The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1883-10-26
SELECT STORY.
THE wHEELR1GHT OF soNNEvILLE
A TALE OF NORMANDY.

TALE OF NORMANDY.
1t was not congenial weather for a
walk when l started from Fecamp for
the village of Senneville upon a GER
tain autumn afternoon. The sky was
cloudy, the wind cold, and drizzling
rain beat in my face. The road to
Senneville, ascending almost impercep-
tibly all the way, takes zig-zag di.
rection among the hills, varying the
scenery at every step. AT one mo-
ment you are looking at steep wood
ed slope, which you imagine will have
to be climbed, but around which you
gradually pass at another moment a
deep valley meets the eye, with many
valleys and hills beyond. Then sud
denly, without turning the head, you
find yourself staring at the distant port
of Fecamp far below; and then away
out among the hills and the valleys
once more.
The hills on this autumn afternoon
were thinly veiled with a white mist,
drifting inland before a strong sea
breeze. 1t was mysterious sort of
mist, which moved at fixed level,
never descending into the valleys, but
sweeping always over them, and touch
ing only the higher points of the land
like passing shroud. The reddening
leaves upon the trees shivered and
dripped and shivered again with a
sound which seemed 80 melancholy
that was fain to quicken my step and
look about for house or some human
being along the road, in order to re-
move the feeling of sadness which
crept over me. But there are no
houses to be seen along this route,
only chalet here and there half hid
den in a grove of fir trees; and not a
single person did meet coming or
| going.
It was therefore with sense Of
considerable relief that l presently
came upon the broad highway, stretch
ing straight as dart across flat ex.
tent of country, where isolated farms,
surrounded snugly with trees, were tc
be seen looking like groves planted in
well-defined squares. Some PAGES
back from the road, close at hand, was
the old village inn for which was
bound. Beside this auberge at Sen
neville there are two or three cottages
and there is, between them and the
inn, wheelrights house and shed
This group of buildings stand alone or
the main road. The village, which is
composed of scattered dwellings oppo
site to the inn across the fields, ex
tends in thu direction of the sea, but il
partly concealed behind trees, where
the church steeple rises up, the only
prominent object on this misty after
noon.
AS approached the inn and wa'
passing the wheelwright's l heart
angry voices, as though in dispute
and as l come nearer saw two fig
ures standing within the shed-s
young man whom l recognized as tn,
wheelwright, and a girl, the daughter
of the aubergiste next door. The man
had forbidding face, and at this mo
ment, when his small black eyes wer'
flashing with anger and his thick jaw
firmly set, it was the face of an imp o.
darkness. He was short, almos
dwarfsh, and in his hand, with hil
powerful hand uplifted, he held larg,
hammer. jealous" said he, striking
a heavy blow on the iron hoop a
which he was working, "Have no
good reason to be jealous? He is al
ways coming here"
"That is not true, Faubert," sai'
the girl, quickly; ''he seldom come
near Senneville." She cast at the MAJ
an indignant glance, and her larg
eyes filled with tears.
"Ah," said Faubert, with anothe
heavy blow, 81 don't know that. Yo
meet him-that's evident. saw yo
at Fecamp, in the market place t.
gether last Saturday. Is not that tru'
| Marie 2"
Marie folded her arms, and, raisin
her handsome face, replied: "Wha
then7 There is no harm in that"
The wheelwright answered in pa
sionate tone, though too low for th
words to reach me. At the same tin
he struck heavy blows upon the iro
hoop one after another, in mann,
which bore significance in every strok
Then, looking up, he caught sight
me, and his angry expression softent
as he slightly raised his cap.
The girl turned and welcomed n
with smile struggling through h
tears. "Good evening, Monsie
Parker" said she. "Come into d
house, sir. You look cold" She |,
the way as she spoke towards the a
berge, l followed, the sound of t
wheelwright's hammer still ringing
my ears as / stepped into the inn.
On the lett hand side of the entran
there was cafe, with wooden tab
chairs ranged round the walls, where
saw through the glass door some woi
men, talking loudly, drinking, a
playing dominos. The room on
opposite side, which l now entert
was half cafe, half kitchen. A 10
table stood under the windows a
= at the end of this table, nearest to (
fire, was seated, with cup of cof
and glass of cognac at his elbow,
youth in fur overcoat, with his Ii
stretched out towards the fire, smoki
cigar,
"Still raining, Marie?" said
y touching his small pointed moustac
"Yes, NJ. Leonard" said MAJ
"still raining"
He blew a cloud of smoke gracei