Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1893-07-27
handsome brow. he hungz mar aside.
ln..4.TfT L

handsome brow. he flung mar aside.
"1ngatel" he cried storruzly.
Fhnchette kissed him sadly and crept
away. Just at that momentshe longed
for the starlighted land, the coins that
Father Badeau threw to the poor turkey
driver and the curses of Mother Hugot
with heartsickness that terrified her.
She newer mentioned Jacques name
again. She stole from her home one
nightiat the hour OF l2. She paused be-
yond in thecorridor and gave oneglance
behind at the luxury wrapped nest she
had quilted. She saw the gilded panels,
shining mirrors refecting painted cell
ings hung in roses with frieze of Gu
pids, soft, rich carpets and lace hung
bed where dreams of Jacques had cir
cled round her drowsy head.
She saw her tiny satin shoes, subtly
suggestive of 1ndolence and with
to1ch of personality seeming to cling
about them still IS they lay discarded on
the white fur rug before the scented fire.
Her glance wandered to an open chest
of antique wood hard by, heaped up with
the choicest treasures of the milliner's
art. Here fan coquetted with an opera
cloak, there dainty ball gown spread
its aimsy founces over Partisan bonnet
laden with purple violets.
She dropped tear, she burst into
sob. Her woman's heart cried out after
all this luxury. Her better nature whis-
pered Jacques name into her ear. The
tear became as rainbow touched by
her smile. She turned and fed, crying.
"The world is well lost for love, my
Jacques! Iccmel comel"
In the old familiar trysting spot at
last, waiting for her lover, she echoed
those words. She crouched down and
kissed the turf and the star eyed mar
guerites and laughed to herself softly
and gleefully.
She heard his step at last. She arose
with a new shyness born Of her fresh
beauty and her solemn joy.
"Jacques!'
"What, Fanchettei Youl What Fan
chette in the rags of the turkey girlP' he
stammered.
"Oh, yes, Jacques, yesi The turkey
girl, Fanchette, whom you love. Not
the lady Fanchette ever again! 1 am
yours, Jacqses, yours!"
He dropped his hat from his hand. His
rugged face paled and his lips quivered.
She thought his joy unnamed him.
He put both hands over his face and
stood so, abashed before her dewy eyes.
She brushed his hands with her red lips
and whispered to him:
''Look up. my Jacquesl Surely you
will speak to your own Fanchettep Oh,
tie, friend Jacques, tears for joy, for
sooth! Methinks that is worthy of a
woman. What! Will you not look at
me? They say that am greatly changed
"a beauty, Jacques, your little Fan.
chette! Are you not glad?" ...
She was sobbing and laughing and
clinging to him, the moon showing her
dimples, and her soft, quivering lips,
and her new great beauty to him in a
maddening way. Her hair fell around
him, her warm arms were laid upon his
shoulders, she was leaning against him,
delicious in her womanly gladness. But
he did not touch her after the first invol-
untary caress. He dropped upon one
knee at her feet and laid his face against
her hand.
Their star on high looked down upon
them benignly.
"Look, Jacques, look-our star! Do
not kneel to me, my own Jacques, do
not, prayl See. it is smiling at us-it
is happy, too. The year is past, is past,
Jacques, let US thank the good God to-
gether. But first will you not kiss mep
Am to sue for it, then? Dear friend,
do not give way thus. I am here, close
beside you, Jacques. will never. never
leave you now, love. unless you bid me
go?"
81 bid you CO."
The voice was hoarse, agonized with
deathly anguish in its modulations.
Jacques"
~ am married."
He caught her, held her to him as her
eyes closed and cursed himself.
"Fanchette, Fanchette, look up and
listen! Ny God, hate myself mar
ried Rosamond Cartier six months ago.
Thought you would not come back.
Father influenced me-
"Don'tw Fanchette said.
She seemed more beautiful than ever
when she stood up again. But Jaques
could not bear to look at her.
She slipped away from him over the
grass toward Mother Hugot's house.
"Come to our house, Fanchette," he
pleaded