Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1886-11-17
IN VINTAGE TINE.

Since sic was wee, toddilng babe,
Lucet.e had been worker In the vine
Yards. 50 had her mother and her
grandmother before her. Once their
family had been Oble, even great; but
one Of those mighty convulSionS which
have so often shaken France robbed
their greatest ancestor of everything
save his wife and children. After that
they were peasants, but a remnant of
the proud old blood still ran in their
veins, now and then burning in one or
another of them as it did in the days of
the family's ancient glory. So IL was
with Lucette. From the days of her
childhood, when, beside her mother, the
purple fruit had been slowly and
YEARLY stripped from the vines by her
little fat brown hands, she was never
ike the children of the other peasants,
and never Ike hsr own brothers and
sisters.
At no time would she gambol, sport
and frolic with those who sought her
for play or cOmpanionship, and there
was ever a fash IN her eyes and a cUrl
in her lips which forbade familiarity.
so, like hermit or founding forest
bird, she grew up by herself-alone.
Except in the cold months, she al
ways lived out of doors; SO her health
was perfect. Despite the rough life
she lived and ali her toiling in tie vine
yards, she was daintlly and eXquisltely
shaped, and her hands were as tiny and
symmetrical as those of any princess.
True, they were brown with the sun
shine, and So were her arms away
above her elbows for that matter, but
no artist or sculptor would ever have
passed them by unnoticed without pay
ing that fervent tribute which is al
ways the award of genius to elegance
and beauty.
Still no one up to her Goth year had
ever dared to tell her that she had
unusual beauty and grace. There was
that degree of regality about her every
movement, and that cold, quiet firm
ness in her voice which prevented pretty
speeches even from he. own family.
"You must unbend," said her
mother, one day, ''else you will never
get husband
what do [ want with a husband?
No man shall ever call me wifer' she
cried, her eyes glowing like the eyes of
serpent.
''How else shall you liver" rejoined
her mother, q coarse woman, in whom
there was only plebeian blood, and who
had only plebeian instincts. "HoN
shall YOU live without husband
Your father and / cannot keep you
always"
keep mel'' exclaimed Lacette.
keep me! When my work In the
vineyard is not enough to pay you and
my father for the little L have from
you, tell me so, and Will go away
but not with husband"
After that she was left alone, but her
mother thought 1t extremely unreason-
able and ungIrl-like in Lucette not To
want husband. Many a handsome,
strapping young peasant was madIy Id
love with Ter, and she might nave
looked even higher If she wished, fnI
the sons OF some of the gentlefolk were
far from blind to her stately charms
But that same statelineSs and her cold
face, firm mouth and dauntless eye:
kept a wide, impossible distance De
tween Lucette and her admirers.
Her parents and sisters made constan'
clatter about her stubbornness, bul
save that once, when the girls angry
eyes seemed to burn into her mother Z
soul, they were careful that none o.
their grumbling reached the ears o.
Lucette,
Sometimes, when she was apart o.
herself in some shady corner OF th'
vineyard, where the fragrant grapes
and their broad green leaves hid ne
from the curious eyes which otherWls'
were ever bent upon her, warm, sol
yearning tenderness would rout all ne
pride and hauteur and leave her fac'
radiantly beautiful. Rarely, very rare
ly, some one saw her thus; and, II !
chanced to be a man, ceaseless tumui
came into his heart.
Strangers, passing through the coun
try and pausing among the vineyards
struck with her queenliness, woui'
turn away with a sigh when, IN answe
to their questions, they were told ina
she was only common peasant
daughter.
One of them, however, CasaDan,
Spanish sculptor, sighed so deeply ina
his heart chords never again ceaSe'
vibrating. But he was great artlS
and came OF a grand old family who's
pulses throbOed with The crimson tlu
of ROYALTY, his grandfather having Oeel
king. So Casaban's pride checked III
passionate words he would otherwlS
have said to Lucette. He hurried ava
from her, but be carried her image VIII
him, In his heart and in his eyes
through all his wanderings. ltaiy an
even Spain. his own beautiful country
failed TO solace him. The splendors Q
hi home seemed to mock him, and th
light words of his old friends and com
panlons. whose tests and ribaldry ono
amused hlm, now wounded MN .iae
many knives. In vain he locked hinl
se,f In his studio with his chiseis an
marble; he could only think Oh In
bronze woman whom he had me
among the merry grape-strippers o
France.
She had only deigned to give HIM on
look. and that was such look as ho
might give to a mouse. Hopihe
make her talk, he asked her some que'
ton about the vintage, which she al
swered briefly and coldly, and tne
turned away and walked on Win hti
steps and her round shoulders era"
up proudly-just as some hign-pol
queen might nave gone from her lowe
menial. The Woman OF Bronze ne I'd
Ua.l-d her-she was 50 like the sIatu
Of some unknown goddess whom u
fates had endowed with life YET, WIG
he went away, he left bis heart III h'
kr-ping.
Al. months came and went, mo-
e,or-,- a.. ..-,- H,afnro IL aoemoQ