The free press., 1892-03-17


else than the cuffs of Monsieur Davis, "
said Madame Hilien, severely. "ln my
country maidens do not look at young
men,"
"But, mamma, when l must look at
him every day how can | but see him!
Do not buy of him sugar and tea and
all that we have to eat?"
"If you were wise you would not be
compelled to buy food in little store
like that Listen: Monsieur, the cap
tain, has told me that if he marries he
will buy the whole house. Ah, think OF
whole house !"
"But we are comfortable in three
rooms"
"Bah! We livel But comfortable?
You have no sense, Nanette! Twice
already has the captain spoken to me.
You will lose him"
"Let him gol 1 have my work and
we have five hundred dollars in bank.
Why should marry an old horror like
that?"
''He is not horrible"
ono, you are right. He is kind and
good, and am sorry he will love me
when 1 cannot love him."
''But, why2"
Sskh, why2'' said Nan cite, struggling
her pretty shoulders. But she ran away
then and began to concoct marvellous
omelet for supper, singing In a loud,
clear voice, so that her mother could not
make her hear from where she sat in an
,nna, roop, Wbu2 Nayar word Of
love had the young grocer spoken, though
his honest eyes told his alteration; but
Nanette knew that she always had the
choice of the market set aside for her,
and there was always little overweight
of all the choicest things in her basket.
But the attentions of the captain soon
became a burden; not because of his
prosecutions, but because Madame Hill
lien became fretful and exacting on the
subject. 1t was all foolishness on
Nanette's part, and no modest girl re-
fused the husband her mother offered her,
she said.
But Nanettc had been too long in
America, though she was but twenty
two, to give up her freedom of choice
Tor any Olu FTcncn CUSTOM.
"Here girls choose their own hus-
bands" she said.
And Madame Hillen screamed:
"You would offer yourself to him?"
"Not SO bad as that, mamma, though
this is leap year." said Nanette, for 1883
was but week old.
"Leap- yearl All, you are bold
grill"
But Nanette was not bold, and her
tender heart was sore over her lovers
silence. He was her lover: Of that she was
sure; but he was poor, sc|very poor, and
needed wife to help him grow rich.
How she could help him! How she
would save in house keeping and make his
clothes last twice as long, and tidy up
the rooms the open door showed to be
so forlorn. She was true woman, this
little Nanette, longing to give loyal SER
vice where she gave loyal love. But he
would not speak.
at is already two years we have been
in the house," Nanette thought, ''and
know he loves me-"
Something wonderful happened just at
this time. There was an old uncle in
France, a closc-fsted miser, who had re-
fused often and often to help his
widowed sister by so much as pinch of
salt, and he died, leaving to Nanette a
sum that made ten thousand American
dollars.
1t fairly stunned the little milliner.
To be so rich as that, when-and here a
choking sob came into her throat-when
the man she loved had not a good coat
to his back, though he worked faithfully
to earn one. Nanette grieved over her
access of fortune as much as she rel Diced.
She shrewdly suspected the cause OF
Georges silence, and knew that this
legacy would be another bar between
them. Already her mother was talking
of moving into better neighborhood
and more commodious apartments.
The captain had offered his congratu-
lations rather ruefully apprecIating the
weight of this new phase of affairs.
81 was sure of the MOTHER" he
thought, .'but now am not SO sure.
1t was dusk when he ratified the key
in his own door, and did not see tall
figure near him, until familiar voice In
the darkness, said:
''May l leave the keys of the basement
with you, captain2"
sHey, whatG You are going aways'
"yes. ! am going away," said George