Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1888-12-03

mote, for it is in the mountains of
| Virginia - He might as we'll have
said Kamtschatka, las far as Germaine
was concerneO -s'There We can have
comfort, but neither luxury nor
Paris"
''Ah, but l detest Paris, and adore
the country. | was never happier
than when l had to gather the fruit,
| feed the poultry, and make an omelet
| for dinner. No, | will not repine,
unless it be when l think | am your
jailor, and that but for my folly you
might live where you pleased"
[ left them quite reconciled to their
altered fortune; and | greatly APP
proved of the journey to the Virginia
plantation.
But Hugh astonished me by the
quiet way he took the loss for have
always considered him little near,
as the Scotch say, though he spent
his money as gentleman should.a
now he was parting with more than
half his fortune without even making
WY face.
We are of very small Importance
in this big world. Hugh and Ger
maine were scarcely missed in Paris,
when like the Arabs they folded their
tents and silently stole away. l new
er felt easy as to the part had play
ed in tie little drama; and | told
Hugh so when | babe him goodbye.
ssCome' and see us next summer, and
see for yourself whether you have
done us an injury he said cheerful
ly.
But it was many summers before [
returned home.
When | did, Hugh was the first
friend to claim a visit from me, Ger
maine adding a charming little post
script reminding me of my promise.
| do not intend to describe Hugh's
home, lovely as it was. | found the
house small but comfortable, and
Hugh an authority as farmer in the
county. Germaine too was as busy
as country housekeeper, five miles
from a store, and with servants who
secuted her methods, was bound to
be. Her thrifty French ways left her
no time to feel bored; and | noticed
the pink color and bright eyes when
ever there was new brood of chick
ems or swarm of bees to be looked af-
ter. Old Dinah held her housekeep-
ing in contempt, and thought her ON
elets and pot-an-fen poor substi
tute for fried chicken on bachelors
for Dinah had negroes contempt for
economy.
1t was a lovely morning, and Ger
maine brought the basket of peas she
had just gathered, and joined me as
| sat on the bench Hugh had placed
under the great shade tree, because l
fancied the view frcm that point. |
sat idly watching Germaine as she
adroitly opened the crisp hulls, and
with little movement of her thumb
sent the small, green peas merrily
rolling over each other in the bowl
on her lap. Hugh joined US, having
ridden five miles for the mail one
attention quite thrown away upon
me, since | had no letters. Germaine
was equally Indifferent, though she
had letter from Paris, which she
declared she had no time to read. In
fact, after she had persuaded Hugh
to read it aloud, she interrupted him
every few minutes in her endeavors
to brighten away the venturesome
| chickens, who were curious as to the
contents of the bowl, evidently eX-
pecting something more to their taste
than peas.
| don't think there was anything
to interest us in the letter; or per
haps the old life in Pasis was too re-
mote. But few lines written across
the face of it at last arrested our at
| tentiOn. Madame Jesse had the night
before died very suddenly of apo
plexy. In fact, she had dropped
dead at the ecarte table; her death,
the effect, it was believed, of run
of bad luck and large losses.
l confess the account brought WV
idly before me the three nights | had
spent at her salon. The lights, the
people, the supper on the convenient
buffet, Germaine with her brilliant
eyes and the two red spots on her
cheeks, and M. de Latour playing so
successfully, yet so calmly. | won
| dered if Germaine also remembered,
and, glancing at her, saw the two
spots of carmine burning up into her
cheeks.
'sAh." she said, sis it not horrible?
To die at card table. And |, mon
ami, from what have you not saved
me?'
Dinah would have had cause of
annoyance if | had not rescued the
bowl of peas from the expectant
chickens, for both Germaine's hands
were clasped on Hugh's broad shout
der.
''And you never regret Paris, my
child?" he asked, | thought, with
foolish anxiety.
''Regret? All, no [ was never SO
truly happy as now"
Gin spite of poverty?'
eve are not suffering she an
swered with a smile.
The pan was growing warm. and