The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1884-11-20

he had at prices that seemed fabulous t.
the unsophisticated boy.
Il want them for a friend of min,
Who has fancy for this sort of thing,
{ szie gentleman said, in rather imperfec
| freaEa. Il wish you had as many more
| would like TO have you carve a mantle
for my library if you only had some Amer
lean designs to work from
4 sudden impulse overmastered Fran
co.'s. Il am going to America Yer,
soon," he began, almost without know,
ing what he was saying. I'VE are very
! poor at home, monsieur, and hear tina
one can do well in your country. VIII
yCl, then. be kind enough to give ms
some orders, monsieur, if l go beyond
the sea-
IF you come as far west as Chicago
certainly" the gentleman replied
kindly, Il shall be pleased also tt
recommend you. Your work is really
very fine. Here is my card. l see my
friends are waiting for me-"
That night when Jacques Godin re-
turned from the market-town he carried
a soiled and crumpled note from Fran.
co.'s, which ran as follows:
DEAR MARGUERITE: Isend this by Jacques
who will give you part of the money
| / have to-day received. | have kept enough
| to take me to Chicago. l wish, also, to keeI
| your music-box for a few months which
| want TO show as specimen of my work.
will soon, very soon, return TO you all, u rict
man. Until then, goodbye, Francois.
Jacques will give you my address in Chicago
m
household when Marguerite, trembling
and sobbing. read it aloud. Old An
tome broke down completely, and wept,
the first tears Marguerite had ever seen
him shed, while her mother lay with
her face turned to the wall a2d refused
all consolation.
At last Jeanne conceived the idea OF
sending her daughter across the ocean
To seek out Francois and bring him
back. In vain the parish minister and
all the neighbors reasoned with her on
the impossibility of sending q young
girl alone to foreign country. Worst
of all, Jacques had lost the address that
Francois had copied from the gentle
mans card, and they did not know
where to write.
Go, l entreat you, my child" she
would repeat night and day; lin all
your life YOU have always done what
ever yOu undertook, though you are not
gifted like Francois is, it is true. 1t is,
perhaps, as well that all are not geniuses
in this world since some of us must look
after the welfare of others; and though
You have never planned any great
things, have been very useful, which is
very well, too, is it not, Antoine? Al
all events, you must 60"
III.
Tell the driver to stop the carriage
moment, John, please" and John
Blanding's young and pretty wife lifted
her little sick boy to look out ofthe car.
riage window Here is cottage where
we can get some milk for Robbie,
think"
Milk for Robbie" repeated the
child. and when Marguerite, who had
obeyed the lady's request and brought
4 mug of milk for the little fellow,
moved with tender compassion at the
sight of the wan baby-face, began to
murmur few careSsing words in her
pretty French accent, he threw both
arms around her neck, and chung there
with all his baby-strength, repeating:
"Nannette, my Nannetter"
He thinks it is Nannctte," said Mrs.
Banding to her husband. "a trench
nurse we had for him in Chicago" she
explained to Marguerite; we were
obliged to leave her in Paris, and he
g, I,
.'Chicago?" repeated Marguerite.
''Do you, madame, live in that city?
You may, then, have seen Francois, my
brother-but no, he can not have reached
there yet"
And then, encouraged by the lady's
questions and kindly interest, she told
in her simple fashion the story of Iran
co.'s departure.
"A sad case, truly" said kind-heartcd
Mrs. Blanding, land l wish we might
do something to help You. Come to
mamma, Robbie" and she held out her
arms to her child, who was still with
Marguerite.
But Robbie. who. during the two
short years of his life, had known no law
save that of his own royal inclination,
clung closer to Marguerite, repeating:
"Nannette, Robbie's Nannette," and
stoutly resisted all brides and persuasion
to return to his mother.
Better hire the girl, Louise" sug-
gested Mr.. Blanding. .'See here, my
girl" turning to Marguerite, ''our
baby. who has bean i'll at the inn down
yonder in the valley, seems to have
taken a fancy to you, and, if You like,
you can go back with us as nurse girl.
Mind, l do not say You can find your
brother; the chances are that you will
not; but we can send you back next
summer in the care of friends, and we
will pay You we'll
Marguerite heart sank with sudden
despair. Her mother, she knew, would
insist on her going, and the thought of
leaving home and friends to encounter
all the perils of which she had vague,
terror, almost overcame
her. But it was for Francois-for her
dear mother. That gave her strength.
1T shall be as my parents decide, "
she said. simply; and then added: You
are very kind, madam"
Ddt WHICH luSy CdlhC, lew udlS
after, to discuss the matter with old
Antonio and his wife, Jeanne's mother
heart rebelled at first from parting with
her girl.
How can l live without Marguer-
ite?' she would cry, sobbing aloud.
Never was there such nurse, prom
ise You, madame, and. indeed, she can
10 everything. for that matter Such
lace mending! such knitting! never was
there such 2 skillful pair of hands as
s.
You must be quite genius" said
Mrs. Blandinr. smiling upon Marpuer-