Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1890-09-06
THE CRICKET.

A perfectly formed little person, with
hands and feet duchess might envy, a
miniature woman, with the fresh, but
freckly complexion given by life in the
open air, with two liquid black eyes,
which made the heart 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 crutches; resounding
continually with busy hum like a
woman's constant clatter - such was
Noeline's home, the mill of Espitos.
Although it was old, the mill had
faithful customers; and although the
miller was small, she had many admir-
ers. Among them the most devoted
were Aristide Lariensec, big red faced
fellow, son of neighboring miller, and
Jonanin Lacaze, pale blonde, who was
serving his apprenticeship in one of the
most inn Srtant shoos of the town.
Aristide, the mill RS son, hung about
the mill, his pockets full of fruit for the
young miller They sat before the mill
stone and ate them, willie the iron wheel
sang its rythmic song as the water
poured over it, and the flour fell white
and silent, powdering everything
around.
Jonanin, the apprentice, was less fortu-
nate. He could rarely see Noeline, ex.
cept on Sunday after mass, when she
went TO the shop to buy needles and
thread. Then indeed Jonanin was
flushed with pleasure.
He spread out before the eyes of the
young girl his whole store of thread and
needles, and they We're long time in
choosing, for sometimes their fingers
met as they turned over the merchan-
disc.
Sometimes on Sunday afternoon Jo-
nanin 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 Sc
that he could both watch the window of
the mill and his float; he consoled him
self for the immobility of the latter
by what he saw through the former. At
nightfall Noeline came to look for her
ducks along the bank of the stream, and
the pressure of hands which the lovers
exchanged 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 per-
fectly content.
Therefore the blonde Jonanin was au-
thorized to pay his court to her. Noel
ines mother invited him to come and
eat chestnuts at the mill during the long
autumn evenings. But the first time he
went a strange thing happened. The
cricket which always sang on the kitchen
hearth was suddenly silent. at is so
singular" thought Noeline's mother,
and the young girl turned pale.
And when the young man made his
second 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 they heard
n strange noise, an inexplicable scratch
ing 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 great Importance to the song of
their cricket They knew that one of
these insects singing in the house as
sures happiness and prosperity to its in
mates. If it was silent when Jonanin
came it was because Jonanin brought
ill luck. 1t was imperative that he
should stay away.
Nevertheless Noeline knew that her
suitor was good, honest, and laborious;
she seemed to read promises of happi-
ness in his tender gray eyes; but the
cricket would not agree. 1t would per-
haps be dangerous to despise its warning,
and when the tired youth came, with a
beating heart and voice broken by emo
ton, to ask Noeline's mother for her
hand, the mother was grave and the
young miller could hardly keep from