Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1894-09-29
ANNETTE.

Madame Xavier kept a shop Mt tbe
end OF the street. Such n tiny shon
with only one window to it, and n BIT
or counter piled high with punches
OF gay yarn and boxes of cheap fin.
sells! There was bird in a cage in
nadame'S window. He always sang
furiouSly in the early morning and n
pot of mignonette in blossom adorned
the sill
Just across the road lived the sau-
sage vender, a. little old man. who
wore wig and dressed in snuff color.
lie was early at his post every MORN
ing frying sausages, but being cruelty
afflicted with asthma, he could only
speak in loud, hoarse voice; so his
daughter, Annette very dream of
health and beauty, would stand be-
side him in her neat stuff gown and
call in voice as lusty as a chantic-
lecr:
Hot sausages! hot sausagesw
Now. diagonally across on the next
street was tall brick building used
as stOrehouse. Its lower rooms
were piled with dusty white bags full
of grain. over which the satin-coated
mice frolicked and grow fat the live
long day; but up In the peak of the
building was large garret, rented to
il poverty-stricken artist.
Here We're pictures strewn all about
the room. while in the middle of the
room stood stout easel supporting a
bare canvas. Every morning the ar
tist crept down from his lofty quar-
ters to buy hot sausages of Monsieur
Daubcau. and to cast sly glances of
intense regard at Annette, who. for
her part. kept on at her calling as If
thcle were no young men In the world.
But when he turned to go back to
his garret, then would Annette smile
and toss her head, with its white cap.
in a coquettish nod to the little
Madame across the road. saying as
much: 'Sec. l have an admirer!' and
Madame would smile back. for she
dearly loved romance. Sometimes
she would beckon to Annette, and
when the girl ran lightly across the
street the old woman would say:
"When shall the wedding be?'
"tgh!' Annette would answer.
"Could I eat paint? thrive now and
nm comfortable. Monsieur must make
fortune ere Annette wcds him.
"And he shall do it, returned the
to Monsieur
That very day when the artist pass
ed her shop with canvass we'll wrap
ped in paper under his arm. the little
FrcnchwOman called to him: Come
in." said she; "show me the picture"
Reluctantly he undid it and disclos-
ed pcnsive-faced Madonna.
"Fi done! Monsieur exclaimed
Madame 'sRnf chn hnc StpEIy lopl.
do not wonder you may not sell her:
we have enough like her. Monsieur
must paint misunderstanding gay
and cheerful, fresh. you know"
81 am too poor to hire a model"
said the artist gloomily.
"Ah. true" replied Madame; "but
suppose 1 could find model. Would
Monsieur paint?'
Perhaps"
She led the way through the tiny
shop to timer living room. There
in one corner. looking very big and
clumsy, stood an Oaken chest with
the lilies Of France carved upon it.
The old woman unfastened key
from her chatelaine and knelt before
the chest. She paused.
Monsieur must know" she said
gravely. ''long way back in France my
people were not poor. but rich. That
was before the revolution. Monsieur;
before their names were knitted iIEo
the cruel Madame's stocking. They
fell. We have always been poor
enough since. Ce cCffre contains my
great grandmere's ball gown. Mon
sieur shall sec"
She unlocked the chest and lifting
n covering Of tissue paper shook out
rich white satin gown heavily en-
broidered with pale blue fOrgct-mc-
nOts. The stomacher was thickly
sown with seed pearls and wide ruff
fles of rare old lace edged the neck.
The artist gave a cry of admiration:
"A costume of the time of Louis XVI.
How exquisite!"
Here are her slippers" continued
Madame. holding up pair of white
satin slippers adorned with tarnished
gold buckles; land these are the
gloves she wore. To think have them
vet. Monsieur. and my great grand
mere dust these 100 years! We might
have sold her toilette over and over
again. when we were hungry and cold
but we always preferred to suffer for
my grandmere's sake. Now listen.
Monsieur. Petite Annette. across the
street. you love her; I have seen so.
She has heart rs sweet as nut,
and as bonny face as ever the sun
shine Kissed. If put these robes upon
her she will look like une grandc dame
fit for MOnsieur's brush. She will he
fresh like the rose. and as beautiful
She shall be Monsieur's model and
will make his fortune"
That night then the sausage vcnder
took in his stand. Annette. free at
last, slipped across the road. and the
old Madame robed the girl in the
grand toilette, and fastened her soft
fluffy curls in knot high on her head