The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1886-12-18
vacant ut your table, and bed at the dis

one bed IN the mouse, SnOuIi IL NOT pc i'i 'Ii'
best, tho most honored of our ancient magls-
trates of Stant2i All, Monsieur Seller, what
an honor you do to the humble dwelling OF
Yeri FoerstcrV
And mounting the six steps before tho door
he cried OUT christina, Christina, run 10
the cellar, Judge Zacharias Seller has come
10 repose under our roof"
At this very little old woman, with n
figure rs stiff as a ramrod, but still fresh ana
smiling, appeared upon the threshold and
disappeared Immediately, murmuring
"Oh, God! Is it possible! Monsieur the
judge"
All, my good people" said zacharias, ain
truth you receive me too kindly
Monsieur" replied the forester, III you
forget the good you have done others do
not
Well if the truth must be told, Judge
Zacharias passed the evening with Aeri
Forester and his family, forgcttul Of the in
quietudcs of There's, hi, promise TO be at
home By o'clock and his old habits Of order
and submission.
Imagine 10 yourself that humble sitting
room, with its ceilings streakcd with brown
Orders, the round table in the midst with It's
dish of trout and plates of fruit and honey,
yellow rs gold and worthy Papa HacharHS
presenting each in turn 10 Charlotte, who
dropped her eyes, nstoui-hod at the con1pi-
meuts and tender words of the oil man.
AN, Monsieur Judge, You are too good
said Christina "Nou do not know how much
vcxation this little ono gives Us, You viii
spoil her with SO many fine words
/ Dame Christina" replied Xacharias, you
possess II treasure Mile. Charlotte merits all
! have said of her.
Then Yori, raising his glass, cried: "To the
health of our good and venerable Judge
Xacharias," and all dranl, 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 n line from time
to time and follow the chase with FathcI'in-
law Ieri Forster, raising the echoes round
about. All what an existence"
When the clock struck II he rose How
young and fresh he felt! With what ardor
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 Icri," said he.
Good night and many thanks for your hos
pitaHty."
And to see him mount the high steps Of the
stairs one would have said he was but q
years old. But those twenty years LASTED
only quarter of an hour, and, once in 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 8 o'clock the next morning he awohe,
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 the wood and Charlotte to
haymaking So after a 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
lusions which had Matched in his soul like
late brood of linnets.
/ 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
''N
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 habit of being at the foresters
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-
tality. He would shake his head sometimes
and say to his wife:
II never knew a better judge, more
learned and respectable man than Monsieur
Seller, but | 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 so 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 go to the length of suspecting
the folly of the old judge One fine morning
he saw descending the mountain a wagon
laden with three barrels Of RIkcvir wine.
This was of az the presents he had received the
most acceptable to Ncri 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 "acharias is the best man in the
world. Go, Charlotte, and make for him
bouquet of the finest roses and iasmines in the
garden, and when he comes give it to him
yourself God, what winc 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 cali 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 pretty fortune, well managed, and
he wanted to buy 200 acres of woodland on
the edge of the valley and build ioreSters
house on the hillside. 1--WE shall always be
together" said he to Ycri, "you with me as