Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-03-02
LOVE TRIUMPHANT.


Spring comes with laggard and uncertain
steps to the southern shore Of the ST. Law
renee gulf. Not until the advent Of mid-April
does the hand of winter, which has held nature
so sterniy In its rigid grasp for wellnigh half
year, show signs of relaxing, and then it acts
much after the fashion of the cat with cap
tured mouse, One day the south wind will blow
softly, the sky will be azure and afar off, the
air balmy and delicious to the cheek weary of
wintry blasts; and then the next day perchance
fierce gale will come careering ont of the
north, the somber clouds will lower as though
they fain would fall upon the disappointed
earth, and those that must be abroad will ask
themselves in fretful dependency as they
cover before the piercing wind, is this winter
never to end?"
Right glad. therefore. was Francois Comeau
when he awoke to find that the gale which had
| buffeted him SO fiercely the day before, and
| then offered him some amends by rocking him
to sleep as he lay under the caves of the little
cottage which was his winter home, had blown
itself out during the night and made way for a
| happier state of things. Hardly cloud
| fecked the blue expanse above; straight from
the sun poured a glorious flood of light and
| toy-inspiring warmth; the drifts of discolored
snow that had fingered SO obstnately in the
| hollows ran away in sparkling rivulets as
| though they could not make sufficient haste
One almost expected to hear the carol of birds
| already seeking out the most desirable loca-
! lions in the maple and birch groves. whose
leaties branches were still destitute of buds.
But Francois needed not the bird to sing for
| him. He could sing for himself this beautiful
| Sunday morning, and he did sing Justify as
with quick. springy stride he made good prog
ress along the rough road that led from Traca-
| die to Pockmouche. For score of Sundays
| past had he taken the same walk, but as many
| Sabbaths would 20 by before his feet would
| again make the journey; for tomorrow he
went to the Banks, not to return until late
| autumn. But to-day was his and with it all
before him there was no need to be taoubling
about tomorrow. Tomorrow would come
soon enough. And his strong, clear voice rang
out a care-free joyousness.
The road kept close to the seashore. follow
ing Its innumerable indentations with unweary-
| ing patience, for it was a home made highway,
| and its builders had neither skill nor strength
to make the crooked straight or the rough
places plain. Francois would not have had it
otherwise. He loved the sea. and was never
altogether happy out of the sight of its tickle
waves. so that it is doubtful if he would have
appreciated an airline route, even though it
might have spared him half an hours walking.
mile or more from his starting-place he
checked his singing and gave himself up to
thinking. Evidently his thoughts we're of very
pleasant kind, for his face often broke into a
smile; and, swapping his fingers sharply, he
would exclam:
''Ah ha. That's 1.-THE very thing! The good
God grant it,
SO light of heart was he that before he knew
| 1t he found himself skipping along the road
| like Young goat. and then he laughed roundly
| at himself, saving:
All, Francois, you are lucky fellow Truly
| the blessed saints are good to you."
1t was o'clock when he started, and an hour
| and half of steady walking had brought him
| to the outskirts of cluster of houses beside a
placid inlet of the sea which one may at first
glance decide to be simply another fishing
| hamlet. 1t is in many ways more attractive in
| appearance, however, than the one from which
| Francois set forth. Nature has been kinder to
tins corner of the coast. 1t is better protected
| from the northern and eastern winds; the soil
| is less grudging in its returns: the hills slope
| more softly back from the shore. and do not
seem so ragged and out at elbows rs they do at
| 1racadie. The cottages too, as is betting,
| are larger and better kept, their snow white
walls, deep brown roofs and short black CHM
| neys making an effective contrast of color as
| they gather together in an irregular group
| about the farthest curve of the inlet.
Standing a little apart from the others, in
| the midst OF a snug plot which evidently en-
joys careful cultivation, is a cottage whose pro-
| portions exceed those of its fellows. and toward
this Francois directs his steps. He approaches
| 1t with the confident step of one who has no
doubt about his welcome; and sure enough, the
brightly painted front door. closed fast on all
other days but this, stands already open wide,
its llntels framing living picture whose
beauty might well make dule- heart than his
throb with exultant ecstasy.
Francois was not alone in thinking himself
especially favored of heaven when Meline La
vote. after gently but firmly saying mo- to
half score OF urgent suitors, yielded at last to
his impetuous wooing. The gossips wondered
not a little at them both. According to their
ripe judgment Francois, hasty as he was
handsome, and as reckless as he was loving
seemed hardly the fittest mate for the demure
dark-eyed, deep-natured maiden whose unas-
serted right to be the belle of the village had
no contestant. But sagacious the gossips
may be, they happily do not make all the
matches, and neither Francois nor Meline sought
their counsel or permission before confessing
their love to one another just two years ago
lis true Mellne's parents were not very gra-
cious at first. They would have preferred either
the young nedecin or the more mature drocdt
both Of whom had honored la belle Melne by
laying their hearts and their prospecting prac-
tees at her dainty feet. Welded to either of
them, she would have held a higher social DO
sltion than FRANCOIS, even though he should be
no less successful than Lavoie pere himself
could hope to afford her. And then. moreover
she would have had her husband at home from
jour de Fan to Noel, whereas Francois must
needs be at sea from early spring to late
autumn. All this they did not fail to strongly
urge upon Meline; yet dutiful daughter as she
was. neither arguments entreaties availed
and FRANCHISE was really too goods fellow and
their daughters happiness too important a
matter, to allow sterner measures. So the
young folks had their own way, and were be-
trothed, with the parental blessing upon their
future.
They would have been married ere this had not
shrewd Lavoie peTe made it a condition of his
consent that Francois should not come to claim
Marie until he was part owner of the Rose-Marie
the trim fishing smack in which he spent his
summer. So Francois had toiled hard, and
scraped diligently together every dollar that
could be honestly earned, bringing it all to
Meline to be kept safe; and now, If only the
approaching season yielded fair return, his
share would add to his savings the sum necessary
to purchase half interest in the Rose Marie,
and entitle him to his bride.
The blush OF happy consciousness enriched
with color Meline's olive cheek, and her deep
black eyes shone with light whose meaning
needed no interpreter, she came half way
down the garden path to meet her lover
"BOn jour, Francois; you are in good time
this morning. am 80 glad that it is fine This
is our last Sunday, you know, until you come
back"
Francois ought to have behaved better, no
doubt. for it was Sunday, and they had not vet
been to mass. Moreover, the little street was
already dotted with worshipers vending their
way to church, and people have eyes on Sun
days as well as on weekdays But then Fran
co.'s was always an impetuous chap, and If, be-
fore she had time to evade him. he threw his
strong arms about Meline and bestowed a very
ardent salute upon those velvet lips which had
inst welcOmed him n sweaflv wel1-it