Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1882-07-06
Gle Sturp Teller.
ANTOINE, THE BLACKSMITH.

We have grand names in the Ardennes old
Roman names, modified into, patois, toned
down, as it were, to a sober tint, suited to the
grimy trades to which Caesar, Augustus, An
tony and G;lba have betaken themselves.
Antoine, the blacksmith, was sturdy fellow,
and in spite of a stOop in the shoulders ne was
handsome, too, and we'll made. Yet, there
was a shiftiness in his eyes that made that
stoop. at times, look wicked. He had hazel
eye-iight hazel the tickle color-the most
tickle eye that shines, the eye ever changing,
ever seeking something new, every wearylng
of what it hath, ever greedy OF enjoyment III
the present, ever ungratetul Tor the past, ull'
mindful of the future All and when such
an eye hath soft brown lashes round it, IT'S the
most dangerous eye to womans peace that
ever lighted up the head of tickle man.
Poor Eulalie She was the prettiest girl in
all the commune, but not hardy and brown
like the Ardennaises. No touch of coarseness
in her too frail and delicate for the rough
climate and the rough people, she looked like
some pale exotic plant brought harshly from
greenhouse to die in the cold, searching wind
was very sorry when l saw her dancing
with Antoine at the village festival sorrier
still when met her next day coming home
from vespers, shyly by his side.
"Now, hang the man ~ l said, within my
self. care there not hardy maidens enough
in the village-madens who would bear his
fckleness as, calmly as they will next winters
frost why, then, should he fix on this frall
flower If he breathes over it one frosty breath
it will die.n
"Good evening, Eulalie," said aloud. ut
is rather late for you to be out; the WIND IS
fresh. the dew is falling fast You should 60
in, my child. You know the doctor said you
should avoid night air.
81 have my shawl, sir, thank you," she
said, in the sweetest tone Imaginable.
ii can take care of Ma'mselle Eulalie, said
Antoine, with curious fire in his light eyes.
"Monsieur's solicitude is ill-placed: Adleu,
monsieur. We 60 to take turn by the river. !"
1 looked after them and sighed. Then L
turned resolutely away. -.
"a plague take my dreaming fancies ~
thought l. ''Why must I always he med
ding And thousand of my poor warnings
would be of no avail. Will pebble on the
seashore stop the tide 20
l had house near that pretty hamlet-a
sort of summer rest-whither / resOrted in the
fishing season, when the river near was brim-
full of trout and grayling and teeming with
other fish less dainty. And so it happened ev-
cry day, as shouldered my basket and rod
and went forth solitary to my sport, saw An
tome, the blacksmith, buster at his wooing
than at his work. In the morning met him
coming to his forge, and knew he had had
speech with Eulalie in her little garden. Tor
the saucy man bore a flower in his hand, or
pinned daintily in his wide-awake, and his
light hazel eyes smiled mockingly as ne Dade
me good-morrow. Then, in the evening, when
| came home weary, well laden with fish, l saw
his forge fire dead, and his tools flung down
with hocf
''He is away in the summer woods with Eu-
lalie," said, and my basket and rod grew
strangely burdensome.
When I met Eulalie she was all smiles and
brightness-a roster hue on her delicate face,
a softer light in her loving blue eyes, and III
her elastic step a newer grace. Looking at
her happiness grew to have softer thoughts
of Antoine.
81 have mistaken his character" said or
else this poor girls singular beauty can chain
even his tickle fancy"
Then I schooled and chided myself right
well for my own sore thoughts.
Come, now, silly one, " I said: Gown to thy
self that this rare beauty Of hers-so delicate,
so patrician-stir within thy solitary fancy
some strange dreamings. Not girl made
for peasant to love- ran thy musings, but
intended by nature for a lady. Nay, more, a
princess of the woods too delicate, too re-
fined, to give her heart to one OF these clowns.
If, now, a maD-a gentleman-knoWlng his
own mind, could have the courage to fling
aside worldly trammels-'"
''Ah, me how the threads of a thin purpose
snap even at slight touch
Antoine, the blacksmith, danced next night
with Eulalie at the village festival, walked
home with her from vespers, and, in the morn
ing, l went fishing
''All things are for the best" said. "Stle
is a peasant girl-the princess was IN my fan
cy-and she loves a peasant. How much bet
ter and happier for her than hesneers OF Brus
sells or the cold contempt of an English pro
vincial town ~
So hooked trout and graylng III glens ano
valleys, where a painters soul would faln'
with ecstacy, and Antoine, the blacksmith
went into Loves garden andpicked my falres'
rose.
What mattered it Philosophy and tht
worlds customs deemed us both right. There
fore, it was better for me to fish and take my
pastime, and leave Antoine, the blacksmith
to his work and his wooing. The last wa:
sport to him-crueler sport than mine; Tor
like wicked fowler, he shared my little birt
and slew it.
When went back to Brussels in the autumn
left the pair betrOthed. | was III haste u
90 | resisted the great barOns entreaty u
stay a week with him, to hunt the Wild Doa
and shoot foxes and wildcats in the forest
and l rejected the more noble offer Of an ad
venturous cantab, who had brought pape
boat upon his shoulders, and proposed to row
me and himself down the rivers Lesse ant
Meuse, and on to the worlds end if l would.
In hard work at Brussels the winter went b.
coldly, the spring more coldly still then cam
fiery summer, and l thought gladly of rushing
1..I- - ,r,x, poct in tha A rf1pnnpS
.sThey were to be married at the New Year,
I said. ':She is quite matron now. An
we'll 1 hope Antoine, the blacksmith, vii
make her a good husband-good and true, TO
he has the fairest flower of the Ardennes"
asked no questions OF my housekeeper OF
the night of my arrival in my summer home