Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1893-07-08
FELlCITE DUFFY.

she was my uext-door neighbOr-a
dark-skinned, sallow-eyed little French
woman. She took" to me- h"-ause
sang French songs and propitiated me
by gifts OF parsley and herbs.
There was only an apology Of fence
between our homes from my sitting
room window could see right into her
kitcheR She had the cleaneSt floor
and there was always pot of soup on
her little stove. Such delicious odors
came from under that pot lid! Felicite
said she put a little of everything in
her soup, and / believe she did-eof
everything NIGEL" She had garden
in which vegetables and flowers fra
ternized charmingly; its beds were
bordered by oyster shells. All along
the fence that separated her yard from
mine there was a hedge of Gala lilies;
twice week she handed me over
huge bunch of these lilies She 'hand-
ed me" other things. too-coobies for
the children made in the shape of stars
aud hearts. French cookies they
called them, "uut like ours"
And over the fence She gradually
took me into her confidence. She was
married 10 Il soft-hearted freshman.
whose only fault was that he was good
for nothing and liked his glass
little too well. As Felieite explained
il;
He is trop amiable-he can not no
say to any man, He tell me, tear, in
ewes. dat he win nebbed 90 to the
Tiyoli once again have no faith!
/ know he gol He can no help Ell"
Twice a week Felicite worked al She
Alameda French laundry; the rest Of
the time she was busy at home. She
did everything One day ! saw her
mount ladder aud mend her roof
another time she actually put q coat
OF paint on her little house. spoke
my disapproyal of this.
Ma fois, madame" she exclaimed,
with shiug of the shoulders, al FAINT,
lie bon Dieu make the back TO the
burden. why not the legs, roo?'
Alameda is a great temperance town.
Oae evening Felicite went to q TEN.
perance lecture. The next day she
| told me She was going to break will
yam" from drinking. She didn't tell
me how she was going TO doit, but
/ wished her eodspeed The morning
following She beckoned me to tbs
renee.
q must make da-de mon panyre
Will-y-am las night, she said. when
he came home ! say:
~Mon cher, do you want some
beer2
"Now Yer talkin', no say
"'Well, here's some, | say.
He talk de pitcher; he no knows
have put into it ten drops OF sg-rop
ipecac. All, but he wuz seek, yes 20
seek that | got skeert! say:
"Aion pauvre ami, it is because you
get oId-you must let the drink go'
You mus tax only a little red wines
nothing else."
Two days later her husband wenton
such spree
IN OF try any longer to max MN
quit; he no can help it. He IS tToP
amiable" Felicite declared mourn
fully
She was a devoted wife. No man IN
Alameda wore a whittier shirt on sun
day. Her home was as sweet y
could be, and Will-y-am's embonpoInl,
proclaimed the fact that he was wen
fed. | never heard her say cross
word to him. Altogether he was
most fortunate man.
One Wednesday morning, las' ~
Felicite was about to start Tor Il'e
laundry she called me to the fence,
There were dark rings around neL
eyes and and her lips tremhled as sA9
! spoke. N
"Wiu-y-am did not come home all
night He nebber stay all ni9u'
before. Something is sure happen Y
him"
comforted her Her eyes begged
me to. I suggested all manner Of rev
sons for her lords absence, a.. "
which she was ready to believe.
lie was not to any OF ll
| old places" she said "He must Y
90 to Oakland? l 20 down 2 y
in Alameda. They say he net zee.
there! must 90 to the laundrie; ~.
YOU when you see Nill-y-am CON.
tell him to come down to the laol
| drie.a
promised. but no Will-y-am cane
home that day, For several days Y.
watched and cried for him; then =.
| got angry and said harsh things a'o-'
him, things | know she did not mse,
When Wednesday came again she e1..
ed me
You see tax oil my rose from II.
bonnet feel Will-y-am TO be a.sas
| If some one come and tel me 'Madsla.
monsieur. votre mari est mort =