Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1891-07-16
JEANS LETTER.


one foot, a boys boot on the other, both
shoe and boot too wide and too long
turned at the toe and lacking in heels
behind-this was Jean.
Little Jean, so cold and hungry this
winter evening, who had eaten nothing
since noon of the day before, and whe
had finally decided to write to the Vir-
gin. And how, say you, did Jean, who
no more knew how to write than he
knew how to read, arrange this letter?
Listen, for it is that which am going
to tell you.
Below there, in the quarter of the
Gros-C Gallon, at the corner of the avenue
not far from the Esplanade, there was a
shop, in the days tell Of, of public
writer, for in those days also there were
so many claims and petitions to be made
to the government and so many people,
like Jean. that did not know how to
write.
And the writer that kept this shop was
an old soldier far on in years, brave
man buta little testy, who was anything
but rich and had the additional misfor-
tune of not being sufficiently chopped to
pieces to secure admission to the Hotel
des Invalides.
Jean, without prying at all, had many
times seen him through the dingy glasses
of his little cubby hole smoking his pipe
and awaiting customers, and SO today he
entered fearlessly with a civil
"Good-day, monsieur. I have come,
if you please, for you to write me let
ter"
"Ten sous, little one," Pere BONN re-
sponded, gazing over his spectacles at
the midget before him.
Jean had no cap, and was therefore
unable to lift it, but he said very po-
itely:
ssThen excuse mel" and he turned to
reopen the door.
But, pleased with his manners, Pere
Bonin stopped him
''Stayt" said he; ''tell me first, little
one, if you are the son of soldier"
sob, no." said Jean, 'sonly mammals
son, and she's all alone.''
81 see," said the writer, land you
have not the ten sous?'
'sNo, no sous at all, said Jean.
"Nor thy mother either, 'tis plain to
be seenl And thy letter, little one-is
it to make the soup Gomez?
EYES," said Jean. EXACTLY
Advance, then. Tta lines on half
sheet. One is never too poor for thatr'
And Pere BONN spread out his paper,
dipped his pen in the ink, and wrote at
the top of the pages in the beautiful
hand of the quartermaster that once he
had been:
Then a line lower:
To Monsieur
"Well, 60 on said he. chow do you
call him, baby"
''Who? demanded Jean.
"Parbleu! the gentleman"
"What gentleman, monsieur
''The one to make the soup come"
Jean this time comprehended.
But it isn't gentleman" said he.
"Ah! bah! a lady, then?'
-no-that isl
"Name of namesi midget" " Pere Bonin
cried, don't you know whom you are
going to write letter to?"
'.Oh, yesm said the child.
"Out with it. then. quickl l can't
wait all day!'
But little Jean stood all red and con
fused. The fact is, it is not as easy as it
looks to address ones self to public
writers for correspondence of this kind,
but Jean was brave and presently an
swered softly:
SIT is to the Holy Virgin that | wish
to send letter"
Father Bonin did not laugh, not at all;
he simply wiped and laid aside his pen
and took his pipe from his mouth.
''See you. midget" said he severely,
81 don't want to believe that you mock
an old man; besides, you are too small
for me to trounce. Face about: march!
Out you go."
Little Jean obeyed and wonderingly
turned heel, or foot rather, since heel he
had none; and, seeing him SO submissive,
Pere Bonin second time reconsidered
and regarded him more closely.
''Name of names, Of namesr grum-
bled he, "but there is misery in this
Paris! What do you call yourself, baby"
"Jean."
'sJean WHAT"
'Nothing-just Jean"
Pere Bonin felt his eyes sting, but he
only said:
"And what do you wish to say to the
Holy Virgin
"To tell her that mammals been asleep
since four o'clock yesterday, and that /
can't wake her up"
The heart of the old soldier suddenly
stood still. He feared to comprehend.
He demanded again:
"But that soup you spoke Of while
ago?"
Eyes" said the child, II know had
to speak Of it, you see. because mamma
before going to sleep yesterday gave me
the last piece of bread"
"And what did she eat, pray?"
Nothing for more than two days-she
always said she wasn't hungry"
And you.tried to wake her, say you
how?''
"As always do-kissing her."
did she breathe?n
Jean smiled, and that smile made him
beautiful.
II don't know" said he. Don't we
always breathe?"
Pere Bonin had to hastily turn his
head, for two big tears were rolling
down his cheeks, and his reply to the
child was another question:
"And when you kissed her." said he,
"you noticed nothing stranger
Eyes, | did," said Jean; sshow cold
she was; but then it's always so cold in
our house"
shivered with the coldfv
mo, she was just cold, but SO pretty,
her hands crossed SO, her head back and
her ewes looking at the sky"