Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1888-07-06


the archcd aperture, a mans bearded face
and an arm supporting a lantern were intro
duced into the world of windy darkness,
where Anastase concealed her woes The
light struck here and there among the
tossing apple boughs, it glnted on the grass;
but the lantern and the glowing face became
the center of the world. Anastasie crouched
back from the intrusion.
"This wayl" shouted the man. care you
all safef'
Aline, still screaming, ran to the new
conner, and was presently hauled head fore
most through the wall.
"Now, Anastasie, come on; it's your turn"
said the husband
~ cannot,' she replied.
care we all to die of exposure, madamef
! Numbered DR.. Desprez
"You can go' she cried ooh, so, &C
away | can stay here; am quite warm.n
The doctor took her by the shoulders with
an oath
"Stopn she screamed II will put them
on
She took the detested lendings in her hand
once more; but her repulsion was stronger
| than shame. "Nsverl" she cried shudder.
/ ing, and flung them far away into the night.
Next moment the doctor had vhirled hay
10 the we'll The man was there and the lari-
tern Anastasie closed her eyes and appeared
| to herself to be about to die How she was
! Transported through the arch she knew not;
I but once on the other side she was received
| by the neighbours wife, and enveloped in a
friendly blanket
Beds were made ready for the two women,
| clothes of very various sizes for the doctor
and Jean Marie; and for the remainder of
the night, while madame dozed in and out on
| the burderland of Mysteries, her husband sat
| beside the fire and held forth to the admiring
neighbors He showed them, at length the
causes of the accident; for years, he
planned the fall had been impending; one
sign had followed another the joints had
opened. the plaster had cracked the old
walls bowed inward; last not three weeks
! ago, the cellar door had begun to work with
! difficulty in its grooves. 1.-The Cellarln he
said, gravely shaking his head over Il glass OF
mulled wine. THAT reminds me of my poor
vintages. BY a manifest Providence the
Hermitage nearly at an end. One bot
tle-I lose but one bottle of that incompara-
bic wine. 1t had been set apart against jean
! Marie's wedding. Well, | must lay down
some more; it will be an interest in life. |
am, however. a man somewhat advR,red in
| years. My great work is now buried in the
| fall of my humble roof; it will never be COM
! pieted-iny name will have been writ in
water. And yet you find me CALM would
say cheerful. Can your priest do morei'
BY the first glimpse of the day the party
sailed forth from the fireside into the street,
The wind had fallen, but still charluted
world of troubled clouds: the air bit like
frost; and the party, as they stood about the
ruins in the rainy twilight of the morning,
beat upon their breasts and blew into their
hands for warmth. The house had entirely
fallen, the walls outward, the roof in; it was
a mere heap of rubbish, with here and there
u forlorn spear of bsoken rafter A sentinel
was placed over the ruins to protect the
property, and the party adjourned to Ten
taillon's to break their fast at the doctors
expense. The bottle circulated somewhat
freely; and before they left the table it had
begun to snow.
For three days the snow &C ntinued 70 fall,
and the ruins, cover % with tarpauln and
watched by sentries We're left undisturbcd.
The Desprez meanwhile had taken up their
abode at Tentaillon's. Madame spent her
time in the kitchen, connecting little deiica-
cies, with the admiring aid of Nine. Tentail-
lon, or sitting by the fire in thoughtful all
straction. The fall of the house affected her
wonderfully little; that blow had been par
ried by another; and in her mind she vas
continually fighting over again the battle Of
the trousers Had she done right Had she
done wrong! And now she would applaud
her determination: and anon, with horrid
flush of unavailing penitence, she would re-
greet the trousers. No luncture in her life
had so much exercised her judgment. In
the meantime the doctor had become vastly
pleased with the situation. Two of the SUM-
mer boarders still fingered behind the rest,
"a A.
both English, but one Of them spoke French
pretty luently, and was, besides, humor-
Gus, agile minded fellow, with whom the doc
tor could reason by the hour, secure of com
prehension. Many were the glasses thay
emptied, many the topics they discussed.
.Annstasie," the doctor said on the third
morning, take an example from your hus-
band, from Jean Marie. The excitement has
! done more for the boy than ell my tonics, he
takes his turn as sentry with positive gusto.
As for me, you behold me l have made
friends with the Egyptians; and my Pharaoh
is, swear it, q most agreeable companion
You alone are hipped. About a houses
few dressesi What are they in comparison
! to the 'Pharmacop9ia'-the labor Of years
B lying buried below stones and sticks in thi:
depressing hamleti The snow falls; shake
It from my cloaki Initiate me. Our income
I will be impaired, grant it, since we must re
3 build; but moderation, patience and philoso
! ply " I'll gather about the hearth. lu thu
> meanwhile, the Tentaillons are obliging; tn
5 table, with your additions, will pass onl.
0 the wine is execrable-well, | shall send TO
: some to-day My Pharaoh will be gratitie'
}, to drink decent glass; ahal and | shall 50
r if he possesses the acme of Organization
palate. If he has palate he is perfect"
!, Henri" she said, shaking her head, "yo
$ are man; you cannot understand my feel
!, ings; no woman could shake off the memor
g OF so public a humiliation"
y The doctor could not restrain a litter
Q "Pardon me, darling" he said; ''but really
to the philosophical intelligence, the incider
10 appears so small a tritie. You looked e,
tremely well"-
"Henri" she cried.
le "Well, well, will say no more" he r.
pliod, Though, to be sure, if you had cor
=, sented to indue-A propos," he broke of
B. "and my trousersl They are lying in IL
snow-my favorite trousersp And he dashe
n in quest of Jean-Marie.
1,nxr att,r, ,al