Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1883-05-23
\ PaRisIAN NOVELETTE,.

oic Nds OllIN poor SeWlng-glri moth
ing more. Her days were spent in a
factory, where, with hundreds of Others.
she worked early and late to earn the
poor plttmce that gained her daily
bread, and her nights were spent up in
a garret, where the noiSome smells from
the court below and the curses and cries
sometimes made her shudder. But she
was no heroine. The other girls said She
was not even pretty, but her braids of
long far hair were bright and soft. and
her eyes, though her face was pale. were
sweet and pure, and in spite of her life.
rs II WAS, she was innocent as when long
ago her mother had died in the same
garret where she now lived. She WAS
not even a ChriStian-few in Paris are.
l believe-and then churches are not for
poor people. you know-and when her
Sundays came they were such davs of
rest after her hard. hard week that she
was glad to he away from the crowd
and rattle and noise, and sit 10y herself
alone.
One day there came to the factory
some gentlemen, all friends of the pro-
prietor, who walked through and looked
at the machines, how the girls worked
them. how nimble their fingers were. and
how the clothes were cut-all matter of
fact enough To the girls. but curious to
them. They all laughed and ioked and
SAID something To the girls, and one
stopped before her chair and said. What
beautiful hair,n touching just so gently
some one of the long golden strands.
She blushed very red, and they walked
on.
= Her name:''
Marie, said the proprietor. = Yes,
pretty hair. but nothing else; she is only
a poor Sewing-girl, not even one of the
heads of the department; only very
poor girl, Monsieur"
As the stranger walked out there was
caught in his coat a long thread of hair,
which he laughed at, smiled, and then
loOsing slowly, placed it in the rich lock
et he wore on his chain and passed out.
He did not return again, but one day
passing on the Boulevards she heard her
name called. '-Marie," \ gendarme in
uniform stepped up and handed her a
card: Monsieur Henri de LanneS,
MarqUiSe de Plaquemine. =
She was surprised. Gentlemen do not
bother themselves about poor sewing
girls often: and then a marquis. Who
was he? What could ii mean.
= He is here, Mam'Selle. and wishes to
speak to YOU. VIII you go:"
She followed. she did not know why,
and when the soldier stopped at a rich
saloon. and the door opened, she stepped
in and saw the gentleman who spoke at
the factory some weeks ago.
Then. she burst into tears" Mon
sieur. don't. for Gods sake, Monsieur, L
am ONLY poor girl. and what can mar
0uis want with me? For Gods, sake,
don't. pleaSe;- and she buried her face
in her hands.
The long fair hair fell in its two braidS
down over her shoulders, and as she sank
almost on the floor it covered her almost
ike a cloud.
Monsieur arose; he was an old man,
past fifty: his hair was gray and his face
was hard. clear-cut, and cold, and his
eyes were like steel Just so clear and
si,arp and cold: he walked to the window
of the rich saloon, and Il en-, returning
half way. leaned with one hand on a
chair and the other tenderiy, ever SO
tenderly for hard old man, rested 1Or
one moment on her fair hair, and IL treih-
bled
By MANY strange ways and much
blood had Monsieur come to he standing
i'm that place. and then for one moment
there seemed to float before him a vision
of fair Lorraine, youth long ago,
face sitting in cottage. and two long
b1,,ids of hair. a promise that when he
returned with wealth and fame, she
would l,e his. Years of toll and palp,
of success and triumph. and a return To
find her married to a churl, common
country peasant, and they both gone 10
Paris.
Since then Monsieur was known 10 pe
a hard mana very hard man; and when
with his leeions in Africa twas Sald W
MAS a fierce one; but he was high III
court and all praised and honored MN.
He stood for a moment thus ana 'ieii
wondered To himself hall aloud; Adlle'
is that yOur name:
Yes. Monsieur.
Your mothers name:
Yes. Monsieur. o..
WAS she from Basle IN Lorralle'
.tYes. Monsieur.
The hands were removed from the
face now and the fair soft eyes Were
r,ised wondrously. but the face OF Mon
sie,Ir was hard again, only Just III the
corners of his mouth, where the curves
were there was a trembling, vague
dream of something to be sald, Whioh'
died with them unspoken-
He took her hand, though, tenueIls
.,d as be led her to the door he stopped
- .,,,,ad and kissed her. Before
She looked he was gone.
After that she worked hard as eVel
ti,a factorv- and though she said moth
ing she thought often ot liie gled' -Ho'''
sienr and what it could all mean
The time came, though, when sue M;'s
taken i'll. It-came upon her one das - -
tbe street. when she would nave Iaiil'ce %
,nd falI but that some one caught iieI
Sho was insensible Tor long, long tiiife
- I'm Lar sickness she could near III
,,o;so rs from the court, and Wheh Or
,,nrning She awoke she was lyiiig III
,.;nb room hung with pictures OF rlciian'
,,,arveIous beauty. Over the pillow Ma' @
har fair hair. and her hand was tiiili 'ii'
male and she WAS very weak. e %
Over bv the window was the iiSui ~ y
y noan-an old man, she thought"
hid d'' in the heavy curtains. As ne l, rose
in,.a,. ,iiu -, - She WAS so weak that she cioSe'
her ewes. and then. nan sieep1 p"tS1,din,
dreaming. she could feel hiill s'aiiI',,l' aid no
bv the bed. Who it was sile s,aat aiJ ~ !,
know and was too tired ana 0o,nn menn y y
care hardly at all: but one eNeli,rs, l,,s sb h
tba sunset streamed into iiie looit n.,,r ~,
fonnd ON the pillow beside nei az a p. ono,
Of Iady that She thought she had naa ofii fai
seen 81 n ~ It was a fair lady,a very t,u tSl
ladV-and the long hair hung Sba IN WA WA
;1, down over the breast. oiie "a