Daily tobacco leaf-chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1890-1895, 1890-06-10


francs five Gus a sack The farmer asked
ten sous more. It was nearly o'clock.
This shadows were warm; the moon threw
It's white light on the winding path
through the aders. Noeline, standing on
the threshold of the mill, saw some one
coming.
1T Is not Lsriensec," she thought; che
would not come by that path"
The man hal wooden box ON his back;
be walked slowly, seemed tired and looked
at the stream and the trees and the mill as
a stranger might.
Good evening"" he said, stopping.
Would you like to see Notre Dame de
LourdesW
"He Is Berr aise or Bigourdan colpor-
teur," thought Noeline, lone Of those mer
chants from Pan or Bagnieres, who, under
the pretext Of showing an image Of the
virgin at the bottom Of their box, sell chap
lets and medals thread and needles to the
country people.
my poor friend, it Is rather dark to see
your virgin"
But as the me chant had gentle voice,
and as the interCession of the virgin might
induce Larlensec to sell bis corn at IL
francs SOUS the sack, Noeline said:
"Come in; Will look at the holy virgin
By the resin light"
And the mercb ant entered When Noel
ine could see hi IN she felt the blood rush
to her thin chee.Is, and when the colpor-
teur had seen her face he seemed equally
astonished. And in a plaintive voice he
asked:
$50 you still live here, Noeline"
"Ahl Good GolP said the miller, feel
ing her heart beai as 1t had Lot done for
years. SIS 1t possible that it is you, 10
naninF
And for a NONE mt they were silent.
The water of the brook fell in noisy
drops ON the iron wheel, just as it did long
! ago, when Jonanil came to see her. And
suddenly behind the warm hearthstone
they heard the shr III chirp of a cricket.
Noeline felt in hr eyes warm moisture
like gathering tear.
Jonanin told his story. He had been
successful at Orthez. He had married,
bad children, had a shop of his own, was
prosperous and happy. But, after all
these years, the desire to see his old home
had seized him, anC for the sake of econo
my be had come like Bernaise colpor
teur, selling needl IS and thread on his
way.
"Ch, was sure you would succeed, 10
nanin," sighed Noeline.
The cricket in the chimney went ON
singing. The woml4n seemed almost over.
powered by her increasing emotion.
"Then, why" stainmered Jonanin, twill
you tell me, Noelinr, why you would not
be my wife twenty years agoP"
At first she could not answer; she
pointed to the chimney as if half ashamed
and would have beer glad to hide her head
In her apron, rs she did when she was
young.
ut was the fault of the cricket" she
stammered.
"Of the cricketP"
"Yesl / was foolish. l thought you
would bring me misfortune, The cricket
stopped singing when you came to see me.
"Ie stopped singing? WhyP"
Noeline shrugged her shoulders in sign
that she did not know. They both stood
silent, dreaming, and they dared not look
into each others eyes by the light of the
smoking resin.
Very soon Lariensec the farmer entered.
"Good evening, good evening"" he said,
after the peasant fashion, saluting as many
times as there were persons in the com
pany.
And when he had recognized the former
shopkeeper What, ,Ionanin, you herel
What the devil are you doing here?"
~ come to talk over old times 1t does
one good at our age"
"Ah, yes, the old tim,sp said LaTiensec
81 remember that yol. were to have been
married, you and Noeliae."
Certainly" replied the miller.
"And do you know what kept us apart"
asked the merchant; "a cricket"
"Bahp exclaimed Larienseo. "In fact ]
seem to remember"-
lie burst into loud laugh.
"Ah, it was too gotdP' said he, "too
good"
Then seriously: "Bahf you are happy,
are you notp Both happy? We are all
happy here so we may confess our little
peccadilloes of other days. Ali that one
was too goodl Do you know, Jonanin,
why the cricket did not singp We are all
friends, you know, old fellow. Well, it was
because ! was watching you. ] scratched
in the chimney there, on tho side next our
field, when you came to pay your court
Ali other people loved Noeline too, and
other people were furiousIy jealous"
Then seeing that his revelation was
coldly received, and that Noeline looked at
him sadly, he resumed generously;
"That is not all; come to tell you that
accept your price for the corn; twelve
francs Ave sous tho sack. Does that suit
you, Noeline~
And Noeline In low voice; "That suits
me, Lariensec."
Then the farmer bought some spools Of
thread from the merchant from OrtheZ for
his wife and paid without bargaining.
Good evening. good evening"" he said,
going out.
And the two old lovers ere left alone.
| They did not say much to each other.
Jonanin slowly put up his merchandise.
! Noellne watched him, unco nsciously, turn
Ing over the little silver cross, which she
still wore, with her bony fingers. For one
| dcspairing moment she was perhaps tempt
ed to press her lips to JonaI ms hair, once
blonde, now turning gray but she re-
strained herself; her virgin lips were igno-
rant how to give such kiss.
well, good night, Noel me-" said the
colporteur, lifting his box to his back.
Good night, Jonaninp
! They awkwardly pressed each others
hands and parted.
| He took the path through the woods on
which the moonlight fell; sh, standing on
her threshold watched him }, while in the
chimney the cricket sang In he sad night,
sang VITA calm, clear, untiring voice, as
! II be wished to tell Moline OK all the hap
piness sho might have had Translated
! from the Wrench Of Jean Raj for The
/ Detroit News
Evening In the Syrian Desert.
At sunset we encamped And what
sunset There was still the same simplici-