The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1891-01-07
THE STORY OF COSETTE.
ADAPTED FROM HUGO.
BY EMMA NJ cox.
P I.

ALAA ~ $3.50
couple of the name of Thenardier. Over
the door OF this inn a board was nailed to
the wall, and on this board was painted
something resembling a man carrying
on his back another man, who wore large
gilt epaulettes with silver stars;
red dabs represented blood and the
rest of this painting was smoke, probably
representing a battle. At the bottom of
the board could be read the inscription:
"The Sergeant of Waterloo" Though moth
ing is more common than a cart in front
of a pOt-house, vet it might have surprised
YOU TO have seen one made into a swing.
1t was the fore-part of one OF those wagons
used in wood countries for dragging pnnks
and the trunks of large trees; it was COM
posed of a large iron axle-tree, in which a
heavy pole was imbedded and supported
by two enormous wheels; under the
axle-tree was a chain so large thatit would
have made YOU think o~fgiants and Goliath
in particular.
The center of the chair hung rather
close to the ground, and on the curve, as
on the rope Of a swing, two little girls
were seated on this spring evening OF
1918; one was about two years and a half
old and the other eighteen months; the
younger being in the arms of the older.
An artfully tied handkerchief prevented
them from falling. for their mother had
seen this chain, and said, "What a
famous play-thing for my children!"
\ few yards off, and seated in
the inn door, this mother, a woman of no
very pleasing appearance, was swinging
the children by the help of a long cord
and as they swung to and fro the links OF
the chain produced a sharp sound like a
CRY OF anger: but at this, the little girls
were delighted. While playing with her
little ones, the mother sang, but terribly
out OF tune, a romance, very celebrated
at that day and her song and the interest
in her children prevented her hearing and
seeing what took place in the street.
Some one, however, had come near and
suddenly she heard a voice saying close to
her ear:
"You have two pretty children, mail
anne"
The mother continued her song but
turned her head a woman was stanGdng
a few PAGES from her, who also had a child
which she was carrying in her armsi she
also carried a heavy bag; this wNman's
child was a little girl and was between
two and three years old. She hid on a
hood of fine linen, ribbons at her shoulders
and Nalenciennes lace in her cap; her
cheeks made one long to kiss them but
nothing could be said of her eyes except
that they were very large and that she had
long Iashes, for she was asleep. AS for
the mother she looked grave and SORROW
full and was dressed like a working girl
who was trying To be a country woman
again. She was young and pretty but had
a tired look, and her hands were rough
and covered with red spots, AID her fore
finger was hardened aud torn BY the use
OF the needle; she had on a brown, cloth
cloak, a cotton gown and heavy shoes.
Madame Thenardier was a thin, angu-
lar woman and red headed, but If any one
praised her children it pleased her, so she
looked up and thanked the other woman
and told her to sit down on the bench by
the door.
"lIy name is Madame Theuardier," she
said. "and we keep this inn and what is
your name?"
"Fantine!" and she went ON to say that
Ellt d5 a W. AlilE kll ait utT HUSBAND
was dead; she could get no work i'm
Paris and was going to seek it
elsewhere, probably in the town
where she was born. She had left Paris
that very morning on foot, and her little
girl had walked some, but not much, for
she was so young, and so she had been
obliged to carry her, and the little darling
had gone to sleep, and as she said this she
kissed her child, and she awOke. The
baby opened her large blue eyes and
looked around she slipped to the ground
with the energy OF a little creature wish
ing TO run. All at once she noticed the
other two children in their swing. She
stopped short and put ont her tongue as a
unfastened her children and took them
out of the swing, and said:
Vow run about and play all three of
you"
In a minute the little T~henardiers were
playing with the newcomer at making
holes in the ground, which was an i'm
mense pleasure 10 them all. The stranger
child was very merry she had picked up
a piece OF wood which she used as a spade
and was energetically digging a grave
large enough for a fly. The mothers went
on talking.
What's the name of your baby?"
'COsette."
"What is her age?"
Going on for three"
Just the same age as my oldest"
In the meantime the children were
grouped together in profound anxiety, for
an event had occurred. A large worm
had crept out of the ground and thew
were frightened, but still they were de-
lighted with the worm; their radiant
brows touched each other, and they looked
like three heads in a halo.
How soon children get TO know one
another" Mother Thenardier exclaimed +;
why they might be taken for three
sisters"
The word was what the other mother
had been waiting for; she seized Mother
Thenardier's hand and said: Twill youtake
care of my child for me?"
Madame Thenardier gave one of those
starts of surprise which are neither assent
or refusal. Fantine continued, "You see
j cannot take the child with me to town,
for, when / have a situation, / have no
place TO leave her. 1t was heaven that
made me pass in front of your inn; when
i saw your little ones so pretty, so clean,
so happy, it gave me a turn. / said, she
Is a kind mother, and / Know it is so /;
they will be three sisters. Then, ii shall
not be long before | come back. Won't