Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1889-07-14
MOTHER ANNETTE.
Translated from the French for the SUNDAY
UNION, BY Mrs n E White

as they call her, was sixty-five years old
last Easter. knew her long ago when
she was servant in the house of Madame
Blanchard, the portly dame who kept the
only grocery in the little village of Bour-
mont. Annette was then a tall, strong
dark-complexioned girl of twenty-eight,
and as pretty, industrious, active, and
honest young woman as could be found
in all the country round. Moreover she
had an excellent heart, too kind, in fact.
Annette was entirely alone in the world,
and had never known the blessings of a
home. The charity of strangers had
reared her; she had learned to read a
little and to sign her own name, from the
old cure who had prepared her for her
first communion; suffering, rebufis, hun
ger, thirst, prlyations, and tears had COM
pleted her education. Notwithstanding
the hardships she endured, she remained
kind-hearted and true. Grateful by ma
ture, she could not refrain from giving
her affection and devotion to those who
did her the smallest kindness
As she grew up and became strong and
able to earn her own living, she felt keen
satisfaction in no longer being burden to
any one. Her wages at Madame Blan-
chard's were not large, only fifteen francs
month (the domestics of that day were
not so exacting as at present., but still she
was lodged and fed and Nine. Blanchard,
who was very fond of her. made her pres
ents from time to time of old dresses,
fschus, etc, thanks to which, Annette,
who knew how to turn everything to
account, managed to save and put by
the greater part of her earnings, and was
happy and comfortable.
But, one unlucky day, her affection was
awakened by rascally fellow, Jacques
Pitois, and she began to love him with ali
the strength of her honest nature. He pro-
posed marriage and she accepted-Jacques
was such handsome fellow.
Did he love her? WeIl-perhaps but
the cunning rogue knew that the servant
had saved something for a rainy day.
Pitois was five years older than Annette.
He was sturdy fellow, with brawny arms,
who would hire out, when he was willing
to work, with the farmers, sometimes in
one place, sometimes in another. There
was not a better reaper for ten leagues
around. In winter he used to thrash in
the barns, for at that time there were but
few Neutrality-suspicious..
When Madame Blanchard learned that
her servant was going to be married, she
was not at all pleased.
Are you in your senses, my poor
Annette ~ said she vehemently. What
are you tired of being happy? Do Won
want to fall back into the trouble and want
of other days? All! you will soon see how
pleasant it is to suffer hardships Pitois is
fine laborer, he knows how to work, and
has only to offer himself at any place what
ever in order to be employed; unfortu-
nately, he is almost always afraid of work.
Moreover, he likes to gamble and drink,
and he spends all his earnings in the wine
shops. But it is your hearts wish, and
there is nothing more to be said. Ny poor
Annette, PitOis will not make you happy 4:
you are exchanging your heaven for hell"
Annette did not heed the warnings that
she received. She was well aware that
Pltois had faults, that he remained many a
long hour in the taverns, cards in hand,
but she said to herself that when she was
his wife he would change Then, too,
having always been in the homes of others,
she ardently desired to be in her own. to
have her own little nest. And then-and
then-she loved Pitois.
Her robust lover had not a sou. Annette
had to buy all that was needed. One
month after the marriage, nothing was
left of the servants little savings.
Everything went smoothly the first few
months, which are called the honeymoon.
Annette went out to work by the day
and earned a pittance. But, alas Pitois had
not been changed by marriage, nor by the
affection which his wife showed for him
and the good advice which she gave him.
He had soon fallen back into his evil habits
of Incidence and intenperance. As in the
past, he spent his entire wages in gambling
and drinking, while his wife strained
every nerve to keep hunger from the door.
1t was an arduous task for poor Annette,
and often with heavy signs she thought of
the prediction of her old mistress.
At the end of eighteen months she
brought into the world babe-a little
boy. 1t does not cost much to feed a
child, but he must be cared for, and
requires the almost canstant presence
of his mother As Pitois was no more
mindful of his duty as a father than he
was as husband, and as Annette could no
longer go out to work as before, there were
many days of direst want. The mother
and child would have died of hunger had
not Nine. Blanchard and other charitable
persons come to the assistance of the poor
Annette.
With his fail under his arm, when the
grain was to be thrashed, or with his
scythe on his shoulder at harvest and hav
ing time, Pitois wandered right and left.
working on the farms, his absence lasting
sometimes a fortnight-three weeks-often
whole month, but he invariably returned
with an empty pocket. Annette knew
only too well what use he had made of his
earnings. She used to complain bitterly
and reproach her husband for his evil
ways, but if sac demonstrated too forcibly
her brutal husband retorted with blows.
Ten years went by, ten years of suffering
and torture, at the end of which Annette
once more gave birth to a son, whom they
named Andre Jules, the elder, an I'M
grateful fellow, resembled his father; he
was greedy, lazy, sly, quarrelsome and per-
verse, and even at his tender age gave in
dications of being thorough rascal. Poor
Annette could do nothing with him.
All the tenderness of her loving heart
she lavished upon her last born; he was
her consolation, and she ceased to be so I'M
happy. Andre, fortunately, had not the
evil instincts of his brother; as soon as he
could see, understand and feel he vener-
ated and adored his mother. 1t seemed
as though he wished to make her forget
what she had suffered. Young as he was
he assisted her as much as he could, rem
dering her thousand little services.
At the village school Andre, intelligent
and studious, became remarkable scholar.
always being at the head of his class.
IF you were rich and could afford to
push him, your little Andre would make
his mark in the world" the schoolmaster
used to say to Annette. But she was poor,
very poor, and as in the past. was killing
herself with hard labor. And then, purses
and half-purses were not then granted to
the meritorious pupils of the common
schools.
As soon as he had made his first COM
munioa Andre began to work. He went
out like his mother, by the day, and faith
fully, without reserve, brought his pittance
home, where bread was not so often lacking
thereafter; indeed, few years later, there
was comparative comfort in the humble
cabin, for Andre, having become the pro-