The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1891-01-24


modestly, an angelic SIN lie upon her lips
and though she was at least 30 years oil,
the stamp of virgin purity was upon he
brow. AS her fingers touched those o
! Pierre a tremor passed over her, a mo
mentary fash of Joy lighted his face, an,
then they parted without exchanging
| word
/ felt sure that it was her shadow hat
seen the night before on the white curtain
| behind the roses, and that evening, whel
the tide was rising, | stroRed out to SCI
! the fishermen embark. Pierre walked
! little in front of me, and when he passed
! the cottage at the end of the street fresh
/ " plucked rose fiuttered from the window
and fell at his feet.
He picked it up and hid it inside hi
| jacket.
When reached the shore the boats haC
Just left their moorings, Pierre had takeI
his place, but his eyes were fixed upor
that little cottage, and from the rose EN-
powered window a white keruhief floateC
until the feet was ont of sight
Evidently there was a tale connected
with these two young people, end was al
curiosity to hear it. / knew that could
easily do SO by questioning the villagers
especially the women folk, but preferred x
wait and ask Pierre himself.
In few weeks he and had become great
friends, and ore day went out in his boat
to see the fishing. Night came on, and the
sailors went to the cabin to sleep until the
breeze should spring up and give the sig
nal for letting down the nets. Myriads Of
stars were shining brightly in the clea,
sky. Sea and sails were motion less, and
the silence was unhroken. Pierre and
were sitting together IN the bows, and
seized the opportunity of asking him the
reason Of his settled sadness. In reply be
told me his story as follows:
1t is hardly necessary for me to tell you
that Marie and love each other If you
ask when our love began / can only say
that God put it into cur hea rts when we
were born, and made it grow with our
growth. As little children we were always
together-our first smiles an tears, our
first sorrows and our first joys, all were in
common. We even seemed TO know each
Others thoughts, and the old people of the
village said that we had but one soul be
tween us When was old enough to go
to sea my pretty Mariette was inconsolable
until | came home, and she used to wade
out TO meet me till the water nearly reached
To her waist and then | wou Id put her on
my shoulder and carry Der TO the beach.
We were very happy; why could we not be
children forever?
In the winter time we were always to-
gether, and when our early childhood was
passed we used to join the village dances.
Oh, what merry rounds we would make
together, and when the dance WAS over
how joyously we went honse hand in hand
through the moonlighted NJ eadows. What
plans we made, what loving promises
what hopes were ours, what dreams!
When we were old enough people began
20 talk about our being married, but we
paid no heed to them.
"What would be the use,' we said; 1--WE
are very happy as we are, and nothing can
make us loveeac other better than we do. -
Marie had her mother but | was an or
phan, and my brother, Cesaire, had
brought me up and been father to me.
1t was he and the good cure who urged
my marriage, and at last pro posed it to
Marie's mother. Jeanne was pauch richer
than we were, and Marie was her only
child: yet the good widow, notwithstand-
ing, accepted me as son-in-law.
"They were made for each other" she
said.
So one fine day we were betrothed l
took holiday, of course, aad wanted my
brother TO do the same, but his wife,
Cesarine, insisted that he should 20 to sea
as usual Some of the neighbors blamed
her for that, but it was only just that she
should think of her little children They
must be fed; their father was poor and
could not afford to lose a days work The
morning had been very bright, but toward
night "A few clouds gathered over the sea.
Marie and | did not notice them, for we
were so happy. We and the other young
people were dancing, when suddenly a
flash of lightning startled us; then there
was peal of thunder, and the EeXt min
ute we heard cries for help.
We rushed to the beach and saw Cesaire's
boa, upon the rocks. What storm that
was! Never has such a terrible one been
known upon this coast.
| did all / could. Three times | dashed
into the water with a rope, and at last was
thrown unconscious on 1he sand. But |
did not die, alas! and when l regained my
senses / saw my beloved brother lying
near me, breathing his last.
Pierre" he gasped, ''be a brother TO nv
wife and n father to my children
Il will never leave them, Cesaire | swear
itp' was my reply. And so he died in
peace.
The preparations for the wedding were
stopped at once, and Marie and / exclaimed
in one breath, I'VE can wait" | kissed
my brothers children. clasped their moth
er's hand, and felt that there was COM
pact between US Just as binding as if all
-, -, l, !, Il
Six months passed. and people began to
ask when Marie and were TO be married:
out something, / do not know what it was,
seemed TO have sealed my lips. / could not
speak of the matter to any one, and at last
the widow Jeanne herself broke the ice
Have you adopted your brothers chill
dreng' she asked me, and / answered
Yes"
And his wife as well. PierTe?"
YES, his wife as well
REALLY adopted them all, forever"
Eyes, forever, mother Jeanne"
you mean that you VIII never leave
Them she persisted, and with my heart
turning cold | said:
Il cannot leave them; I promised my
brother
There was a long silence, and then she
went on:
Listen, Pierre! I am perfectly willing
that you give Cesarine d share Of your
earnings. a. much As you like | am not
thinking of the money at all; it is not that.
But know your sisterin-law As well as
you 90, and viii not consent to let my
Marie live with her, or to have Cessrine
come 10 my house to live. Never
saw gulf opening as the old woman
spoke, for l knew she was right. I could
not ask Marie to hive with my siSter-in-law
II knew Cesarine too well.
II do not forbid the TasrnaCe." said
Jeanne. "but l tell you the conditions
What do you say"