The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1893-10-26

-cftement. A fresh bush adorned the door,
and the signboard with its announce
ment that .'lci on vend le Bon Vim" had
been decorated with a green wreath; the
courtyard had been swept till not
grain of dust appeared; the little tables
aud the benches under the tilleuls on the
side facing the house had been scrubbed
to spotless whfteness, while Pierre, the
old head waiter, who had grown gray in
the service of M. Dumont, hustled about
experimenting the proceedings of his
subordinates who were carrying the wine
out of the cave, the entrance to which, as
is usual in such places. is at the side of
the house door.
sDepechez donAsmes enfants, nothing
viii ever be ready if you go on at this
rate. Hurry now and get these things
out of the way. Where do you think
people are to dance by and by if the
place is Numbered up like thisr'
Turning sharp round on one of the
walters coming out of the cave with q
basket of wine:
: What are you doing there. Louis?
Here, give me thatr'
please, sir, I'm doing nothing, sirl'
"Nothingl just so, nothing, but that's
not what you are here for. Here you,
Francois! Louis, put that plank there;
now put the barrel on it-so; that will do.
Garry those bottles into tha house and
then go into the garden and get tFa :Nsz-
quets ready. Hurry now; M. dermenil
o,Hd A1Io N1o,roo<;po xyi11 1,n horo l,oRo,>o
we know where we are"
Just then NJ. Dumont. followed by
Charles, came out of the house.
NJ. Dumont wore his usual serene and
benevolent expression, but the young
mans face was sad and troubled.
= well, PIERRE" said M. Dumont,
..how are our preparations getting onf
You must bestir yourselves"
"Don't be afraid. not bourgeois. will
answer Ior everything, though indeed
If / were not here to look after these lazy
fellows the guests would come and find
nothing ready"
Well, well, Pierre, rely on you and
have given you full powers. All say is,
don't spare anything; let there be plenty
of everything; above all, wine. Nothing
like that to make the violins throw off a
lively measure, and want nothing here
today but love and pleasure En-
Charles, what do you say?"
''I'll be bound he agrees with that,
said Pierre.
"Deari dear! TO :hiizsss that you were a
little baby in arms when I knew you
first, and here you are going to be mar
ried and have babies of your own for old
Pierre to nurse"
Charles heaved deep sigh.
''Saperlottel What a sighl And you
just about to be married to the girl Of
your heart-and such facet Why, you
look as melancholy as if you had been
drawn in the conscription this morning.
What's the matter, NJ. Charles?"
Nothing, my good Pierre, nothing"
"Why, PIERRE" said M. Dumont, sit
is quite natural the lad should feel a lit
tie serious at the thought of all the re-
sponsibility he is taking on himself"
''Of course. of course-only !
thought
''It seems to me-" said NJ. Dumont, in
terrupting him, that you are chatter
ing here instead of seeing after what has
to be DONE"
''Quite true. patron. So III be off. It
would never do not to be ready when
the company arrives"
As soon as Pierre had disappeared in
doors M. Dumont passed his arm afsec.
tionately through Charles, and they
walked up and down the courtyard,
the younger man with gloomy, abstract
ed air. while the elder watched him with
an expression of kindly affection.
"Come, come, MY boy, cheer up lit
tie. This will never do. What will
Clementine think if she finds you with
such long face on the eve of your we'd
ding day?''
"sMy wedding dayr But will it be in
deed my wedding day? When M. Ger
menil learns this fatal secret, will he still
be willing to give me his daughter?
That is the question l ask myself over
and over, and dread to think what the
answer may be-
"My poor Charles! would have kept
this knowledge from you if it had been
possible. But it is necessary that both
you and Germenil should know it."
81 know, know. It is not only nec-
essary he should be told, but it is right
and honest. l would not so deceive
him. even to become Clementines hus-
band"
ssYou will be her husband, my boy, in
spite of all So cheer up. Germenil is