Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1885-01-30

rs easily as he, reLOTGeu HIS mOl1ef.t
..He was walking along with Daudot,, tho
wood-cutter's~ dog-whose mother was,
a truffle-hunter-and Daudot began to-
point and scratch, and Jean suspected,
something. got a spade, dug, and crack!'
a hundred francs! All! his mother is.
to be envied."
"The oak copse! Near the brook!".
exclaimed Louis, too much excited to,
note the reproach which concluded the
sentence. Why / was there but the
other day with Daudot, and l remem-i
Der now, he scratched and whined a.
great deal, and tore ut the ground. L
didn't think anything about it at the
time"
"Oh, thou little imbecile-thou stu
pid!' cried his mother, angs:ly.,,
There were the %trufiles, and the first
chance was for thee. Didn't think any
thing about it! Thou never dost think;
thou never wilt. Out of my sight, and
do not let me see thee again until bed
time"
Supperless and disconsolate poor
Louis skunk away. He called Daudot,
and went t. the oak copse, resolved
that if he saw any sign of excitement
on the part OF the dog, to fetch a spade
and instantly begin to dig. But Daudot
trotted along quietly, as if there were
not a trutfle left in France, and the walk
was fruitless.
elf l had only" became a favorite
sentence with Louis, as time went on.
elf l had only noticed this" elf l
had only stepped then" But such
phrases are apt to come into the mind
after something has been missed by not
noticing or not stopping, sc they do
little good to anybody.
Did it eve occur to you that what
people call "lucky chances" though
they seem to come suddenly, are in
reality prepared for by q long uncon-
scious process of making ready on the
part of those who profit by them?
Such Il chance came at last to both
Jean and Louis-to Louis no less than
to Jean; but one was prepared for it,
and the other was not.
Prof. Sylvcstre, Il famous naturalist
from Toulouse, came to the forest viii
lage where the two boys lived. one
summer. He wanted a boy to guide
him aboat.the country, carry his plant,
cases and herbals, and help in his
search after rare flowers and birds. and
he asked Madame Collot, the landlady
OF the inn, to recommend one. She
named Jean and Louis; they were
both good boys, she said.
So the professor sent for them to
come and talk with him.
"Do you know the forest well, and
the paths?" he asked.
Yes. both of them knew the forest
very well.
care there any woodpeckers of such
"Have you the large lunar moth here:
Can you tell me where to look for Cam
panila rhomboidalis9:" and he rapidly
described the variety.
Louis shook his head. He knew
nothing of any of these things. But
Jean at once walked up with interest.
He knew a great deal about woodpeck-
ers-not in Il scientific way, but with
the knowledge OF one who has watched
and studied bird habits. He had quite
a collection of lunar and other moths of
his own, and though he did not recogg-
nize the rare Campanila by its botanical
title. he did as soon as the professor de-
scribed the peculiaritics of the leaf and
blossom. SO NJ. Sylvestre engaged him
to be his guide so long as he stayed in
the region, and agreed to pay him ten
francs Il week. And Mother Cardilliac
wrung her hands, and exclaimed more
piteously than ever over her boys ''ill
luck'' and his cousins superior good
fortune.
One can never tell how a schance"
may develr.,. Prof. Sylvestre was we'll off
and kind OF heart. He had no children
OF his own; and he was devoted, above
all other things, to the interest of sci
encc. He saw the making of a tirst-rate
naturalist in Jean Cardilliac, with his
quick eyes, his close observation, his
real interest in finding out and making
sure. he grew to all interest in and
liking for the boy, which ripened as the
time drew near for him to return to his
university, into an offer to take Jean
with him and provide for his education,
on condition that Jean, in return.
should render him Il certain amount Of
assistance during his out-of-school
hours. 1t was, in effect, a kind of
adoption, which might lead to almost
anything; and Jeans mother was justi-
fled in declaring, as she did, that his
fortune was made.
'And for thee, thou canst stay at
home and dig potatoes for the rest
OF thy sorry life,' lamentcd the moth
er OF Louis. ''NNell, let people say
what they will, this is an unjust world;
and, what is worse, the saints look on
and do not prevent it. Heaven forgive
me if it is blasphemous 10 speak so, but
l can not help it,"
But it was neither ''luck" nor ''in-
JUSTICE 1t was merely the difference
between ''eyes and no eyes''-a differ
ence which will always exist and al
always tell.-Susan Coolidge, IN S. S.
Times.
Not only are there letter carriers in