The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1892-08-24
PERE LIE BONHEURs.

PERE LIE BONHEURs.
If he had another name the neigh
bors did not remember it. What they
did remember was that he had suffered
deep griefs and forsaken them to make
others happy. He was dwarfed and
ugly, with long, brown face scanned
with fine lines like dried fig. But
the kind heart shining in his, pleas
ant smile made up for the hoolSea nose
and beetling brows. Beside, Eere LIE
Bonheur had no critics; only loving
friends.
He lived in little one-story, hump
backed house on Dumaine street, in
the French quarter, and kept books for
a sugar house on the levee, whittier he
had piled his way along the same
streets for twenty-five years until the
families in his daily route were in
timately acquainted with his tiny fig
ure in its worn but neatly brushed
suit of mourning. As he shuff1ed by
with peculiar step, punctuated with
his cane, people indoors recognized
and greeted it with "There goes Pere;
God bless him for good mani"
His charities were only suspected.
ENGu {a0dlIC6s b40 GCo O1l wv
man who kept his small house and scold-
ed him affectionately for his ru1nous
extravaganza, did not dream of the
bounties that poured from his slender
purse. And yet, there was always
enough at the years end.
Tonight is Christmas Eye and Rere
is home from the Office.
Agalice has built a good ightwood
fire, which flames against the scarlet
table cover and makes the sitting-room
CHEEKY. But the old man himself is
not gay. He moves restlessly in his
handsome morocco chair, the postum
nous gift of rich friend, ga souvenir
of the tired heart his visits had so Oft
en- relieved" However, change of
position brings no comfort. At last,
rising and lighting a candle on the ta-
BILE, he passes with it across the hall,
through his bedroom into the little
one beyond. Here he gazes long at
the bed half hid by pretty white cur
tains, at the low dressing table with
it's fat pincushion and small mirror
propped against the wall, at the cor
ner filed with all sorts of play things.
1t is child's room and Pere handles
the small objects with q love almost
reverential, Signing deeply, he opens
a drawer and searches until he finds
a pair of stockings, when he returns
sadly to the sitting-room. Hanging
them on the nails driven in the wood
ed mantel for the purpose, "les clous
! de Noel" as his absent darling had
named them so many years ago, he
| takes some packages from his pocket
and begins to fill the gaping legs and
limp feet, trying to prolong his task
by doing and undoing it half dozer
times, as if to arrange the bundles
| more to his satisfaction. But it il
quite finished at last and Pere sits
down, burying his face in his empty
arms. How it all comes back to him
that Christmas eve twelve years ago
1t was raining, and he had changed
his wet shoes and coat for slippers and
a short jacket. The fire was burning
then as now and Minet, the big NAL
tese, was pQrring on his cushion neal
the hearth and blinking conttdentiallJ
at the two apples that Agalice had put
to roast before the blaze. Papa wa:
content that night and leaned his head
against one long, bony hand to shielo
his eyes from the light. Perhaps h'
fell asleep-he always thought no
himself when Agalice. dragging {
large basket, burst into the room be
fore he had yet heard the bell ring.
"Wake up, Monsieur, wake up! Her
is some wine for your present." sh
cried, all excitement.
He started from his chair nervously
and was longer than usual finding hi
glasses for this sudden interruption
There it was truly, a basket tied wit
a rope and labeled with torn piec
of paper. "a Christmas present TO
Pere LIE Bonheur, the best man Go
ever made" But for the name h
would have disclaimed the right c
the gift, so great was his humility, bu
while he still pondered the messag
n Aealice had raised the lid. The frs
thing she saw was a fine white shaw
Removing this, she paled with SUI
prise.
"My stars, monseiur!" she ejacul:
ted, lapsing into English because e
erything uncommon was happenin!
"They have mex big misteg! 1t
the 'Foundlings' at the corner the
J look after! 1t is child, leetel bel
in the wine case?"
Pere peered over his glasses at tt
wee form cuddled among the bits
y clothes for its wardrobe. As he gaze
i tiny white casket with waxen trea
ure, the one pale bloom of his sho
7 married life, floated before his blurrt
evesight and he kneeled beside th
Z rough cradle, clasping the baby finge
while the tears believed the lit
II face. 1t was the Alteration of t
l,, rrn
of grief, sacrifice and lovei
D Agalice had kept up her idle chs
n ier.
) "Monsieur, shall I take it to t
Foundlings'?o she asked the thi
time for her master seemed deaf.
@No, Agaliee, mol" he answered. ge
3 tly. "One dares not thrust out
: Christ child who knocks on Christm
eve!"
So little Christa was born in /
heart. She grew there, loving, al
beautiful. Morning and evening $
= leaned from Agalice' s arms to kiss hi
= over the low wicket gate. treHised wi
: rhineusporum and fapked with t
pink oTeanders How he remember
the wave of the tiny hand as he i
and the COO of delight at his retul
He could yet hear her first call
.'Pere" and see the pretty head tuck
& under AgaHce's chin in modest prl
= at such an accomplishment. All, ht
sweet was all that baby past! A
Yes, even that sad day whom he learn
beyond doubt that his Christ-ch
{ would never be like other children
Returning home late one spri
EeTening, Pere found traces OF tears