Wichita eagle., 1890-02-21
/ FELICIE.
o one remembered snch a drought.

But no one heard Edmond; if any one had
heard him, he would have paid no attention,
for Edmond did not have ali his wits.
The grass and the crops, which once had
been green, were now brown; the earth was
baked hard, and everywhere little cracks ran
in ell directions The rough places Of the
roads were all hidden under thick mantle
Of dust, as Kindly in its appearance as tho
winters mantle, but less SO in reality. Unless
the rain carne-well-
''God knows what we shall do, - said one
village elder to another.
''And he never tolls VS. until he Is readv,"
said Edmond, reverently.
So the great drought lasted.
Then Armand Hsmel died. 1t was not tho
drought that killed him. No one lnew exact
lv what had killed him. 81 cannot tell; it ia.
Gods doing" tina doctor had said But I'D
was dead; and after death comes the funeral.
For tho first time in months the sky was
overcast; the red SIN ceased to glare upon tho
earth, and under the gentle clouds the grass
and the crops seemed actually to revive a
little, aad even to raise their heads again
But no rain fell.
Does this mean raing' one vi1Iager would
ask OF another as they met in the parish house,
while their wives went at once into the
church to pray.
Perhaps the man addressed would answer,
with G. shrug, 'SThe clouds hang low over the
cape; OF perhaps he wouid 20 out upon the
gallery, whence he had just come, and look
ing around at earth and sky and sea would
say, cautiously: 'fWho knowsa Perhaps"
In either case the answer was satisfactory.
Every one hoped for rain; almost no one
expected it; and the question was asked
rather to pass the time until the funeral SER
vice should begin than because Eugene Da-
sylvia thought that Joseph Billet cpuld read
tho weather Signs better than he himself
No one asked Edmond, but he of all those
present said noshing doubtful To Eugene
he said at once, "It viii rain; the grass is
getting ready for shower" But no one
heard him; at al events. no one paid any at-
tention; he was only half witted
From the gallery in front of the parish
house one could see many things Directly
in front was the road white with dust, filled
with the caleches and planches and qnat'-
roues which had brought the farmers and
villagers to the church. Across the road
were fields, and beyond the fel,ss hills, cut
into terraces by great glaciers melted ten
thousand years ago. On tho right was the
the priests house, with two willow rsees in
front of it, and the convent and the grave
yard. On tho left, behind the poor brown
trees, was The seigpeury; and behind the
house. across the rivera mile wide when the
tide was in, barely two yards when the tide
was out-roee the cape which gave the town
its name, and seemed to protect the town it
named.
Over the cape Aung black, threatening
clouds, but so little did they Indicate rain
that the farmers eyes more readily sought
the church and the priests house than they
did the rock and its low hanging crown
In course OF time 3 constant succession of
remarks and replies on the subject of the
weather had emptied the parish house Of all
its male inmates; the women and children
bad already gone into the church. The men
stood ca sAe gallery in front of the house, al
most in silence; no one cared 10 talk about
the errand which had brought them together;
SO they stood waiting for something in anx-
ious impatience
Suddenly from the steeple of the church
rang out sharply the little bell and at tho
sound the men started, and crossed therl-
selves Then, as il tie expected had hap
pened, they moved toward the church, the
oldest man leading tie way, the younger men
struggling to avoid bringing up the rear.
Again the bell rang out. 1t was bclling
Out Of the cloud of dvst, along the narrow,
worn road, came the yellow hesrse, open to
the sky, bearing the red coffin, dust white
now, wherein slept Armand Helnel. Behind
the hearse, in the towns only two horse
vehicle, brought out on great occasions Ike
weddings and funerals, rode the rnourners--
Xavier Hamel, Phi9mene his wife, and little
Felicie PeIletisr, the maiden who was to have
been Armand's wife. Had Armand lived but
a month longer, Felice had been their daugh-
ter; now she was neither their daughter nof
their sons widow.
Tho men halted awbvartily at the church
door, and removed their hats as the hearse
drew up. The priest stood on the steps, mis-
sal in hand. end placing himself before the
coffin began the Office of the dead. Most of
the men without the church and the women
within repeated audi0ly their prayers:
Deliver me, Lord, from them that hate
me, that l be not swallowed IN the abvss.
that the pit wherein they have cast me
close not above me-" And again: "Lord
God, king OF toe ages, thou alone art full OF
kindness; hear me, 0 Lord, whose pity is al
ways ready to pardon; guard my soul, and
deliver it"
Meantime the mourners had entered the
church, and were making their way to their
seats. They walked slowly, delayed rather
by the emotions OF the girl than by any weak
ness OF the elder rnourners. At last they
reached their places, and the burial service
began.
All this time the clouds that had eucon-
passed the cape came nearer. and moro and
more assumed the character of rain clouds
The cape loonled up, and the miles of water
between it and the church seemed but yards,
50 resr il seemed 10 be. Edmond pu1 out his
4, hand, as il to touch the great rock; then he
looked at the Sly ard went into the church.
Everything vas Strangely still. The voice
Of the priest sounded Is If il came from
great dista,,oa The childrcn, usually rest
less, sat quietly. The darkness Of an ap-
proachios. scarm pervaded The church; the
light before tie altar burned dilniy ard IN
certainly. Only where Felic;e sat. i. seemed
70 Tie lad, vas there any Light; sroun3 her
there WAS a strange brightness; but lie did
not feel afraid.
At last the priest closed his book. and the
congregation sighed with relief rs he de-
sceaded from the sanctuary sRG stood at the
head of the coiin. Then priest, coffin aud
silent congregation isft tie church, and went
through the narrow gate into the graveyard
There 4 gr.ve had been dug, next 10 thaE in
which TIE shipwrecke3 Portuguese had been
buried, ard around the grave gathered they
ali
II the center stoo3 Tho uriess and the
grave dis-gers; next 10 them were old Navicr
h;.ulol and bis wife. fhilolnens, and besxeea
Ihcs.. stead Fe.uris PHiletSa.