The Palatka daily news. (Palatka, Fla.) 1884-1888, 1886-10-09

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position of a friendf'
"Hey!' cried the forester, IF there was but
one bed in the house, should il not be for the
best the most honored of our ancient magis
trates of Stantzl All, Monsieur Sell er, what
an honor you do to the humble dwelling OF
Yeri Foerster!'
And mounting the six steps before the door
he cried out: Christina, Christina, run 70
the cellar, Judge Zacharias Seller has come
to repose under our roof"
AT this very little old woman, with n
figure stiff as ranrod, but still fresh and
smiling, appeared upon the threshold and
disappeared Immediately, murmuring:
"Oh, God! Is it possible! Monsieur the
judge"
"Ah, my good people" said Zacharias, in
truth you receive me too kindly
Monsieur" replied the forester, If you
forget the good you have done others do
not"
Well, if the truth must be told, Judge
Zacharias passed the evening with Yeri
Forester and his family. forgetful of the in
quietudes of Therese, his promise to be at
home by : o'clock and his old habits of order
and submission.
Imagine to yourself that humble sitting
room, with its ceilings streaked with brown
girdcrs, the round table in the midst with its
dish of trout and plates of fruit and honey,
yellow as gold, and worthy Papa Zachari;is
presenting each in turn TO Charlotte, who
dropped her eyes, astonShed at the compli-
ments and tender words of the old man.
IAN, Monsieur Judge, you are too good"
said Christina. You do not know how much
vexation this little one gives us. You Will
spoil her with many fine words"
Dame Christina" replied Zacharias, you
possess treasure. Mile. Charlotte merits all
l have said of her"
Then Yeri, raising his glass, cried: TO the
health of our good and venerable Judge
Zacharias," and all drank to the toast.
"Ah!" thought the judge, what happiness
it would he to live here with Charlotte for a
companion, at four steps from the river,
where one could throw in line from time
to time and follow the chase with Father-in-
law Yeri Forester, raising the echoes round
about. All what an eXistence!'
When the clock struck IL he rose. How
young and fresh he felt, With what artlor
he would have placed a kiss ON Charlotte's
little hand, only he must not yet. He must
wait.
1T is time for sleep, Master Yeri,7 said he
Good night and many thanks for your hos
pitality."
And to see him mount the high steps of the
stairs one would have said he was but 20
years old. But those twenty years lasted
only quarter of an hour, and, once i'll bed,
with the covers drawn up to his chin, and a
handkerchief knotted around his head, he
said to himself:
sleep, Zacharias; you are very tired. You
have great need of sleep"
At . o'clock the next morning he awOke
considerably chagrined at having slept so
late after having boosted the evening before
of his early rising, and coming down the
steep stair he found only Dame Christina
awaiting him, the forester having gone about
his business in tie wood and Charlotte to
haymaking. So, after n hasty breakfast, and
thanking Christina again for her kindness he
took the way back TO the city, good deal
disturbed as to how Therese would receive
him, but still cherishing the thousand il
lusio1s which had Matched in his soul like
late brood of linnets.
1 will not try to paint the reception which
the worthy housekeeper gave him; her re
proaches, her rage even. She had not shut
her eyes the whole night; she had imagined
him drowned in the river; she had sent ten
people to look for him, etc.
Monsieur Seller heard these complaints
with the same calmness with which he had
formerly listened to the metaphors of an adj
vocate pleading lost cause-he heard, but
said nothing.
BY the beginning of autumn he had fallen
into such a habit of being at the forester's
house that one would have found him
oftener there than at home, and Yeri found
himself much embarrassed to refuse the
presents which the worthy magistrate begged
him to accept in return for his daily hoSpi-
tally. He would shake his head sometimes
and say to his wife:
Il never knew better judge, a more
learned and respectable man than Monsieur
Seller, but L believe he is out of his mind
Only the other day he wanted To help me
build the hut for the titmouse, and then he
must also help Charlotte turn the hay, while
all the peasants laugh at him. This is not
proper, Christina; but do not dare to speak
to him, he is much above us"
"Let him alone" answered Christina
with little milk and honey this good
Zacharias is content. He likes to be with
us, it is so simple here, and then he likes to
talk to our little daughter. Who knows but
that he may adopt her, and when he dies she
would be remembered in his will"
The forester shrugged his shoulders. His
natural sense made him divine some mystery
but he did not 60 to the length of suSpectm
the folly of the old judge. One fine mornir
he saw descending the mountain a wage
laden with three barrels of Rikevir win
This was of an the presents he had received tn
most acceptable to Yeri Forester, for of all |
things he liked glass of good wine. And |
when he had tasted the wine he could not |
help crying out:
This good Zacharias is the best man in the |
world. Go, Charlotte, and make for him a |
bouquet of the finest roses and jasmines in the !
garden, and when he comes give it to him /
yourself. God, what wine! What fire.'
Zacharias followed close upon the heels of |
his present, and felt himself more than re-
paid by the flowers which Charlotte fastened /
to give him, while the forester said cor
daily:
You must take supper with US and taste /
your wine, Monsieur Seller. My wife is right /
to call you our benefactor."
Zacharias, seated at the table in the open
air, his fishing pole against the wall, Charlotte
opposite him and the forester on the right
began to talk of his prospects for the future
He had a pretty fortune, well managed, and
he wanted to buy 200 acres of woodland on
the edge of the valley and build forester's