Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1895-03-27

81 think it would please him." Ant
then, seeing that he was looking al
them wonderingly, she went toward
him, saying:
"M. Boinville, you have already
oeen 80 kind to us that am going to
ask of you another favor. 1t is late,
and you have q long way to go-we
should be SO glad if you would stay
here and taste our tot-fait -shouldn'
we, Chandelier"
Certainly" said the girl, s'but NJ
Boinville will have q plain dinner. and
besides he is. no doubt, expected al
home"
.'No one is waiting for me-" an
swered the gentleman, thinking of his
usual dull, solitary meals in the restau'
rant. II have no engagement, but
he hesitated, looked at Claudette'l
smiling eyes, and suddenly exclaimed
81 accept with pleasure.
"That is right!" said the old lady.
briskly. "What did tell you, Clau.
dettep Quick, my pet, set the table
while go back to my tot-fait."
The girl had already opened the
press and taken out striped table
cloth and three napkins, and in the
twinkling of an eye the table was
ready. Then she lighted candle and
went down stairs, while the old dame
sat down with her lap full of chest.
nuts, which she proceeded to crack
and place upon the stove.
els not that bright, lively girl o.
she said. "She is my consolation; she
cheers me like q linnet on an old
root"
Hele the speaker ratified the chest.
nuts on the stove and then Claudette
reappeared, and the little woman went
and brought in the potee and set it,
steaming and fragrant, on the table.
Seated between the octo2enarian
and the artless, smiling girl and in the
midst of half rural surroundings, which
constantly recalled the memory of his
youth, Hubert Boinville, the Deputy
Governor, did honor to the potee.
His grave, cold manner thawed out
rapidly, and he conversed familiarly
with his new friends, returning the
gay sallies of Claudette and shouting
/ with merriment at the sound of the
patois words and phrases which the old
lady used.
From time to time the widow would
rise and go to attend to her cookery,
and at last she returned triumphant,
bringing in an iron baking dish, in
which rose the gently swelling, golden
brown tot-fait, smelling of orange
flower water.
Tbop copo tho roocfo5 nh oct npfu IN
their brown, crisped shells.
When Claudette had cleared the
table the grandmother took up her
knitting mechanically and sat near the
stove, chatting gayly at first. hut she
| now yielded to the combined effects oi
the warmth and fell asleep. Claudette
put the lamp on the table, and she
and the visitor were left to entertain
each other. The girl, sprightly and
light-hearted, did nearly all the talk
ing.
When he returned to his gloomy
bachelor apartment those eyes went
before him, and seemed to laug'
merrily as he stirred his dull fire, al
then he thought again of the dinner
in the cheerful room, of the fire blaz-
ing up gayly in the delft stove, and OF
the young girls merry prattle, which
had temporarily resuscitated tn.
sensation of his twenty-irst year.
More than once he went to the mirror
and looked gloomily at his gray
streaked beard, thought of his loveless
youth and of his increasing years, and
said with La Fontaine:
''Have passed the time for Low.
ing"
Then he would be seized with q sort
Of tender homesickness which filled
him with dismay and made him regret
that he had never married.
One cloudy afternoon towards the
end of December the solemn usher
opened the door and announced:
"Mme. Blouet, SIR"
Boinville rose eagerly to greet his
visitor, and inquired, with a slight
blush, for her granddaughter.
''She is very we'll, sir, was the an.
swer, land your visit brought her luck
she received an appointment yesterday
in q atelegraph Office. I could not thinl
of leaving Paris without again thank
ing you sir, for your kindness to us. u
Boinville's heart sank.
"You are to leave Paris; is this POSI-
zion in the provinces?"
"Yes, in the Vesges. OF course,
shall go with Claudette: am ovel
eighty years old, and cannot hav,
much longer to live; We shall never
part in this world"
"Do you go soon?"
'.In January. Good-by, sir; yor
have been very kind to us, and Clau
dette begged me thank you in he'
1ame."
The Deputy Governor was thunder
struck, and he answered only in mono
syllahles, and when the good woman
had left him he sat motionless for I
long time with head in his hands.
That night he slept badly, and the
next day was very taciturn with hi
employees.
Towards 8 o'clock he brushed hi
hat, left the Office and jumped into I
cab that was passing, and half an houl
later he hurried through the marke
garden of II Pue de Ia Sante ant
knocked tremblingly at Nine. Bloueti
door. Claudette answered the knock
and on seeing the Deputy Governor sh'
started and blushed.
Grandmother is out" she said,
"'but she will soon be home, and sh'
will be so glad to see you"
ST have come to see, not your grand
mother, but yourself, Mile. Claudette,
he returned.
''Me !" she exclaimed, anxiously, ana
he repeated:
eyes. you," in an abrupt tone, ant
then his throat seemed to close and b.
could hardly speak.
"You are going away next month";
he asked at last.
The girl nodded assent.
''Are you sorry to leave Parish"
Eyes, indeed, I am. It grieves m
to think of it but, then, this position