The morning call., 1893-10-15
THE TRADING BOAT.
A Test of True Love and Its Result.

were at last 70 be reunited. "Yesi always
the same reason. | will not marry any
man who does nothing with himself all
the day long and every day but lounge
Garden" corrected Octave. ''the st.
Denys rose garden. Be at least just,
Ceeile."
And sing-.hough you sing well. oc-
II only warble accompaniments to Ce-
cile Joubert's songs" muttered Octave
humbly.
"And fish and smoke cigarettes, and ride
about the country with pack of hounds
at his horses heelsl The old times have
and trif1e dramatically; ''a man has no
right to be idle like that; no right! He
should be standing shoulder to shoulder
with the worlds workers. He should"
'Bnt, Cecie," demonstrated Octave
lightly, and apparently unimpressed by
this very magnificent theory. with which,
it is true, he was already tolerably famil-
lar, ''the good Uncle Joseph-Marie-"
'Oh. the good UNCLE" she interrupted.
scornfully, "I'd rather be-Michel Bares
on the tradin' boat, If / were a man. than
to be dependent on an uncle, or a father
or a wifei"
a flush rose TO the young mans dark
cUeek, huu l6 hastily To HIS l6bl.
"Oh, OctaVe! she cried In dlSmay. She
had for a moment forgotten the personal
nature of the discussion; as for her own
vast fortune, she had habit of not rene en-
bering that at all. please forgive me, /
did not intend TO be $3.50 rude. But at
the American school where / have been.
you know. they have such different ideas
from"
"Oh, yes, 1 know" he growled, with
savage imprecation under his breath ad-
dressed TO American schools in general.
and this particular pension where Ceclle
had imbibed her democratic not to say
communistic opinions.
Never mind, Ceciie," he added. with
sudden return TO his ordinary light and
airy tone. II have my answer, true; but
we are still frirnds?"
''Why, of course" she assented. sur
prised. and il must be admitted. secretly
little wounded by his ready acquescense
in her decision. Hitherto he had pleaded
his suit with passionate warmt h, and, al
ter each final and emphatic No, he had
gone off declaring gayly that he would re-
turn again-and again-and again. until be
should at last have conquered. All, well,
he had eome-and gODe-a good many
times already and if he had at last
learned wisdom. so much the better for
him, she thought as she sat on the steps
in tie moonlight and listened 10 his light
with Uncle Marcellus and Iante. Tante,
rocking softly to and fro in her low chair,
was happily yet unaware that Ferme aux
Ifs and Bord du Bols. divided more than
half century ago by the peryersepess of
a foolish young woman, were likely, by
the perVerseneSS OF an0lher, 10 remain
aSunder.
The next morning NJ. Paul Jouberts
huge old family carriage came lum beriDg
up the lane and stopped with great -four
ish at The front steps. Out bundled C0us-
ins Laure and Jeanne, bag, baggage and
bonue. For whole week. Cecile!" they
cried, in the midst OF the joyous clatter
that welcomed them. And oh. do hurry
up with the rose leaves for Tante's spice
jars, and get dressed. The tradin' boat is
at the landing"
An hour or so later the three girls, FOL-
lowed by Valentine, Cecilr's high tur-
baned, mahogany y-colored bonDe. came
tfatterlDg IL, into Iante,s morning,room;
Their coOl-lOOking White gowns were belted
with dainty ribbons about their slim, young
waists; wide straw hats shaded their fresh
young faces.
What did Tante want from the trading
boat aud what could they bring Uncle
Marcellus? thev demanded with many airy
gestures and brd-lke caresses.
Uncle Marcellus would like some per-
ique tnba CO. Tante>s list was not long
Que, and included spices and PEPPER, and
cotton thread, aud a paper of tarks. soma
jeans for Angellque's twin pickaninnies,
garden hoe and watering-pot.
1t was a good mile and more down to the
river, but a soft breeze came in from the
mosS-huDg swamp at the back of the piau-
taIioD, and tile way lay along the wide
pleasant lane that ran between ST. Denys
and Ferme aux Ifs. The Cherokee rose
hedges on either side were all white with
long slim buds and big-peialed blossoms,
"A hQ do fri
odOrous with the tiny purple and yellow
balls of the sensitive plant
Already" exclaimed Jeanne when they
came to the first low ylne-hHng cabin of
the struggling little village under the
high levee. Here they encountered an ac-
quaintance. He tooE off his slouch hat at
sight Of them and stopped, grinding fool
ishiy.
Michel Bares, slight, dark, and rather
good-lOoking young fellow, muttered
something in the soft Cajan patois about
having had a frisson, and his maman was
going 10 make him tisane of geranium
leaves.
Il do not believe word you say, Mi
chel," interrupted Cecile; THAT is what
you said the last lime when you stopped
off and got drunk and beat your vile, and
Captain Taryer had TO come himself and
fetch you back TO the boat"
Michel explained that Captain Tarver
naQ got q new cleTk Oh DOdTQ, II an
himself he was It'd han wanted to res
awhile"
You are not telling me the truth,
Michel" said his monitress inexora bly,,
land mind, l shall certainly tell Father
Kenyon ii you behave as you did the last
time"
Michel took his scolding In very good
part, and looked after them with cunning
smile as they walked on toward the land
ing.
The river was low, and they had to pick
their way carefully down the steep side of
The levee. A noisy crowd, mostly of
negroes, stood aside to let them pass, and
returned their greetings with loud and re-
spectfui salutatations.
gs A wide gangplank led from the slippery
bluff to the tradin'- boat. The tradin'-bOat
was a small sidewheel steamboat with a
single deck. at the front end of which was
constructed a cabin with a low fiat roof.
This was surmounied by tiny pilot-house
and served as the floating store. The
snug space behind the cabin was occupied
by rusty engine and a couple Of dilapi-
dated pumps The rear deck contained a
smoke-stained tent, behind whose scanty
flaps a bed, a cooking-stoye and deal
table piled with dishes were more or less
visible
Above the wide doorway which gave
l.