Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1894-01-27
tune, and then the renown,' He
paused and glared round the room.
"Would monsieur read IL amin .

asked one voice, family.
Monsieur did not read 80 much as
shout It again.
Five hundred francs for the most
beautiful and natural design Of the
edelweiss Nothing conventional al
lowed IN the competition. The prize
j. offered by wealthy American whq
desires to take back souvenir Of tn.
high Alps to his country
Monsieur thre W aside the paper as he
cried passionntely;
And you say you have never seen
the edelweiss growing, that You know
not where to find it. Whence do Won
suppose | wrought that design anl
that, pointing with trembling hands
to the models copied by his pupils
year after year. II searched until l
found my edelweiss True, it is not
plentiful in this region, but it grows
amongst the rocks below the glacier
Yonder.'
He pointed TO tho mountain above
the village, sighed, turned abruptly
from tho window, and sat down at his
desk. The old man was very angry.
Here was chance to Increase the fame
of bis workshop. But there was no
spirit in the youths before him. He
looked from. one to another, with
almost pathetic longing to see some
spark of genius in the faces. But All
were bent over their work, quito con
t"nt to copy with exquisite SKILL the
beautiful designs he had made from
ten to fifty years .. Now his old
hands had quite lost their cunning
though his brain was as clear as ever
jacques stood behind his master
His usually downcast eyes were mp
raised md shining 4 daring thought
had come to the boys mind. Dead.
encd by his own injuries, his brain vet
found strong impetus in the sympathy
which filed his generous heart. He
felt in some occult manner that mon
sieur WAS suffering acutely, and to suf.
fering Jacques's soul was keen'y re-
spoDslve.
II will do it." he said TO himself,
81 can carve ] can invent" His mouth
closed firmly. His flashing eyes were
bent on monsienr's bowed head. When
the master turned, he met this intense
gaze, which combined the look of
faithful dog with intelligent apd dnr
ing sympathy.
The old mans eyes filled as he mo-
toned the lad away Was it come to
this. that he should be pitiel hv this
duh soul?
jacques went ont into thc sunshine
like one in di cam, upiiftel from the
earth by wings whose powers hc cnrce
recalled to the present by rude de-
mands on his services By the time
he reached his lair nbo,, the goa: 5
shed, it was past the sunset hour, and
the aftcrglow WIS snrendinc from the
base to the snow peaks of the Ober
land
jacques Sought III the semi darkness
Of the loft for wooden box. with
which h crept down the ladder t. the
hight Here beside old Nnnnette. the
goat, he sat Mt ease. gloatinr over tn.
treasures which he held forth one bv
pne Nnnnette herself had often heen
his model. Again the familiar flowers
and leaves had served his purpose
Not pupil in the workshop Of mon.
sieur could have imnrovel these work.
by touch.
jacques knew It. He had listened
too often 70 the lectures nF the mnste:
good and bad work His insnectio,
Of his designs seemed t. give him
courage as his gaze rested on the al
ing glow which .insei the rocks by III.
| glacier.
| 81 will d. il. monsieur" sa;i ha
| aloud
Night wes falling wnen he set on
| for the heights. The moon had no
We, risen above the rocky spurs Of III.
mountain. for the valley was narro-
and deep. The air VAS chilled br {
wind that swept from the eternal snow
OF the glacier through the ragged gar
lnen's of jacques Bu, hope thrille,
bis heart to .adu-> physical d.scon
fort, The last lisa. from toe v.I.a-,
disappeared IS the boy climbed bevo.,
| the intervening trees Hours az,
| hours be must toll inward tova-,; ~,