San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1890-09-22
THE CRICKET.

A perfectly formed little person, with
hands and feet a duchess might envy,
miniature woman, with the fresh but
freckled complexion given by life in the
open air, with two big liquid black eyes,
which made the hearts beat quicker of those
on whom they rested-such was Noeline
Farques, the miller of Espitos.
A rickety old house built over the stream,
quite alone in forest of alders, leaning
over on one side, the life of the old stones
taken out of them by their veil of ivy, with
huge piles underneath, which looked like
clutches; resembling continually with a
busy hum like woman's constant clatteI
such was Noeline's home, the mill of Es
pitos.
Although it was old, the mill had faith,
full customers; and although the miller was
small, she had many. admirers. Among
them the most devoted were Aristide La
riensec, big, red faced fellow, son of q
neighboring miller, and Jonanin Lacaze, a
pale blonde, who was serving his appren.
ticeship in one of the most important shops
of the town.
Aristide, the miller's son, hung about the
mill, his pockets full of fruit for the young
miller. They sat before the milestone and
ate them, while the iron wheel sang its
rhythmic song as the water poured over it,
and the -four fell, white and silent, powder.
ing everything around.
Jonanin, the apprentice, was less fortu,
nate. He could rarely see Noeline, except
on Sunday after mass, when she went to
the shop in the town to buy needles and
thread Then indeed Jonann was flushed
with pleasure.
He spread out before the eyes Of the young
girl his whole store of thread and needles,
and they were "A long time in choosing, for
sometimes their fingers met as they turned
over the merchandise.
Sometimes on Sunday afternoon Jonanin
had two hours to himself, and he went to
fish in the stream of Espitos. He did not
catch much, for the stream had fewer fish
in it than any in the country; but Jonanin
placed himself 50 that he could both watch
the window of the mill and his float; he
cOnsOled himself for the immobiity of the
latter by what he saw through the former.
At nightfall Moline came to look for her
ducks along the banks of the stream, and
the pressure of hands which the lovers ex-
changed in the Sunday twilight was so
sweet that Jonanin dreamed for nights
about it.
The miller did not hesitate between her
admirers. She preferred Jonanin. She
hardly thought of any one else. When
she was with him she was perfectly con.
tent.
Therefore the blonde Jonanin was au.
thOrized to pay his court to her, Noelne's
mother invited him to come and eat chest
nuts at the mill during the long autumn
evenings.
But the first time he went strange
thing happened The cricket, which al.
ways sang on the kitchen hearth, was sud.
denly silent.
1T is so singular" thought Noelines
mother, and the young girl turned pale.
And when the young man made his sec
ond visit the cricket did just the same. As
soon as the young man opened the door
the cricket ceased his song.
Then NOeline's mother crossed herself
and the young miller clasped her trembling
hands under her apron.
And each time that JOnanin entered the
house the hostile cricket was silent, and if
they listened carefully theyheard a strange
noise, an inexplicable scratching in the
chimney, like protest of the little insect
Noeline wept abundantly; her mother
was very unhappy.
Both of them, like most peasants, at.
tached much Importance to the song of
their cricket. They knew that one of these
insects singing in the house assures happi-
ness and prosperity to its inmates II it
was silent when Jonanin came, it was be
cause Jonanin brought i'll luck. 1t was
imperative that he should stay away.
Nevertheless NOeiine knew that her
sutton was good, honest and laborious; she
seemed TO read promises of happiness in
his tender gray eyes; but the cricket would
not agree 1t would perhaps be dangerous
to despise it's warning, and when the tired
youth came, with beating heart and a
voice broken by emotion, to ask Noeline's
mother for her hand, the mother was grave
and the young miller could hardly keep
from sobbing aloud behind her apron.
Jonanin was refused. They did not give
him the true reason. 1t would have panied
him too much to learn that he would bring
misfortune to any house he entered.
The mother found plausible reasons to
give him, and NOeline went out to conceal