Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1895-06-13
LITTLE FRENCH MARY.
BY SARAH ORNE .JEWErr.

Aue tOWn OF Dulham was not used to
seeing foreigners of any sort, or to
hearing their voices in its streets, SO
that it was in some sense a matter of
public interest when Canadian fam
lily was reported to have come to the
white house by the bridge. This
house, small and 1ow-storied, with a
bushy little garden in front, had been
standing empty several months. Usual
ly when a house was left tenantless in
Duiham it remained so and fell into
decay, and. after some years, the Gin
namon rose bushes struggled into the
cellar and the dutiful grass grew over
the mound that covered the chimney
bricks Dulham was a quiet place,
where the population dwindled stead
lily, though such citizens as remained
had more and more reason to think it
as pleasant as any country town in
the world.
Some of the old men who met
every Gay to talk o-er the town affairs
We're much interested in the new
Corners. They approved the course of
the strengthening young Canadian
laborer. who had been quick to seize
upon his opportunity; one or two of
LA1CiA1 iA<ASt oil W
their gardens and to do odd jobs, and
were pleased with his quickness and
willingness. He had come afoot one
day from neighboring town, where
he and his wife had been made i'll by
bad drainage and factory work, and
saw the little house, and asked the
postmaster If there was any work to
be had out of doors that spring in Dull
ham Being assured of his prospects,
he reappeared with his pale, bright
eyed wife and little daughter the very
next day but one This startling
promptness had given time for but few
persons to hear the news of a new
neigh Dor. and as one after another
came over the bridge and along the
road there were many questions asked.
The house seemed to have new life
looking out of it's small-paned win
dows; there were clean white curtains.
and china dogs on the window si1ls.
and blue smoke in the chimney-the
spring sun was shining in at the wide
open door
There was chilly east wind on an
April day, and the elderly men were
gathered inside the post Office, which
was also the chief grocery and dry
goods store Each was in his favorite
armchair, and there was the excuse of
a morning fire in the box stove to make
them form again into the close group
that was usually broken up at the ap-
proach of summer weather. Old Capt.
Weathers was talking about Alexis,
the newcomer they did not try to pro-
nounce his last namel, and was saying
for the third or fourth time that the
more work you set for the Frenchman
the better pleased he seemed to be.
"Helped 'em to lay a carpet yesterday
at our house, neat as wax" said the
captain. with approval Made the
garden in the front yard SO it hasn't
looked SO well for years We're all GO
in to find him very handy; he'll have
plenty to do among US all summer
Seems to know what you want the
minute you pint, for he can't make on.
very we'll with his English 1 used to
be able to talk considerable French in
my early days when 1 sailed from
southern ports to Havre and Bordeaux,
but don't seem to recall it now very
we'll He'd have made a smart snilor,
Alexis would; quick an willing"
They say Canada French amt spoke
the same anyway" began the captain S
devoted friend, Mr.. Ezra Spooner, by
way of assurance, when the store door
opened and a bright little figure stood
looking in. All the gray-headed men
turned that way, and every one of them
smiled.
Come right in, dear said the kind
hearted old captain
They saw a charming little creature
about six years old, who smiled back
again from under her neat bit of a hat;
she wore pink dress that made her look
still more like a flower. and she said:
bon jour" prettily to the gentlemen
as she passed. Henry Staples. the store
keeper and postmaster, rose behind the
counter to serve his customer as if she
had been a queen, and took from her
hand the letter she brought. with the
amount of It's postage folded up III a
warm bit of newspaper.
The captain and his friends looked on
with admiration
Give her piece Of candy-no, give
it me an I'll give it to her. said the
captain. eagerly, reaching for his cane
and leaving his chair with more than
usual agility; and every body looked
on while he took striped stick OF pep
pernint from the storekeeper and Of
fered it gallantly. There was some
thing in the way this favor was ac-
cepted that savored of the French
court and made every man in the store
q lover.
The child not only made quaint
how before she reached out her hand
with childish eagerness for the unex-
pected delight, but she stepped for
ward and kissed the captain
There was a murmur OF delight at
this charming courtesy; not a man
there would not have liked to find
some excuse for walking away with
her. and there was general sign
as she shut the door behind her and
looked back through the glass with
parting smile
That's little French Mary. Alexis
little girl said the storekeeper. eager
to proclaim bis advantage of previous
acouaintance. ..She came here yester-
dav and did an errand for her mother
as nice as grown person could"