Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1883-01-03

20 more obseryant eyes than those of the
Mouffetardians II would have been apparent
that Mere Perraults rough health was break
ing. Her energetic gesticulations grew Ian
guild. The animation OF her wrinkled coun-
tenance faded. 1t became difficult for her to
get through her task. She had racking
cough; but ailments she and all her tribe con-
yldered one OF the accessories OF winter; to
strive against them would show fine igno-
rance OF the laws OF nature; and so she went
segularly on with her work. Spring came, the
crocuses were beginning to bloom on the
grave, aud still she langulshed. One night,
when the hour arrived for their setting forth,
Pers Perrault strapped on his hottie. He had
acquired the punctuality OF man whose life
swings between ever-recurrlng occurrences
with the exactitude OF pendulum. Still
Mere Perrault remained crouching over the
fire. sch, old woman, one must hurry, It is
hour OF work, remarked Pere Perrault, briskly.
81 do not think, my man, can do any work
tonight" she said.
Pere Perrault remained a moment standing
stock still, rigid with amazement Then he
walked rapidly over to her. ut is your side
that is hurting you, eh!" he asked hastily,
bending upon her glance Of indistinct ap-
prehension.
81 think my call has come" she replied
gently.
: Pere Perrault looked at her dumbfounded;
then little spasm contracted his features
at is not true" he said, roughly; ''you are a
bit tired-you want TO rest IL am strong
can do the work of two."
She raised her withcred hand and put IL into
mis-. Non Ani, II is will occupy the pretty
grave first" she said with smile.
But for the first time the thought of the
tomb brought no answering CLEAN to her hus-
bands countenance. He held her hand, simply
gazing down into her sunken features. The
eyes OF the old couple met. Perhaps he recog-
nized in hers the message II requires no learn
ing to read. Pere Perrault's pale face grew a
tnge paler. He let her hand fall, and repeat
ing, 81 am strong, l can do the work OF
two" he made his way out, and set of alone
on his midnight tramp.
The next morning Mere Perrault could not
get up, and after a few days 1t became evident
that the end was not far off. The stout-hearted
old woman had not given in until she had
Falked the last step of the rough path 1t had
been given her to tread. Monsieur lie Cure,
who had kept up friendly relations with her
and Pere Perrault since the day OF the consul
tation concerning the legacy, and who had
made some progress In the estimation OF the
chiffoniers, one day warned the old man the
time had come for the parting. That night
Pere Pc rrault did not go on his rounds. Some
OF his comrades arranged 10 take an extra
the dying woman vainly tried to revive her
husbands spirits by leading his thoughts to
cluster round that beautiful grave. She had
flashes of her old merrment. She essayed
ittle jokes. 1t would not be like an empty
house now. He would be proud to point to
1t and say: at is my wife who lies there"
But these CONCENTRATIONS, once so animating
had apparently, at this supreme crisis, lost
their power to comfort Pere Perrault. 10
seemed rather as II the JOY and pride that had
kindled his life had quickened there new
powero of suffering.
Toward midnight Mere Perrault, who had
lain still long time, suddenly opened her,
harlynnn1 IN n etnnnal
her. "That will be genta. Every one will
know as we're husband and wife," she said,
with little laugh.
"Well, and II tell you, " he replied, roughly
breaking the silence In which he had taken
refuge-"I find that when two people has
YOU and me, and had their good and bad luck
together for years and years. tell you as
they should die together"
'Bah wen soon rest together" the old
woman said, cheerily and so quietly passed
away.
The rude and uncouth attempts of the Mouf-
fetardians to console their mate after the fash
ion OF Mere Perrault failed to lift the desolate-
ness from his face and manner. "Where two
had lived together two should die together"
he repeated truculently, addressing nobody In
particular but as IL the assertion OF distinct
sentiment was a relief to him in his confused
misery. The arrangements for the funeral had
been so fully settled beforehand that IL needed
no supervision for the details to be carried out.
There was mourning coach for Monsieur lie
Cure. Pere Perrault had always contemplated
walking, should it fall to his lot to be chief
mourner. As he found himself clad in black,
following bareheaded just behind the sable
car, with its silver ornaments, drawn by two
plumel horses, and preceded by officials carry
ing silver sticks, watt OF the old comfort and
Of the old pride stole into his heart. The Mouf-
fetardians filed behind. To those trudgers on
foot it was triumphal procession. An extra
sum had been paid to secure long march
round by the Boulevards. 1t was sunshiny
afternoon, all the world was out of doors, and
men and women turned to look at the strange
patched and tattered folk. With the gentle
respect paid to the dead In Catholic lands, men
barred their heads and women crossed them
selves. At all these tokens OF regard Pere
Perrault's heart swelled within him; his bent
frame dilated. "Ah, she is lucky-the old
woman-she is lucky" he kept saying to him
self.
An unlooked-for incident brought to eli
max the triumph of the ragged pedestrians.
The Emperor's carriage, with four horses
mounted by positions, met the cortege and
fell aside to let 1t pass. The Emperor removed
his hat, the little PRINCE did tho same, the
Empress crossed herself Then the glory OF
the situation almost overcame Pere Perrault.
He felt suffocated. Something seemed to
clutch him by the throat. lie could have
sobbed, but he would not for the world have
wept at this the grand redeeming moment OF
his life To relieve the strangling that chokcd
him he repeated for the hundredth time In an
unresonant and labored utterance, "Ah, she is
lucky-the old woman-she is lucky" When
the magnificent dream was over, and Mere
Perrault was laid In the earth, the grave re-
filed and the flowers replanted that jealous
hands had removed the day before, Pere Per-
rault and his friends supped at Pere Michers.
i was frugal feast, but the talk was glowing.
The company enumerated one by one the
glories OF that day. Every incident OF the
pageant was dwelt upon. Pere Perrault alone
was silent. Still, he was seeing wildly there
before him, printed on the dark, each detail OF
that eventful journey to the cemetery; the
beautiful car In front of him drawn by horses
covered with black drapery, the silver fringe
of which nearly swept the ground, the tributes
of respect paid, the surprise Of the crowd, the
imperial carriage drawn aside, the sovereign
doing homage; then the procession to the
cemetery, the priests and the enJants dc chour
In their white robes, when to the tingling of
the bells the voices swelled In prayer; and the
coffin with the two crowns OF i,,nortctles laid
upon 1t. Seeing all this so plain, Pere Perrault
could not join In the talk; but still, he would
mutter with little trembling Of the lips,
" She is lucky-the old woman-she is lucky"
A year elapsed, and Mere Perrault's head
stone stood alone amid the flowers tended by
her husband and his mates. The appearance
of that brilliantly blossoming grave, dedicated
to the memory of q chiffonier attracted the
attention OF visitors to Pere Ia Chaise and
Pere Perrault, who haunted the spot as a bird
haunts its nest, would hear the comments Of
the strangers. Returning, he would relate
them with animation to his friends Of the Rue
Mouffetard. "They were walking about like
that-not seeing any that interested them
when, aprisni at sight Of the old woman's
grave they stopped. 'Uns chifonierep they
said; impossible! 'une chi6onture p and then
they remained staring with their mouths wide
open. Pere Perrault would wind up his tale
by initiating the astounded attitude and ex-
preston of the visitors. The story was re-
peated, and its closing pose gone through,
until all the quarter knew 1t and had chuckled
over itin sympathetic pride. There could be
no question about IL. The Mouife ardians
felt they had gone up In the world.
Perhaps, as time went on, the thought of
the dead so continually present in his life be-
gan to affect Pere Perrault's mind. He had
dreamy fancies, when he would apparently for
get his wife was not active and about. lie
would mutter aud talk to himself. Once or
twice, as he strapped on his hotte, he had been