The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1894-11-18
TWO MAYORS OF BOTTITORT.
A Story from the Memoirs of a
Minister OF France.
Br. sTINLEY >. WErMAN.

h'-N tNANA AA
between Rennes and Wire; when. the Kina
having preceded me at speed under the pretcx'
Of urgency, but really that he might avoid
the prolix addresses that awaited him
In every town.. / found myself no more
minded TO suffer. Having sacrificed my
ease, therefore,, In two ~ the more
important places. and come within az many
stages Of vItrt. I determined also on n Holt.
day. Accordingly. directing my baggage and
the numerous escort and suite that attended me
to the full tale Of four-scoro horscs-to keep
the high road, I struck myself into a byway. in
tending to sock hospitality for the night a. a
house OF VI. de Lavals: and on the second even
Ing to render myself with grace TO tho culogia
and tedious mercies NJ the Vitr6 townsfolk.
kept with me only La Font and two servants.
The day was fine and the air brisk: the country
open. aftordinR many distant prospects which
the sun rendered cheerful. We rode for some
time, therefore, with the gayety Of schoolboys
released from their tasks, and dining at noon in
the lee OF one of the great bouldcrs that there dot
the plain, took pleasure In applying to the life of
course every evil cpithct that came to mind.
For a time a%fterward we rode as checrfully but
about 3 in the afternoon the sky became over
cast, and almost at tho same moment we dis
covered that we had strRyed from the track.
The country in that district resembles the more
western parts Of Brittany, in consisting Of huge
tracts OF Dog ana moorlahu streWh with rocks
anu covered win gorse; "hich present. cheer-
tnl aspect IN sunshine nut are savage and bar
rem to q degree when viewed through sheets of
rain or under a sombro sky.
Tho position there was not without It's dis
comforts. I had taken care To choose q servant
VINO was FAMILIAR with the country. but his
A"o"'uso seemcu no" NJ iHuit' however,
unuer nus oireo'ion we retraceo our steps, but
etill "itnou. regainine the ROAD; ana as a small
raih presently began 10 ran ana the DAY 10 de-
slime the landscape which In the morning had
nNunteu y "uo ana rugged beauty changed
" oro"n ana ureary waste set mere
u 'nere WIN shost-,ke stones. once
as,,ay OF TINS We round our path oeset
WIN siousns ana morasses' among which we
saw every prospect OF passing the night. when
Ia ront ospieo a. a little Instance a wind-sWept
"ooo thae' cio'hing 10" shoulder OF the moor.
Pronh'sou ieass = chanse anu sheiter. we
a .o"aru anu oi'coVereo not only al that
VIZ haa eApecteo 10 Sec Out a pain ana a guide.
ia''er was a. much surprised 10 see US as
we 10 see ner' ior when we came upon her she
was strung on the bank beside the path weeping
bitterly. oh nearing u.s. however, she sprang
up ana discovered the form@of a young girl,
pare ioot ana oereheaded' wearing only a short
rugged irock OF homespun' nevertheless, her
ace was neitner Stupid nor uncomely; and
'houRh' AZ the hrst alarm, supposing us to be
either roooersor hoogooiins-ot which last the
people OF tnat country arc peculiarly fearful
she made as II she would escape across the
moor. she stopped as soon as she heard my
voice. asked her gently where we were.
Al trst she did not understand, but the servant
VINO nan played thc guide 80 III. speaking to her
III the patois or the country, she answered that
we were near 81. brieuc, a hamlet not far from
bottitort, and considerably on our road. Asked
no" Tar IL was 10 bottitort, she wv be-
tween TWO ana three leagues, and an Indifferent
Rooo ROAD.
we could r,de tho distance In q couple OF
hours ana tnerc remained almost as much day
iisht. But the horses were tired, 80 resigning
imyselt 10 the prospect or some discomfort I
Asked her II there was an Inn at 81. Brieuc.
A poor place Tor your honors." she answered,
staring at us In innocent wonder. the forgotten
Tears not dry on her cheeks.
Never mind; take US to It. ! answered.
she turned 1.-THE word and tripped on before
us. l babe the servant ask her. as we went, why
she had been crying, and learned through him
that she had been to her uncle's two leagues
sway TO borrow money Tor her mother; that the
uncle would not lend II, and that now they
DO turned out OF their housei that her
father was dead, and that her mother kept the
and owed the money for meal aud cider.
At least, abe says that she does not owe It"
the man corrected himself, Tor her father paid
usuai at corpus Christi; but after his death
d. "raoot said that he had not paid. and"
NJ draoot y said. Who 10 hef'
The Mayor OF bottitort."
Inc cEeditor''
Yes"
And how much Is owing 7" l asked.
Nothing, she says"
But how much does he say
Twenty crowns"
Doubtless some will view my conduct on this
occasion with surprise, and wonder why I
troubled myself with inquiries 40 minute upon
! matter SO mean. But these do not consider
hat Ministers are the Kings eyes. and that in q
state no class Is 30 unimportant that 1t can DO
,afely overlooked. Moreover, as the settlement
tha anancaa wa. An. N, r. oht.o,a 80
- "Ns !. INV ooJe''e ""y
.tay IN those p~arts-andl seldom had the oppor-
unity OF checking the statements made to mo
Nv tbs ,srmars and Ie..aes n, The ,axa. ,har.
t' Ae'' '"ei
'e''ers' gatherers' anu IN a"ord, allthe corrupt
lass that lmparts such views OF a province as