Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1894-09-20
ANNETTE.

ANNETTE.
Madame Xavier kept a shop at the
emf of the street Such a tinv shon,
with only one window to it, and q hit
of a counter piled high with punches
of gay yarn and boxes of cheap tin
sells! There was a bird in a cage in
Madame's window. He always sang
furiously in the early morning and a
pot of mignonette in blossom adorned
the sill.
Just across the road lived the sausage
Vender, little old man. who wore a
wig and dressed in snuff color.
He was early at his post every morn
Ing frying sausages. but being cruelty
afflicted with asthma he could only
speak in a loud, horse voice: so his
daughter, Annette, a very dream of
health and beauty. would stand beside
him in her neat stuff gown and call in
voice as lusty as a chanticleer:
Hot sausages! hot sausagesr'
Now, diagonally across on the next
street was a tall brick building used
as storehouse. It's lower rooms were
piled with dusty white bags full of
grain, over which the satin-coated
mice frolicked and grew fat the live
long day; but UP in the peak of the
building was a large garnet, rented to
a poverty-stricken artist
Here were pictures strewn all about
the room. while in the middle of the
room stood a stout easel supporting a
bare canvas. Every morning the artist
crept down from his lofty quarters to
buy hot sausages of Monsieur Daubeau
and to cast sly chances of intense re
gard at Annette. who. for her part,
kept on at her calling as if there were
no young men in the world.
But when he returned to 90 back to
his garrett then would Annette smile
and toss her head, with its white cap,
in a cOQuettisn nod to the little Ma
dame across the road, saying as much
-"See. I have an admirerr' and Ma
dame would smile back, for she dearly
loved a romance Sometimes she would
beckon to Annette, and when the girl
Idn lightly dCIoSS IDc SIlttI Illt olt
woman would say:
'When shall the wedding he?
"UghH' Annette would answer.
Gould [ eat paint? I thrive now and
am comfortable. Monsieur must make
his fortune ere Annette weds him."
and he shall do it." returned the
little Madame; II will myself speak to
Monsieur
That very day when the artist passed
her shop with a canvas well wrapped
in paper under his arm, the little
Frenchwoman called to him: Come
in," said she; "show me the picture. y
Reluctantly he undid it and dis
closed a pensive-faced Madonna.
Eli done; Monsieur" exclaimed
Madame But she has a sickly look
do not wonder you may not sell her
we have enough like her. Monsieur
must paint Notwithstanding gay
and cheerful, fresh, you know"
II am too poor to hire a model
said the artist, gloomily.
"Ah, true" replied Madame; "bu
oupDOSS IOu1u hIh a A1iONNA" w ~o4N
Monsieur paint?'
Perhaps"
She led the way through the tiny
shop to a timer living room. There
in one corner looking very big ant
old woman unfastened key from he
, chatelaine and knelt before the chest.
She paused.
Monsieur must know" she saiC
graveIy, long way back in France m!
people were not poor, but rich. Tina
was before the revolution, Monsieur
before their names were knitted int
! the cruel Madame's stocking. The!
fell. We have always been poo
enough since. Ce coffre contains m!
great grandmere's ball gown. Mon
sieur shall sees
She unlocked the chest and lifting {
/ covering of tissue paper shook out
rich white satin gown heavily EN-
broidered with pale blue forget-me
nots. The stomacher was thickly
sown with seed pearls, and wide ruftie'
| of rare old lace edged the neck.
The artist gave a cry Of admiration
"a costume of the time Of Louis XVI
| How exquisiter'
Here are her slippers" continued
Madame, holding up a pair of white
satin slippers adorned with furnished
| gold buckles; "and these are the gloves
she wore. To think 1 have them yet
! Monsieur, and my great grandmert
| dust these 100 years! We might have
sold her toilette over and over again
when we were hungry and cold, bu1
we always preferred to suffer for my
gra' ,Gmere's sake. Now listen, Mon
sieur. Petite Annette, across the street
you love her; I have seen so. She has
| a heart as sweet as nut, and as
| bonny a face as ever the sunshine
kissed. If put these robes upon hel
| she will look like une grande dame fiji
for Monsieur's brush. She will be
fresh like the rose and as beautiful