The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1888-09-14
veteen trousersl This will exactly meet your

upon the doctor. "Give 1t to Aline," she said
-"poor girl"
"Nonsense!" said the doctor. saline does
not know what she Is about. Aline is beside
herself with terror; and, at any rate, she Is
peasant. Now am really concerned at this
exposure for person Of your housekeeping
habits; my solicitude and your fantastic
modesty both point to the same remedy-the
pantaloons. He held them ready.
ut is impossible. You do not understand"
she said with dignity.
BY this time rescue was at hand. 1t had
been found impracticable to enter by the
street, for the gate was blocked with masonry,
and the nodding ruin still threatened further
avalanches. But between the DOCTORS gar
den and the one on the right hand there was
that very picturesque contrivance-a CON-
mon we'll; the door on the Desprez' side had
CHANGED to be unbolted; and now, through
the arched aperture, a mans bearded face
and an arm supporting lantern were intro
duced into the world of windy darkness,
where Anastasie concealed her woes The
light struck here and there among the
tossing apple boughs, it glinted on the grass;
but the lantern and the glowing face became
the center of the world. Anastasie crouched
back from the intrusion.
"This way!" shouted the man. "Are you
all safes"
Aline, still screaming, ran to the new
conner, and was presently hauled head fore
most through the wall.
Snow, Anastasie, come on; it's your turn,
said the husband.
II cannot" she replied.
care we all to die of exposure, madameH
Numbered DR.. Desprez.
"You can go!" she cried. sob, go, g.;
away! l can stay here; am quite warm"
The doctor took her by the shoulders witt
an oath.
'Stop!" she screamed. 81 will put then
on
She took the detested lendings in her hand
once more; but her repulsion was stronger
than shame. "Never" she cried, shudder
ing, and flung them far away into the night
Next moment the doctor had whirled hel
to the we'll The man was there and the Ian
tern; Anastasie closed her eyes and appeared
to herself to be about to die. How she wa
transported through the arch she knew not
but once on the other side she was received
by the neighbours wife, and enveloped in {
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 O
the night. while madame dozed in and out OF
the borderland of Mysteries, her husband sa
beside the fire and held forth to the admirine
neighbors He showed them, at length, tb'
causes of the accident; for years, he ex
planned, the fall had been impending; ont
sign had followed another, the joints hat
opened, the plaster had cracked, the ole
walls bowed inward last, not three week
ago, the cellar door had begun to work will
difficulty in it's grooves. 1.-THE cellar!' III
said, gravely shaking his head over glass o
mulled wine. THAT reminds me of my pool
vintages. By manifest Providence thu
Hermitage was nearly at an end. One bot
tle-I lose but one bottle Of that incompara
BILE wine. 1t had been set apart against Jean
Maries wedding. Well, l must lay down
some more; it will be an interest in life.
am, however, a man somewhat advanced IL
years. My great work is now buried in the
fall of my humble roof; it will never be com
| pleted-my name will have been writ il
water And yet you find me calm-I would
say cheerful Can your priest do more?'
| BY the first glimpse of the day the party
The wind had fallen, but still charioted {
world of troubled clouds; the air bit like
frost; and the party, as they stood about thu
ruins in the rainy twilight of the morning
beat upon their breasts and blew into theil
hands for warmth. The house had entirely
fallen, the walls outward, the roof in it wa;
mere heap of rubbish. With here and there
a forlorn spear OF broken rafter. sentine
was placed over the runs to protect tho
property, and the party adjourned to Ten
tailon's to break their fast at the doctors
expense The bottle circulated somewhat
| freely; and before they left the table it haG
begun to snow.
For three days the snow Ct ntinued to fall
and the ruins, covered with tarpaulin and
watched by sentries, were left undisturbed.
| The Desprez meanwhile had taken UP their
abode at Tentaillon's. Madame spent her
time in the kitchen, connecting little delica-
cies, with the admiring aid of Nine. Tentail-
lon, or sitting by the fire i'll thoughtful alb
straction The fall of the house affected her
wonderfully little; that blow had been par
| red by another: and in her mind she was
continually fighting over again the battle OF
the trousers. Had she done right! Had she
done wronga And now she would applaud
her determination; and anon, with horrid
flush of unavailing penitence, she would re-
| greet the trousers No juncture 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,
prisoners for lack of a remittance; they were
| both English, but one of them spoke French
pretty fiuently, and was, besides, a humor-
Gus, agile minded fellow, with whom the doc
tor could reason by the hour, secure of com
prehension. Many were the glasses they
emptied, many the topics they discussed
"Anastasie," 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 all 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, a most agreeable companion
You alone are >hipped About a houses
few dresses9 What are they in comparison
to the 'Pharmacoppia'-the labor of years
| lying buried below stones and sticks in this
depressing hametl The snow falls; shake
| it from my cloak Initiate me. Our income
will be impaired, grant it, since we must re-
build; but moderation, patience and philoso
ply III gather about the hearth. In the
meanwhile, the Tentaillons are obliging; the
table, with your additions, will pass only
the wine is execrable-well, shall send fol
some to-day. My Pharaoh will be gratiieG
to drink decent glass; aha and l shall SCI