Waterbury evening Democrat., 1889-02-26
BE BEE,
TWO LITTLE WOODEN SHOES.

her Bebee looked at him with troubled eyes, but with a sweet, frank faith that had no hesitation In 1t.
 "Yes! you are not like anything I ever knew, and if you will only help me to learn 6 little Sometimes I think I am not stupid, only ignorant-but cannot be sure unless try"
 He smiled he was ktlessly amused; the day before he had tempted the child merely be- cause she was pretty, and to tempt her in that way seemed the natural course of things, but now there was something in her that touched him differently; the end would be the same, but he would change the means.
 The sun had set There was a low, dull red glow still on the far edge of the plains that was all. In the distant cottages little lights were twinkling. The path grew dark
 II will go away aud let her alone," he thought "Poor little soul! it would give itself lavishly, it would never be bought. will let it alone; the mind will go to sleep and the body will keep healthy and strong and pure, as people call it. It would be pity to play with both a day, and then throw them away, as the boy threw the pear blossom She is little clod of earth that has field flowers growing in it. will let her alone, the flowers under tho blow in due course will die, and she will be content among the other clods-if let her alone"
 At that moment there went across the dark helds, against the duslzy red sky, young man with pile of brushwood on his back, and a hatchet in his hand
 "You are late, Bebee, he called to her in Flemish, and scowled at the stranger by her side
 "A good looking lad-who Is ita" said her companion
 That Is Jeannot. the son of old Sophie," she answered him. He is SO good-oh, so good, you cannot think; he keeps his mother and three little sisters, and works so very, very hard in the forest, and yet he often finds time to dig my garden for me, and he chops all my wood in the winter"
 They had come to where the road goes up by the kings summer palace. They were under great hanging beeches and Times There was high gray wall, and over 1t the blossoming fruit boughs hung. In a ditch full of long grass little kids bleated by their mothers. Away on the left went the green fields of colza, and beetroot, and trefoil, with big forest trees here and there in the midst, and, against the blue low line of the far hori- zon, red mill sails. and gray church spires, dreamy plaintive bells far away somewhere wero ringing the sad Flemish carillon.
 He paused and looked at her.
 'l must bid you good night, Bebee-you are near your homo now"
 She paused too and looked at him.
 But shall see you to-morrow9'
 There was the wistful, eager, anxious un- consciousness of appeal as when the night before she had asked him if he were angry
 He hesitated a moment. If he said no, and went away out of the city wherever his list less and changeful whim called him, he knew how 1t would be with her: he knew what her ho <bo would come out of the peach flower rosy on the wall there, life in the little hut; among tho neighbors; sleepy and safe and soulless- if he let her alone
 If he stayed and saw her on the morrow he knew, too, the end as surely as he knew that the branch of white pear blossom which in carelessness he had knocked down with a stone on the grass yonder, would fade in the night and would never bring forth its sweet, simple fruit in the sunshine.
 To leave the peach flower to come to ma turity and be plucked by peasant-or to pull down the pear blossom and rifle the budsi
 Carelessly and languidly he balanced the question with himself, whilst Bebee forgetful of the lace patterns and the flight of tho hours, stood looking at him with anxious and plead ing eyes, thinking only-was he angry again, or would he really bring her the books and make her wise, and let her know the stories of the pasti
 ''Shall see you tomorrow" she said wist fully.
 Should shelf he left the peach blossom safe on the wall, Jeannot tho wood cutter would come by and by and gather the fruit.
 If be left the clod of earth in its pasture with all its daisies untouched, this black browed young peasant would cute it round with his hatchet and carry it to his wicker cage, that the homely brown lark of his love might sing to it some stupid wood note under cottage cave.
 The sight of the strong young forester go ing over the darkened fields against the dull red skies was feather that suffices to sway to one side balance that hangs on hair.
 He had been inclined to leave her alone when he saw in his fancy the clean, simple mindless, honest life that her fanciful girl hood would settle down into as time should go on. But when in the figure of the wood man there was painted visibly on tho dusky sky that end for her which he had foreseen. he was not indifferent to it; he resented it. he was stirred to a vague desire to render it impossible.
 If Jeannot had not gone by across the fields he would have left her and let her alone from that night thenceforward; as it was-
 Good night, Bebee, he said to her. ITO morrow 1 will finish the Broodhuis and bring you your first book. Do not dream too much or you will prick your lace patterns all awry. Good night, pretty one."
 Then he turned and went back through the green dim lanes to the city
 Bebee stood a moment looking after him, with happy smile, then she picked up the fallen peach bough and ran home as fast as her feet would take her.
 That night she worked very late watering her flowers, and trimming them, and then ironing out little clean white cap for the morrow, and then sitting down under the open lattice to prick out all old Annemie'. designs by tho strong light of the full moon that flooded her hut with its radiance.
 But shc sang all the time that she worked, md tho gay, pretty, wordless songs foated across the water and across the fields, and woke some old people in their beds as they Lay with their windows open, and they turned and crossed themselves, and said, Dear heart!-this is the eve of the ascension, and the angels are so near we hear them"