Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1891-09-28
FOR MARSE CIl0UCH0UTE

IAN now, young man. wat you want
10 remember Is this-an take It fer yo
motor no monkcyshinca with Uncle
sain. You UNDERSTAND You aware now
O tho penalties attached to monkey.
fhinin with Uncle sam. reckon that's
bout all 20, 10 say; 20 you DO on han
rromp tomorrow mornin at o'clocl, to
take charge o tho United States mail.
bag
This formed the close Of a very poinp-
Gus address delivered by the postmaster
Of Ccntcryillo to young Armand Yer.
Ghetto. who had been appointed to carry
the mails from the village TO tho rail.
way station, three miles away
Armnnd--or Chouchoutc. a. every ono
choso to call him. following tho habit 81
The crcolcs In giving niclsnames-had
listened little inpnticully
Not 40 tho little negro boy who accom-
panied him. The child had listened with
the deepest respect and awe TO every
word Of tho rambling admonition.
slow much you gwine git. Mafse
ChouchoutolT lao asked. Us they walked
down tho village street together, tho
black boy littlo behind. lilo was very
black. aud slightly dcformcd. a small
boy, scarcely reaching TO tho shoulder Of
his companion. whose cast of garments
he wore.
But Chouchoute was tall for his six.
teen years. aud carried himself well.
IVY. I'm goin To git thirty dolla' a
month, Wash. Wat you say 20 thntg
Beta an hoeln cotton. ant it, 10
laughed, with triumphant ring in his
voice.
But Wash did not laugh. lilo was too
much Impressed by tho importance Of
this new function. too much bewildercd
by the vision OF sudden wealth which
thirty dollars month meant 10 his I'm.
dcutandlng.
lie felt, too, deeply conscious Of tho
great weight OF responsibility which this
new oflco brought with II, The impos.
Ing salary had confirmed tho impression
left by the poitmastor's words.
you gwino GIT all dat money! sakcsl
Wat you reckon Maine Armand aayi 1
know she gwino mos, take q fit wen fhe
Lsah dat"
But Chouehouto's mother did not
mos take III" when tho heard OF her
sons good fortune. Tho white and
wasted hand which rested upon tho boys
black curls trcmblcd little, II ia true,
hnd tears OF emotion came into her tired
eyes. This step seemed 10 her tho be-
ginning OF better things for her father.
ieAs boy.
They lived quite NJ tho end OF this III.
tlo French village. which was simply
two long rows Of very old frame houses,
facing one another closely across a dusty
roadway
Their home was n cottage, 10 small
md 30 humble that II just escaped tho
reproach Of being u cabin.
Every one was kind 10 Mime. Armand.
Ndghbors ran In OF mornings TO hclp
hor with her work-shocould do so little
for herself. Aud often tho good priest,
pere Antoine, came to sit with her and
talk innocent gossip.
To nay that Wash was fond Of Nine.
Armand and her son IA 10 DO poor IN
language to express devotion. Ho wor.
shipped her rs II EhO were already al
angel Ia Paradise.
Chouchoute was q delightful young
fellow; no one could help loving him
His heart WIS aa warm and CHEEKY as hil
own southernsunbeams II he was borr
with IN unlucky trick Of forgetfulness-
or, better. thoughtlessness- Que ovel
lelt much like blaming him for it, X
much did II seem a part Of his happy
careless nature. And why was tha
faithful watchdog, Wash, always Al
Marse Chouchoute's heels, II 1t were moi
10 bo hands and ears and eyes TO him
more thnn half the timer
One beautiful spring night Chou
ehoute, on his way to tho station, WA
riding along tho road that skir.od ia,
river The clumsy mail bag that Ia,
before him across tho pony was almos
empty, for the Centoryille mail was |
ineagrr aud unimportant one at best.
But he did not know this, lilo wa
not thinnng Of the mail. in facts he WA
oFly feeling that life was very agreeabl
Ills delicious spring night.
Thero were cabins nc intervals upol
the road-most Of them darkoned, 70
the hour was late, As no Rpproache
one Of these larger than the othera, h
heard She sound OF n fiddle, aud say
lights through the openings OF tho house
It was no far from the road that whe
be stopped his horse and peered throng
the darkness he o.uld not recognize ia
dangers who pa,ssl before tho ODE