The Portland daily press., 1895-10-17
P'TITE LOUISON.

The five brothers lived with Loulsont
three miles from Pontiac, and Meoalllon
came to know them Rsst through having
sold them at an auction slice OF an ad'
ioining farm He had been invited to
their home. intimacy hae grown, and aft
'erWard. having a severe illness, ne hao
been taker into the household and kept
there till he was well again. The night OF
his arrival Louison, the sister, stood w1th
brother on either hand, Octave and Flo
rian, and received him with courtesy more
stately than usual, an expression of the re-
serve and modesty of her single state
This maidenly dignity gas at all times
shielded by the five brothers, who treated
her with constant and reverential cour-
tesy. There was something signally sug
esstive in their homage, and Medallion con-
cluded al last that it was paid not only to
the sister, but to something that gave her
great Importance in their eyes,
He puzzled long and finally decided that
JIouison had romance. There was some
thing in the way they said tite Loui-
son." in the way they avoided all gossip re-
garding marriages and marriage feasting,
in the Yay they deferred to her on ques-
ton of etiquette in married life-as, for
instance should the eldest child be given
the family name of the wife or Christian
name from her husbands S family-which
suggested it. And P'tite Louison's opin-
ion was accepted instantly as final, with
triumphant and satisfied mods on the part
of all the brothers, and with whispers of
aHow cleyerl How adorable! Such beau
typ
P'tite Louison affected never to hear
these remarks, but looked complacently
straight before her, stirring the spoon In
her cup, or benignly passed the breai and
butter She was quite aware OF the ado
ration in which she was held, and she grace
fully accepted the fact that she was an OBJ
ject of interest.
Medallion had not the heart to laugh at
the homage of the brothers, nor at the out
landish sister, for, though she was angular
and sallow and thin, and her hands were
large and red, there was something deep
in her eyes, curious quality in her car
riage which commanded respect. She had
ruled these brothers, had been worshiped
by them for nearly half century, and the
romance they had kept alive had produced
a grotesque sort of truth and beauty in the
ad1niring tite Louisou, an affection
ate name for her greatness, like "the Lit
tie Corporal" for Napoleon. She was not
little either, but about the middle height,
and her hair was we'll streaked with gray.
Her manner toward Medallion was no.
marked by any affectation. She was
friendly in kind, impersonal way. much
as a nurse cares for patient, and she nev-
er relaxed a sort of old fashioned courtesy,
i,hL trVi n Sncb
close quarters, were 1t not for the real sim
plioity of the life and the spirit and light
ness of their race. One night Florian-
there were Florian and Octave and Felix
and Isidore and Emile-the eldest, drew
him aside from the others, and they walk
ed together by the river. Florian's air sug-
gested confidence and mystery, and soon,
with a voice Of hushed suggestion, he told
Medallion the romance of P'tite Louison-
And each Of the brothers at different times
during the next two weeks did the same,
differing scarcely at all in details or choice
of phrase OF meaning, and not at all in
general facts and essentials. But each, as
he ended, made different exclamation.
"Viola! SO sad, SO wonderful! She keeps
the ripg-dear P'tite Louison!' said Flo
rian, the eldest.
"Alors! she gives him legacy in her
will-sweet P'tite Louison," said Octave.
"Maisl the governor and the cardinal
admire her-P'tite Louison!" said Felix,
nodding confidently at Medallion.
"Bien you should see the linen and the
petticoats!" said Isidore, the humorous
one of the family "He was great-she
was an angel-P' tite Louison joliP'
"Attends! what loyel what history!
what passion-the perfect P tite LouisonP'
cried Emile, the youngest, the most senti-
mental ''Ah, Moliere!' he added as if
calling on the master to rise and sing the
glories Of this daughter of romance. Isl
dore's tale was after this fashion:
al YER well remember the first Of it,
and the last of it-who can tell? He was
an actor-ah, so droll, that. Tall, ver'
smart, and be play IN theater at Montreal.
It is in the winter. P'tite Louison visit
Montreal She walk past the theater and
as she go by she slip on the snow and fall.
Out from a door with jomp come M sieu
Hadrian, and pick her up. And when he
sec the pretty face of P'tite Louison, his
ewes go all fire and he clasp her hand to
his breast.
~ Ma6emoiselle! Mademoisellep he say,
'Wo must meet again!'
'sShe thank him and hurry away quick.
Next day she is skating, and she try to do
tie dance of the Blue Fox upon the ice.
While she do it, sorno one come up swift
and catch her hand and say, 'Mademoi-
selle let's do it together that. It