The morning call., 1893-03-16
AT THE WHEEL

''Violal Jeanne" said NJ Dumasin, the
foreman, there is your new fellow-work-
man. He will keep your clay moist and
make the Jumps ready for your pretty fin-
gers. and you must teach hm yourself how
II is TO be done"
The wheel stopped and Jeanne Carteret
glanced up from her task at her future help
mate. Her gray eyes had a preOccupied
look, but when they fell upon the quaint
figure standing alphabetically before ner
they forthwith danced with merrimeut
For, l0l he was none other than the
strange, pystiCal NJ. Personne - NJ. Per
sonne about whom every tongue in the
little village had been wagging for many
day and who was in himself Veritable
enigma.
For in the spTlngtime, when the world
was all young and nature laughed aloud in
sheer delight al being, there strode into the
Nttls township OF ArrancheS (Which lies, al
all the world knows, Just across the Swiss
frontier under the shadows of the Jura) a
stranger. He was very tall and thin, and
though his face WAS strangely refined and
his eyes gentle and luminous, his hair be-
meath the shabby hat was long ana un-
kempt, and his beard was ragged. His
clothes he might have exchanged with the
hrst scarecTOw to the detTment of the lat
ter. His boots were trsvsl-stained aud
worn, and he carried in his hands the atten-
uated Vaise with which land tie blessing OF
his priesD a Erenchman would start 10 the
North Pole. He had evidently walked far
and was very weary.
A strange appaTition, truly, and one
which hardly recommended itself TO mine
host Of the Three Squirrels. where, in a
SlnRulaTly soft voice, and with a bow which
would have fitted an Embassador the wan
deTeF requested q bed and some supper.
The landlord hestated; but the casual
production Of a little bag of golden louis a /
layed his apprehension and convinced him
that his guest was, after all. one of those
strange people with whom the outward evil
dences Of respectabi!iiy carry little weight.
So the enigmatical traveller found shelter.
Not for one night only, but for many
days he continued to stay at the Three
Squirrels, paying each evening the charges
tor he day, aud exciting an interest in the
little town of which he was, fortunately. in
NO wise cognizant.
Fer, curious as was his appearance, his
mode OF life was no less unconventional.
AT noon each day he emerged from the inn,
mounted the steep hillside behind the town,
and. shading his keen. dark eyes, scanned
the glarlng white roads that lay right and
left in endless perspective. Then he
would press his hand upon his forehead,
heaye a sigh of relief, and return to the
porch OF Three Squirrels. He gave no
name, hence the gossips in the village
chTistehed him NJ. Persopue; nor did he
once betray whether he was going, OF
whence be came; but his scant store OF
linen was Of an excellent texture, and his
shabby, brown, wide-awake hat bore
He talked TO few and only when
forced into conversation. His remarks upon
intellectual generalities, when, for ex-
ample, chatting with the village cure, were
brilliant and instructive, but of the subjects
In which most are interes led, contemporary
politics, literature and the like, he was
strangely Ignorant But to all alike, were
they rich oT-poor, he invariably evinced the
most exquisite courtesy, and the children of
Arraches simply worshlped him. Thus
matters went On Tor several weeks, until
the landlord of the Three Squirrels had long
since ceased to trouble his busy brain about
the mysterious NJ. PersOnne, or to doubt
that the store Of golden louis was not mex
haustible
sThis condition, however, OF beautiful
tTustfulness was doomed TO be Tudely shat
tered, for one morning M. Personne entered
the landlords little bureau, and said very
simply:
my good landlord, fear my most agree
able so1ourn is at an end. l have but 1c
louis left, and suppose l must 20 some
where else, unless-unless," he added, hest
tatingly, and looked half pathetically at the
landlords face.
But the latter did not give his luckless
guest time to state the hypothetical allerna-
tive.
''He was sdesole-completely desols. Ee
loved monsieur greatly; monsieur was
good and kind. But times were
so hard, and the communal taxes 30 high,
and the phylloxera had 50 ravaged the vine
that. in fact"
so be it, friend" said MIR. Personne.
sadly. 81 will wander forth once more with
10 noble louis in my purse and sweet recol-
lection OF the Little Arranches and the Three
S quirrels In my heart. Yet:gladly would !
stay" he continued. as he darted a quick
glance down the long road, and gave an
involuntary little shudder. 81 am very
happy. Could | not earn some money
mewhere-somehow2 an strong,
though l am so thin, and once on day
knew somethiug-at least fancy So"
The landlord shook his head. Those
white hands had never done manual labor,
aud there WAS no demand for sach intel
leciual skill as Nj. Personne no doubt pos
sessed. And yet what q customer he had
been -four francs day and always paid
at nightfaH And SO gentle and so mag
unanimous In the matter OF "extIas." 1t
were pity TO lose him.
NOW 1t so happened that on that very
evening there came to the Three SQUIRRELS
M. Damasin, the foreman of the pottery
works which form the industry in Arran.
ehes. They were poor little works
wherein was made Just simple ware in nae