Helena weekly herald. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1867-1900, 1885-08-27
No. Al
/. And how are our friends =,

| quaintanceS who chance 10 meet upon the
| street. She asked him about the priest.
/ Monsieur Camas, etc. lie said that the win
ter had been severe, and that the nectarihes
had frozen in the kitchen garden.
"All ?"
Gan, and also the strawberries along the
ience"
And yet il passed, this hour OF which he
had so much dreamed, the thought Of which
had cooled his feverish impatience; this in
terview which in his imaginings was TO be
lovers stroll in a shaded lane, an hour of
happy "reminiscences, OF kisses, of two lovers
intoxicated with happiness, wandering be-
meath the high branches, as in n terrestrial
paradise.
The conversation became more and more
constrained, and finally ceased He heard
now only the twitiering Of the sparrows as
they quarreled over some crumbs Of bread,
the rattling Of the chaplet against the bars,
and the voice of his poor love sobbing in the
depths Of his heart like distant music.
Noon came.
1t was the dinner hour; the corridors were
hlled with the sound Of steps and voices.
They bid adieu
When Medenc found himself again IN the
street he had still the boquet in his hand.
I Not knowing what 10 do III il he threw il
away. He passed the rest Of the day at the
Bras Der, patiently waiting for the departure
7 of the carriage, and he ascended the coach
mans seat TO escape the conversation Of
| Camas, which annoyed him.
\ The day began to lengthen, the night
/ spread over the fields. lie watched the
| shadows OF the horses as the lanterns length
ened them upon the road, the monojonous
/ succession Of the trees.
CHAPTER VIII.
The next day he resumed his customary
duties. To all his mothers questions he
simply answered that Fisee was well and sent
them her love. Madame Ferrard saw that
he did not wish to talk Of his visit, and she
did not annoy him.
! Toward the close Of February there is
/ season OF leisure on the farms. Mederic was
suddenly seized with great desire for in
struction. lie opened his books and spent
long hours of study. The convent parlor had
/ impressed him as something solemn and inn
posing. lie associated il with the dear image
OF Fisee in her loose robe. lie remembered
a small spot of ink on the tips Of her taper
fingers, and he imagined her bending over the
white page. He thought of her as her pen
swept the page, only stopping at times to
brush back the falling locks. Sometimes she
raised her head and mused. Perhaps she
thought of him, and he resumed his study, his
brows contracted with the effort, like one who
works heavily in fresh soil.
One day he went TO Camas TO borrow some
books, as his own were too juvenile.
The school-maSter received HIM with an
air of easy importance. His desk was filled
with circulars which he had just received
from Havre.
/ lie took down some volumes, laid them
carefully upon shelf and recommended them
to his former pupil. They were the Morale
| Cfzigne and the catechism of Volney.
"And now how progresses your love-"
Mederic complained of long delays; has
mothers reference to the law. He wished
to know what it was upon this point.
"Nothing more easy" and the school
master moistened his finger and turned over
the leaves of his volume relating 10 the sub
ect, finding the page which he sought
"Article 24-The man not having reached
eighteen years, the woman not having reached
fifteen years, can not marry"
GLOW old are you ?"
Seventeen years"
"Still three hundred and sixty five DAYS Of
patience. | am miSiaken-sixty-six. 1t is
leap year"
The lover sighed.
"lt is very hard" and he thought Of the
long, weary days when he must live alone,
dream ne of the happiness which would seem
to elude him as he drew nearer to IT, vanishing
from his grasp, as in a mist
"Wait a moment; there is something else"
and proud of his erudition, which he was
pleased to display, Camas continued:
Nevertheless il is lawful for the king or
the president Of the republic to grant dispen-
sations for weighty reasons"
"Iiave you weighty reasons"
"But, certainly, we love each other"
Camas shouted with laughter This naivete
amused him immensely, and he said:
''Pay5lieH! Soften the court; she is n
woman"
Amer the frosts they trim the fax upon the
roofs; they hew the grass in the yards; the
beasts below mournfully in the stalls, and
the oaks groan like an organ under the blasts
of the bellows.
On Passion Wednesday they received a
letter from Havre. II was FROM the superb
ear, who wrote that scarlet fever had broken
out in the convent. The scholars were all TO
be sent to their homes. Mademoiselle Fisee
would leave with the rest.
This news caused great Joy. Fisee re-
turning with the spring. All Mederic's sad
ness vanished at the thought. Many times
day he assembled TO Fisee's room to watch the
preparations for her return.
The fresh odors Of spring entered the open
windows; the sunlight played upon the
walls, shining upon the Christ the oaken
panels shone like glass, and the song thrush
in its wooden cage whistled the arrival of
April.
On Palm SUNDAY, after vespers, Mederie
left for the road to Eponville to meet the car
rage there. He stopped to wait for il on the
bridge, at rfe foot Of the hill.
AT length the diligence appeared at the
summit Of the hill. II approached in cloud
OF dust. Now II was near that one could
plainly see the occupants. Ii was filled
Mederic beckoned to Blondel to stop the
coach, opened the door and looked inside.
All the heads leaned forward. Some one
cried joyously from the rear Of the coach:
"B0n y0,v, Monsieur Ferrard," and an in
FAINT commenced to cry.
WHY did he cling still to the window, his
eyes filled with tears, as though he could no,
believe that she was not there but still hoped
to find her (?
Al length he returned to the coachman.
"Have you any message for me ~
Blondel fumbled in his pocket.
81 have only one letter, and that is for
Monsieur rCure," and the diligence ratified
away.
Mederic returned to his mother, who was
waiting for him upon the road. She beckoned
to him with her parasol; then, as he joined
her: