouble. But never q
hurmur was heard from her they say
Always patient, always busy-and just
imagine that she was once rs gay as
she youngest of you
Zone would not think it," Madelon,
the village beauty, observed with a
Ihrug. "Yet Mother Alanne tells me
she was very pretty in her day"
THAT, indeed, she must have been, !"
said one of the older women. made
Ion, my girl, thy lover would, perhaps,
find himself able to turn his eyes away
free thee were she but young again."
"Well, well ~ Madelon returned,
"What have said against her? She is
Ilways gentle, at least, and has only
kind words on her tongue"
"Look, then, how she defends her.
self, the beautyp' the woman cried out,
laughing. "But como, my friends, let
IS go, for here comes CASTOR, and his
eyes take but one direction yet"
There was sound of voices along
The path that led to the cottage. Old
Margot looked through the doorway
srom her seat. The young people from
the castle were approaching, Paul and
Marie arm-in. arm, and Anna tripping
ahead. AT the turning the nurse could
be seen walking away, having evidently
Just parted from her charge.
"Good afternoon, Margot," said Paul,
taking off his cap as he entered the cot
tage." "Are you getting on nicely to-
dayP"
"Yes, Monsieur Paul, rs well as pos
sible, thank Cod" Margot answered,
rs she returned the greeting. "How
content am to see you all! And where
have you been this beautiful day, my
ehildrenp'
1--WE have been TO the churchyard, "
Marie replied, Ito see our little sister S
grave. You know that little baby sis
ter we had in the autumn They buried
her in such narrow grave. She was
III so short time, and nurse told us
she never cried at all; and yet mamma
'ried; all, yes, and papa toe, when she
was put into the ground"
"And mamma told me-" little Anna
said, sorrowfully, lifting her great seri-
Dus eyes to Margot's withcred face,
THAT she would come up from the
ground just like the flowers we planted;
and to-day the flowers are all up on the
grave, but the little sister is not therev'
''Margot," Paul said, watching the
wheel as it spun round under the me-
chanical touch of the old woman's foot;
shave you any one buried in the
Ihurchyardp When asked nurse why
you cared so much that our baby was
dead she said you once had one of your
.>wn.n
A sudden, faint light came into the
dull, old eyes.
II did indeed bury my little one,"
Margaret answered slowly" but not in
this churchyard. 1t lies far from here,
and have never seen its grave. But
it is too sorrowful story to tell you.''
"No, indeed it is notr' Paul cried
quickly. II am twelve, Margot--nearly
thirteen"
"And Ii am quite eleven" Marie inter
rupted, making herself as tall as posi-
ole.
"You can tell it to us perfectly"
Paul continued. Gamma will make
wreaths of her flowers meanwhile-wilt
Gou not, dearestp because she is toe
little to listen"
You wish it thenp" Margot said.
81 shall tell you so. When I was
young-you can scarcely believe tina,
old Margot was ever young, can your
''Oh, yes indeed!' Paul said 81
have heard that you were also beauti
full"
swell, WE'LL" the old woman returned
with half-pleased smile, 1--WE will not
talk Of that. was tall and straight anG
strong, and l could do more and better
spinning than any girl in the village; SC
one day Nicolas Cassin asked me tC
become his wife, and in the spring we
were married. For while all went
we'll; Nicolas was good workman anC
we had ell we needed But the winter
was a long, hard one; every one suf
fered, and we with others. Still We
hoped for better things. He was SC
cheerful, my husband! He would Away,
say, Keep good heart, Margot
There's more day than night, and bet
ter times will come
''But they did not come, and in the
next spring my little one was born, anc
all was darker than before, till one day
Nicolas came in and said: 'Margot,
can no longer earn enough here TO buy
| us food to eat, and i have determined
30 go to Paris and seek work there
Jean Potel will 90 also. We shall worl
hard, and we shall soon be able, Goo
willing, to send for our wives and little
ones
81 had my baby in my arms, ant
when looked at its thin little face anC
thought that Nicolas might earn ono,
dgain what we needed-and we asket
no more-I could not weep for his go
ing; said only, God bless you, ant
Keep you and help you, my husband!
when he went away.
"Ah, but IL was terrible after he wa
gonel had my baby to care for, ant
could not do much; indeed, there wa
10 work to be procured; every one wa
poor. ] waited and hoped, thinkin,
every day would bring me news from
my husband, but none came. Week
vent by-still no word At last 1 grew
desperate with anxiety. went to tn,
Project; told him my story, and
jskcd him--l begged him for railwa,
ticket to Paris. lie could do nothing
or me. he said. Probably my husband
AL grown tired of working for a wifi,
nd child. and had meant TO rid himsel
oi ihom be going away. He would trl