The Lebanon express. (Lebanon, Linn County, Or.) 1887-1898, 1893-05-12
JEANS LETTER.

Six years old; breeches broken at the
knees: hair blond. curly, so rich and
thick it would have coitfed the heads Of
two pretty ladies; two great blue eyes
that still tried TO smile little, though !
they had cried so much; jacket well
cut but falling to rags; girls shoe on
one foot, boys boot ON the other, both
shoe and boot too wide and too long,
turned ut the toe and lacking in heels
behind--this was Jean
Little Jean. 30 cold and hungry this
winter evening, who had eaten nothing |
since noon OF the day before. and who
had finally decided to write to the yir--
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
Grus-C Gallon, at the corner Of the avenue
not far from the Esplanade there, was
shop, in the days tell Of, Of public
writer, for in those days also there were
10 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 TINT 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 80 today he
entered fearlessly with a civil
"Good-day, monsieur. have come,
II you please, for you to write me a 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-
htely;
"Then excuse mel" and he turned to
reopen the door
But, pleased with his manners, Pere
BONN stopped him
"Stay!" said he; tell me first little
one, il you are the son Of soldier"
"Oh, mol" said Jean, ''only mamma''
son, and she's all alone.
"a see, said the writer, "ahd yor
have not the ten sous"
"No, no sous ut all, said Jean.
''Nor thy mother either, It's plain tc
be- seenl And thy letter, little one-i
it to make the soup come"
ayes" said Jean. exactly
Advance, then, Ten lines on hal
sheet. One is never too poor for thatF
And Pere Bonin spread out his paper
dipped his pen in the ink, and wrote a
the top of the page, in the beautiful
hand Of the quartermaster that once h
had been;
PARis, Jan. II, lSS--,
Then line lower:
To Monsieur
swell, go on" said he, "how do 70
call him, babyS'
"Who?" demanded Jean.
"Parbeul the gentleman"
"What gentleman monsieur
"The one to make the soup come"
Jean this time comprehended.
"But it isn't a gentleman" said he.
@Ahl bahl a lady, thenT
"Yes--no-that is"--
aName of names! midget" " Pere Bon
cried, don't you know whom you a
going to write letter tor
"Oh, yesl" said the child.
"Out with it, then, quickl ! cal
wait all day" kNFAtN = 3
But little Jeansstood all red and co
fused. The fact is, it is not as easy as
looks to address ones self to pub
writers for correspondences Of this kin
but Jean was brave and presently Q
swered softly; ssass III
at Ia to the Holy Virgin that ] vi
to send a letter. a VII R
Father Bouin did not laugh, not ats
he simply wiped and laid aside his ?
and took hiapipe from his month.
"See you, midget" said he severe
"a don't want to believe that you me
On old man: besides, you are too sm
for me to tfoupce. Face about; mar
Out you gol"J
Little Jean obeyed and wonderinl
turned heel, or foot rather, since heel
had none; and, seeing him SO submissi
Pere BONN second time reconslde
and regarded him more closely
s'Name Of names, Of names" gry
bled he, "but there is misery in
Parisl What doyoucall yourself, bah
"Jean."
4Jeau what"