The morning call., 1893-03-16

man and foTesaw possibilities Of greatness
| in the Arranches pottery.
| The little town had already been dis
covered by the globe-trottng English,
| whittier they sought shelter from the
| scOrchDg heat of Geneva; and wherever
! English people go they buy things. The
| clay of the district was singulRrly good.
| And, lastly, NJ Damasin had discovered
that be possessed among his work people
| one true artist, whose exquisite skill, re-
| cOgn.Zed by himself alone, vas at present
wasted. but who could be depended upon
ts rise TO her opportunities. This girl.
! Jeanne Car;eret, had for the last two
| years thrown" most of the pottery
! In the Arranches wOrks-that is to say,
| hers WAS the task Of molding the
| lump of wet clay as it lay upon
! the potter's wheel into the cup. saucer,
| ever, or Whatever was being made-a deli
cate art, truly, and one for which the poor
| peasant girl was rarely gifted. Her con-
| troll over the plastic mass as it whirled up
| ward on the revolving disc was complete.
| the manipulation of her fingers most deX-
| ferrous; above all, her sense OF form was
| pOetical and true. The command in the
| works Of labor was vet limited. and hitherto
| Jeanne Carteret had herself appOrtiOned the
| Jumps of clay ready TO be cast on the
| potter's wheel For the future this
! was to be changed, and she was
| to apply herself entirely to the one branch
| of art for which she, though but a poor
| peasant, was so exceptionally endowed.
| To find an assistant, however, was no easy
task. The knack of forming the lump to
suit the intended article. so that he oven be
not eDcumbered with superfiuous clay, was
an intuitiye faculty granted to few-cer-
tainly not easily 10 be discovered among
rOugh-hGnded oUvTiers; so, al least, said NJ.
Damasn to select audience that evening
at the Three Squirrels, as he disclosed TO
their wondering ears his cherished scheme.
But his officially was the landlords op-
pOriunty. Why not give the mysterious
NJ. PeTso onEe a chance? He was clearly
man of education and refinement. His
hands were strong and 1.-THE. he was an
honest man and was not such fool as he
looked-and-he desired immediate en-
ployment.
N. Damasin was astonished at the pro-
posal. He liked not nlys sterous strangers.
But then, alter all, WOrkman's value de-
pended on his skill, not his anteeedents,
and the more he turned il over the more
reasonable did the proposal appear. aud so
eventually he decided to grant the cadav-
erous stranger a trial. Thus was il that
the wandering scholar and the simple peas
ant girl sat side by side at the potter's
wheel.
"Ard now, monsieur" said Jeanne, on
the very first mornng Of his education,
what am 1 TO call theeP"
The stranger started, placed his hand
across bis forehead, and thought. Then
his brow grew dark and his eyes troubled,
and he said: "Ab, mademoiselle, what you
will 1t is all SO strange-so strange"
Then" said Jeanne with a merry laugh.
Il shall call you what the children don.
Personne"
DO they call me that?" he replied, with
sad little laugh. IN. Personne; it is
well, then. l fancy l was once some one,
but nOw-well-I am-nobo
And now, NJ. Nobody. you must do Just
what tell you, and l will teach thee how
to make Jumps of clay, which is beautiful
art in itself-at least, SO N. Damasin says,'s
and Jeanne stole look at NJ. Pefsoune"
bewildered face, and laughed again.
And he. when he saw her sweet pquant
face and merry smile, also laughed, Ia ugh
so soft and musical that Jeanne wOnd dered
thereat, as do they who hear for the first
time very sweet melody.
And forthwith she taught him the rudi-
ments Of his trade the consistency at
which he was TO constantly keep the clay,
and the approximate size of the Jumps for
each particular vessel; aud SO apt did be
become under her gentle tutelage, and so
nicely DID his long white hands sdjudge
the weight Of clay, that. many day Jeanne
had done her allotted task while yet
the sun was high in the heavens.
And then, when as much of the
rough ware had been thrown as could
be baked and glazed, she would bring forth
the beautiful designs of ETuscan vases and
Pompeiian lamps, which NJ. Damasin had
brought her from Paris, and work till clos
ing time for sheer love of art And the
hluuIN udAuicu ulduhktT udHCe eu Win &c
stacy as the beautiful form grew into shape
round the long, prehensile fingers. and the
graceful neck flew upward from the out
ward compression, or a dexterous lit
tie tap made the soft-lipped mouth.
Moreover, he had ever kind word
mans blouse so belied his gentleness
of speech, and whose labor was ever un-
grudgngly prUffered. Then In the eventide
Nj. PersonDe would escort his wOrkmate to
Hor hF.gau and tUa
bow would betake himself to the little
garret which the good-natuTed landlord of
the Three Squirrels had placed at his dis
posal.
mon deu," cried Jeanne to her friends.
but he is drolll When be hands me the
clay he does it like a grand duke, and his
bows! and his bon sOir, mademoiselle; ;
may the angels protect theeP All, had /
not to work, work. work, l could laugh all
day."
But the day came when Jeanne no longer
laughed. For, CHANGING TO ask him some
trlflng question about vase, he began to
tell her many strange things of that world
OF art Of which she was SO ignorant, and vet
with true artistic instinct craved to know.
And then again how strange was his
method OF imDarting this delightful knowl-
edge!-that in itself was interesting For
sometimes lie would talk with freedom OF
beautiful things lie had seen in Rome or
Florence, and then suddenly he Yould
"
pressing his hand on bis forehead, and then
relapse into silence. That lie had travelled
much, she could see; but much of what he
related was vague and inconsequent. and
yet SO absorbing ! So no longer did JEAN
ME laugh at him and make mock of him in
the workrOom; but, rather, when all around
were jesting, she would strive to draw out
the treasures OF that capTicious inexpli-
cable mind. His courtesy, too, so out of
place in the rough workroom, no longer
moved her merriment. but became sweet
compartment CT her life, and the hours
he sat beside the potter's wheel a tender
interlude in her sordid surroundings.
Above all. she felt that beautiful protective
sense that great-natured women, however
lowly born, feel for those who are weak or
suffering.
AND so 1t happened that when summer
changed to autumn, and the shadows on the
hillside grew daily shorter, and the leaves
fell apace, Jeanne began to feel strange
aching VOID when the ragged NJ. Personne
was away. and sweet calm when he was
by her side.
Thou, too, wilt be the grande duchesse,
petite, said the other girls. "Ahl take
care, Jeanne; lovers who come from no.
| where"
| And Jeanne would blush. and make light
| VI lhelr Jesting and la her own tender heart
| choIished her simple secret.
would he ever knowP thought she. Ah,
no, sne was but poor peasant girl, and he
| was surely great gentleman. for ALI his
| ragged clothes. And so every day abe
bent over her wheel, and beside her on his
! settee sat the man she had grown to love.
But one morning he did not come. The
hours passed. and the clay remained un-
formed; and at last the strange news ar
rived that. the night before, two men hid
gone to the Three Squirrels and carried
away with them Nj. Personne. The landlord
would tell nothing. But the good foIk of