Fairhaven herald. [volume] (Fairhaven, Wash.) 1890-????, 1893-01-11
LOVE AND STARS.

When / watched the flock upon the Luz
boron remained whole weeks without see
ing a living soul, alone in the pasturage
with my dog, Labri and my sheep. From
time TO time the hermit OF Mont de PUre
passed there 20 look for medical herbs, or
saw the black face Of some Piedmont collier;
but they were simple souls, silent by dlnt
Of solitude, having lost the taste for talk
ing and knowing nothing Of what was said
down in the villages and towns.
Hence every two weeks when | heard
upon the ascending highway the bells Of
our farm mule bringing me my provisions
for the coming fortnight, and saw grad
ually appear from below the lively coun-
tenance Of the little farm boy OF the red
locks of old Aunt Norade, was indeed de-
lighted. | made the visitor tell me the
news Of the country at the foot OF the
mountain-the baptisms, the marriages.
but that which interested me most OF all
was what had happened to my masters
daughter, our DemOiselle Stephanette, the
prettiest girl for ten leagues around.
Without appearing 10 be too much bent
upon acquiring this knowledge ! gathered
information as to whether she went great
deal to parties and evening assemblies;
whether new admirers were still throng-
ing about her, and should you ask me
what good those details could do me, a
poor shepherd Of the mountain, / will re-
ply that was twenty years old, and that
Stephanette was in my eyes the hand
soonest creature on the face OF Gods earth.
Now, one Sunday when | was waiting
for my provisions, IL 30 CHANGED that they
did not arrive until very late. In the morn
ing said TO myself 1T is the fault Of the
high mass" Then toward noon q heavy
storm came on, and thought that the mule
had been unable TO set out because OF the
bad condition Of the road. At last, about
O'Clock in the afternoon, the sky having
cleared and the mountain being all OF a
glitter with water and sunlight, heard
amid the droppings from the leaves and
the OVERLOOKING Of the swollen brooks the
bells OF the mule, ~ gay and brisk a
grand church chime on Easter day.
But il was neither the little farm boy
nor old Aunt Norade who was urging the
animal along. IL was-gueas whof Our
demoiselle, my friends-our demoiselle her
self, seated right between the osier baskets,
all rosy with the mountain air and the cool
ness brought On by the storm.
The little farm boy was sick. Aunt No
rade was absent on a holiday visit TO her
children. Pretty Stephanette told me all
this as she sprang down from her mule,
and also that she was late 10 arriving be
cause she had lost her way. But TO see her
,oflnely dressed, with her Powered ribbons,
her brilliant skirts and her lace, she had
rather the air Of having fingered at some
dance than Of having sought for her road
among the bushes.
Oh, the delicious creaturel Ny eyes could
not grow weary Of gazing at her 1t istrue
that I had never seen her so near. Some
times during the winter, when the flock had
zone down into the plain and / had re-
turned in the evening 10 the farmhouse to
sup, she passed briskly through the hall,
without talking much TO the servants, al
ways bedecked and a trifie naughty. Now
Ihad her there before me, for myself alone.
Was il not enough TO turn my headt
When she had taken the provisions from
the basket Stephanette began TO look curl
ously around her Raising little her Sun
day skirt, that might otherwise have be-
come stained with mud, she entered the
fold. She wished 20 see the corner where
slept, the pile Of straw that was my bed,
my sheepskin covering, my big cape hung
against the wall, my crook and my flint
lock gun. All this amused her.
$50 il is here you live, is it, my poor
,hepberdp said she, with a heavenly
smile. How tired you must get Of always
being alone What do you dor What do
you think about"
/ had a strong desire TO reply, About
you, mistress" and should have told the
truth, but my confusion was 70 great that
could not find a single word. Think she
noticed this, and that the mischievous
creature took pleasure in redoubling my
embarrassment with her roguery.
and your sweetheart, shepherdF con
tinued she. docs she climb up here ~
see you sometimes; Surely she must be
the Golden Goat or the Fairy Esterelle,
who skips only over the SUBMITS OF the
mountains" And she herself as she spoke
thus to me had the very air Of the Fairy
Esterelle, with her lovely head thrown
back, the pearly laughter ripping from
her cherry lips and her haste TO depart
that made her visit seem like adazzlinR
vision.
"Adieu, shepherd
"Adieu, mistress"
And she was gone, bearing away with
her the empty baskets.
When the descending road hid her from
sight IL seemed 70 me that the stones roll
ib1 beneath the shoes Of the mule were
falling one by one upon my heart. heard
them long, long time, and until the Close
Of the day was like one wrapped In
syeet slurnber, fearing 70 stir lest might
drive away my dream.
Toward evening, a. the depths OF the
valley began 10 grow blue and a. the sheet
huddled together, bleatiDg 70 return toth'
fold. heard some one call me down th'
road and saw reappear our demoiselle, nc
tonger smiling a. ] had seen her shofl