The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1884-11-20
MARGUERITE'S MUSIC BOX.
Story OF a Skillful Wood Carver
and His Loving Sister.

High up on a apur of the mountain
chain which lies in the Southern part OF
the Pays de Vaud, stood little chalet,
or mountain hut, where lived Antoine
BeaWert with his wife and two chill
dren, Francois and Marguerite. The
Beauverts were very poor. but Antoine
was very industrious man, and man
aged by sEillful cultivation of his little
vineyard to raise, some years, fine
crop of grapes, while in winter he
would sit all day before the cottage
window which looked down into the
valley, and here, where the daylight
shone brightest and fingered longest.
he would work busily away, making
muSic-bOXes.
1T is such pity for Antoine that he
has a sickly wife" all his neighbors
said TO one anothe: "a wife who can do
nothing at all. but lies in bed all day to
be waited upon"
But Antoine did not think so. Every
night when he retired he thanked God
for the blessing Of home, wife and
children. He still called them children.
though Francois was a tall young man
of twenty, and Marguerite had just
passed her eighteenth birthday. My
good Jeanne Antoine was wont to
say to himself. lis the best of wives.
Few men have so much cause for con-
graduation. In all the twelve years
that she has been obliged to keep her
bed, no one has ever heard her COM
plain of her hard lot As for my chill
dren, there Is not their like in the whole
canton, | venture 10 say. Where, in
deed, is there another daughter like
Marguerite, so dUtiful and affectionate?
And FrancOiS-a little self-willed and
rebellious. it is true. but known already
as the best wOod-carver for miles
around. and with talent for music
that viii make him a famous man
some day"
1t was true that Francois was the
most ingenious of all the wood-carvers
who carried their work to the market
town for sale twice a year. and though
there We're many older and more eXpe-
rienced cayerS among them. he was
sure to receive the highest price. not
withStandin% the fact that he was COM
paratiycly unframed.
1T is all fayoritiSm." old Baptiste
Godin would say. shaking his scanty
white locks reprovingly at his grandson
the slow, good-natured jacques 1T
stands to reason, | say, that you, whose
father was the most expert carver in the
canton in his day. and whose father
and grandfather were carvers before
him, should do better work than this
young upStart, whose father spends half
his time as vine-dreSSer and the rest
in making music-boxeS. 1t is his hand
some face and smooth tongue that be-
guileS the money from the close-handed
buyer, while Jour better work goes I'M
sold"
Better or not" retorted Jacques, II
can never sell my carvings while his are
beside them. And where is the advan-
tage of being descended from a race of
carverS, if one must use the same old
patterns that have been in use for gem
CREATIONS. while Francois diSdainS to use
pattern that he has not himself in
vented? He goes to nature for his
models, and one seems to see the real
ferns and lichens and eidelweiSs he
carves upon his boxes. You should see
the caSSe-noiX he makes No grinning.
hldeous old men, like those the Godins
have been carving, father and son. for
three generations, but lizards. griffins.
o, there is no lack of invention, / prom
Use YOU
Mature. indeedr' replied old Bap-
tlSte, wrathfully. rs it more natural.
then, that lizard should crack nuts
with his teeth than man? And in
what part of the canton does he find
1--we ,grliiinS for models? You are as
mad as the rest, jacques
jacques was right, however. in at
tributing the number of Francois Gus
TONERS to his skill in designing. A GER
tain dainty charm of delicacy and origi- |
nality distinguished his work amonm
the hackneyed subjects of his compet;- |
tors. A tiny box for holding a betrothal |
ring would be covered with delicately |
carved blossoms of the eidelweiss. A |
1ayet box, which was to hold the dainty |
linen garments of some Young mother |
darling, he would ornament with a
background of lichens and ferns. with |
a group of cherub faces on the cover
IN high relief, framed in with a border
OF rosebuds and pansies.
But the best piece of carving that
Francois bad yet done was on the case
OF music-boX that he and his father
had made for Marguerite's birthday
present. lIE
''She had so few pleasures" her low
ing old father had said, ''let's make her,
Francois, something that win be the
envy OF the neighborhood.
l4es m" onnpo7e the tune It il to