The Windham County reformer. (Battleboro, Vt.) 1876-1897, 1885-10-30

"Ah, Emile. your easy wayswiii never iiinnc
| your fortune"
"My fortune was made when married my
careful little wife," he said, kissing her hand
gallantly, "and ! sigh for no other
Only half Modified, she replied
swell, suppose 1t must continue, since you
wish il, but tits exceedingly distasteiul to me,
| and for the life of me l cannot see why those
girls cannot utilize their requirements, and SO
| live like civilized people. Why they all en-
broider exquisitely, and Lonise's talent for
musicsis remarkable even In SO musical q CITY
as New Orleans.
"Thcrc are two reasons" he answered.
"One is that any employment for well born
Creol, girl outside of home involves certain
loss OF caste. They can endare privation, but
not the descent involved in female labor. The
time Is coming when this will be- changed; the
gradual breaking down OF barriers, the fading
of traditions Is inevitable, but as yet the Creole
mind cngs tcnaciously to ante-bellum methods.
But there is another reason why In this special
case your ideas OF employment are not practi-
cable" He lowered his vote, and SAID, "Therc
exists what the English call the bar sinister
A look of disgust settled on her face.
He observed 1t, and said coolly,-
"You should not be scornful about that; you
claim nativity where the black blood Is said to
be as good as the white"
"But we do not acknowledge that ndecency
is as good as decency," she replied, with heat.
"Oh you mean about marriage believe
there was marriage OF some kind between old
Monsieur Boulet and this madame. Just how
1t was managed do not know, she being an oc-
toroon. But you see tina, although this black
streak is not generally known, 1t would very
quickly dispossess the girls OF any position they
might secure, SO the mother wisely spares them
any humiliation by keeping them at home"
He caught up the little three year-Old who
entered al this moment, saying
"Hey. Celeste, what have you to say Tor
Madame Boulet!'
The pretty baby with the dark French eyes Of
the father and rose-leaf skin of the mother,
clapped her hands in gee, shouting
"Madame Boulet say Celeste est tres jOhe."
The gentleman lowered her to the floor, say
ing with a laughing glance at his wife,
"rruly, Madame Boulet est tres an'io6le."
Emile Ray was type of the New Orleans
manhood of TO day. The offspring OF north
crn father and Creole mother, he combined the
cool sagacity of the one with the warm heart
and luxurious tastes of the other. He admired
northern energy, he admired the temperament
which can sacrifice ease and inherent taste to
the attainment of an o! ject; but he loved the
traditions of his mothers race, he loved the
sweet, flowing southern speech, he loved the
easy, tolerant ways, although owing partly
his Anglo Saxon strain, partly to his northern
education he could never fall into easy, toler-
ant ways himself
He showed his approval of northern insitu-
tions by promptly falling in love with the pref.
ty New England governess who had been
brought south to bridge the chasm between
his fathers and mothers ideas of education.
To northern training for her son the mother
had reluctantly and tearfully consented; but
when it was urged Tor her pretty, daIk.eyed
daughters-never. So, in order to allow the
home teaching which the mother demanded,
and at the same time to secure the bit OF east
ern leaven SO dear to the fathers soul, young
I,l,, l;ph 70 and oft Of
good pedigree but impoverished purse was per-
suaded to occupy the position OF instructor and
companion to the pretty Eodie and Natalie.
AS said the young man quickly set the seal
OF his appreciation upon his seniors choice by
falling violently in love with the fair Laura
Bryant. For long time his passion seemed
hopeless, and he was indeed love lorn Romeo.
Not only did his mothers heart rebel against
bis choice-she, poor woman, looked with ter
ror upon this continuous riveting of northern
chains-but the object of his love was as cOldly
fair ard unattainable as the Polar star. At
length his very ardor melted her heart, and
then the mothers opposition, the fathers am
jected by numerous relatives were all thrust
aside, and the warm southern heart claimed the
right to be happy in its love.
For several years they followed the custom
of remaining in the family home but. strange
to say, Laura found her position as an equal
less tolerable than it had been as dependent
Her brisk ways and plain speech, her busting
energy had been amusing, even admirable, in
person paid to consider her employers interest;
but in one of themselves 1t was annoying, it
Jared their quiet repOse, and provoked pretty
French shrugs and EXPLANATIONS of horror.
While to her their INDECENT, care-free ways,
their trifing mental exercises seemed even more
deplorabe in sisters than pupils, and her sister,
ly speech was probably more incisive than the
fault Finding had ever been. SO by
and by when the different plans OF managing
baby girl threatened TO create real trouhle, the
shrewd and leving Emile transported his wife
and child to pretty cottage near, yet not 100
near, the old mansion, and perfect harmony fol.
lowed. Here the fairy Celeste lay in her ham
mock under the fig trees and watched the shin
ing lizards glide along the wall; or when the
"norther's" breath had sweetened the orange
Juices, she and her devoted Babette would toss
the golden balls in glee. Here the busy wife
found full scope for her housewifely ways, and
the droning old cook would groan at Miss
Laura's precision, "Just like folks must eat on
de minute, and der want anudder day foeh de
judgment"
But was there ever an Eden without lis SER
pent? At first dissatisfaction arose because OF
the neighbOrs to the left. They came for sugar,
tea, coffee, milk, etc, with persistent regularity.
They were what Babette called "Pore white
trash" and Laura bore it with some patience
until she discovered that they invariably re-
turned an inferior article. The coffee and tea
could not be drunk, the milk was soured, the
sugar was what is known on .he plantations as
"string." She then adopted the plan OF setting
aside the returned articles to DC again loaned
on the next application. The depressed and
dirty little girl who preferred the requests ex-
postulated one day on receiving cuptul OF
brown sugar in response to her demand for the
white article.
.sMiss Ray, ma said white sugar.
Laura looked at the sugar, then at the child,
and said, gravely,-
"Your mother calls this white; she sent it to
me for white sugar"
That ended the annoyance from that side; 1t
was impossible to maintain their dignity ana
continue to borrow from such mean people,.
Shortly after this the Boulets on the right
showed desire to be friendly, and in a concil-
iatory way requested the loan of many house
hold articles. Laura never put aside for re-
lending ANYTHING returned by them tor the SIM
pie reason that they never returned anything,
ana on the morning in question she felt that pa
tience had certainly ceased TO be virtue; but
seeing that her husband deprecated his aispieas-
ure. and preferred the small loss Incident to
continued lending, she resolved to adapt herself
to her surroundings and be a patient lender,
though she could never be borrower.
The next day was one OF those perfect, cloud
lees days which often follow in the wake OF
"norther" toward the close of short southern
winter. The dazzling sun shone from cloud
less sky; the rain which ended in cold blow,
had washed streets, trees, houses, even the at
mospbere itself to a delightful freshness. Shrill-
voiced children were gathering the fragrant or
ange blossoms beaten down by the pitiless
storm, and the breath OF coming spring was In
the breeze. Altogether it was one of those dc
lightfu days which remind you OF long neglect
ed Gu. door duties; so Laura, after dispatching
Babette and Celeste to the lake, armed herself
with visiting cards and a resolution to make the