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


iron wheel, and when she heard Jonanin
shut the door and pass out among the aid
ers and along the bank of the stream, muir
muring to himself, it seemed to her that
her heart had stopped beating, and she
prayed to God aloud, as if she was afraid
she should die.
The following week Jonanin left the
With bis clothes tied up in lit
tie bundle he went away at dusk, when the
last leaves were shivering on the trees. He
went through the alder woods and along
the bank of the little brook of Espitos The
young miller saw him come, and she stood
motionless before her mill
Good night, Noeline," he said slowly.
Good night, Jonanin," she replied, drop
ping her eyes.
Then, as he went on, she ventured to ask:
Are you leaving the country"
He seemed TO stagger on the leaf covered
path.
"Yes, have found a place at Orthez."
She said nothing, Her fingers played
with the little silver cross which hung
about her neck, and with troubled eyes she
watched Jonanin until he disappeared
among the deepening shadows Of the silent
forest.
A small, thin, pale person, with hands
and feet like those of a skeleton, looking
as if nature had begun to make woman
and failed, but with two black eyes much
younger than her face such was Noeline
Farques, the miller of Espitos, twenty
Years after the departure of Jonanin La
re Women in the south fade early.
The mill, older by twenty years, and show
ing it, still stood across the stream, keep
ing erect by the aid of some additional
clutches, and it's tic-tac was just as joyous
as when it was new.
Noeline had never married. After Jo-
nanin went away no other lover could touch
her heart. Aristide Lariensec, who had
loved her with a passionate, jealous love,
had been refused like all the others. The
young man, long inconsolate, had married
at last. He never came to see Noeline ex-
cept to sell his grain. They had doubtless
both forgotten the fruit they used to eat
beside the milestone while the -four fell
white and silent, powdering everything
around.
yQnanin had never come back.
Many and many a time Noeline had
walked along the border of the stream with
the hope of seeing him reappear. She
thought of him every day; and every night
when the cricket sang she dreamed melan-
choly dreams before her sad hearthstone.
until her rush light died out.
Alas! Orthez was so far off. People from
Espitos never went there At the shop in
the town they had no news of Jonanin.
What had become of the youth with the
blonde hair? Sometimes, when her old
line prayed for him, but little by little the
beating of her heart grew cold and mopot-
onouS.
One night Noeline, who was 40 years
old, was waiting for Lariensec, the former
rival of Jonanin. He was coming TO dis
cuss the price of the maize he wished to
sell her. The miller had offered twelve
f. dncs five sous sack. The farmer asked
ten sous more. 1t was nearly 9 O'Clock.
The shadows were warm; the moon threw
its white light on the winding path
through the alders. Noeline, standing on
the threshold of the mill, saw some one
coming.
1T is not Lariensec," she thought; he
would not come by that path"
The man had wooden box on his back;
he walked slowly, seemed tired and looked
a stranger might.
Good evening"" he said, stopping
Would you like to see Notre Dame de
Lourdes?"
He is Bernaie 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 merchant had gentle voice,
and as the intercessiOn of the virgin might
induce Lariensec to sell his corn at IL
francs SOUS the sack, NOeline said
Come in; | will look at the holy virgin
by the resin light"
And the merchant entered When Noel
inc could see him she felt the blood rush
to her thin cheeks, and when the cOlpOr-
teur had seen her face he seemed equally
astonished. And in a plaintive voice he
asked:
80 you still live here, Noeline'"
"Ahl Good Cod" said the miller, feel
ing her heart beat as it had Lot done for
years as it possible that it is you, Jo-
nanin?"
And for moment they were silent.
The water Of the brook fell in noisy
drops on the iron wheel, just as it did long
ago, when Jonanin came to see her. And
suddenly behind the warm hearthsuone
they heard the shrill chirp of a cricket.
Noeline felt in her eyes warm moisture
like "a gathering tear.
Jonanin told his story. He had been
successful at Orthez. He had married,
had children, had a shop of his own, was
prosperous and happy. But, after all
IL H. -. Ill