The Wilmington daily Republican., 1895-09-13
P'TITE LOUIsON.

1nb ANb DfRtneta ftNco Wtth i|OuiSuA
three miles from Pontiac, and Medallion
came to know them first through having
sold them at an auction a slice of an ad-
Joining farm. He had been invited to
their home, intimacy had grown, and aft
erward. having a severe illness, he had
been taken into the household and kept
there till he WAS well again. The night of
his arrival Louison, the sister stood with
a brother ON either hand, Octave and Flo
rian, and received him with q courtesy more
stately than usual, an expression of the re-
serve and modesty of her single state
This maidenly dignity was at all times
shielded by the five brothers, who treated
her with q constant and reverential oour-
tesy. There was something signally sug-
gestive in their homage, and Medallion con-
cluded at last that 1t 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
Louison had a romance. There was some-
thing in the way they said "P'tite Loui-
son, In the way they avoided all gossip re-
garding marriages and marriage feasting,
in the way they deferred to her on ques-
tion 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 family-which
suggested it. And P'tite Louisons opin-
ion was accepted instantly as final, with
triumphant and satisfied mods on the part
of all the brothers, and with whispers of
"How cleverl How adorablel Such beau
tyr
P'tite Louison affected mover to hear
these remarks, but looked oomplacently
straight before her, stirring the spoon in
her cup, or benignly passed the bread and
butter. She was quite aware Of tho ado
ration in which she was held, and she grace
fully accepted the fact that she was OBJ
ject of interest.
Medallion, had Itp ba tn 1ub at
the homage of the brothers, nor at tho out
1andish sister, for, though she was angular
and salfow and thin, and her hands were
large and red, there was something deep
in her eyes, a curious quality in her car
riage which commanded respect. She had
ruled these brothers, Ind been worshiped
by them for nearly half century, and the
romance they had kept alive had produced
grotesque sort of truth and beauty in the
admiring ''P'tite Louison," 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 well streaked with gray.
Her manner toward Medallion was not
marked by any affcctatlon. She was
friendly in a kind, impersonal way, much
as a nurse cares for n patient, and she new
er relaxed a sort of old fashioned courtesy,
which might have been trying in such
close quarters, were it not for the real sim
plicity 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-tho eldest, drew
him aside from the others, and they walk
cd together by the river. Elorian's air sug-
gcsted 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 choice
fnf mir or fOpapinn pt nj in
| general facts and essentials. But each, As
he ended, made different exclamation.
''Niolal SO sad SO wonderful She keeps
| the ring-dear P'tite Louisonl" said Flo
rian, the eldest.
"Alorsl she gives him legacy in her
will-sweet P'tite Louison, " said Octave.
HMaisl the governor and the cardinal
admire her-P'tite Louison" said Felix,
nodding confidently Mt Medallion.
Bieni you should see the linen and the
petticoatsi'' said Isidore, the humorous
one of the family. He was great-she
was an angel-P'tite Louison jolil'
''Attendsi what Lowell what history
what pnssion-the perfect p tito Louisonl'
cried Emile, the youngest, the most senti
mental. 'Ah, Moliereh' he added II
calling on the master 10 riso and sing the
glorles of this daughter of romance Isl
dore's tale was after this fashion:
81 ver' well remember the first of 1t
and the last of it-who can tellp He wa.
an aeter-ah SO droll, that. Tall, yer
smart, and he play in theatcr at Montreal
II is in the winter P'tite Louison yis
Montreal. She walk past the thcater AM
she go by she slip on the snow and fall
Out from door with jomp come NJ siel
Hadriap, and pick her up. And when Ii,
see the pretty fuco of P'tite 1ouison, hi
eyes go all Gre and he clasp her hand t,
his breast.
a Mademoiscl1el Nadomoiselle! he say
we must meet againl'
She thank him and hurry away quick
Next day She is skating, and she try to d
the dance Of the Blue Fox upon tho ice
While she do it. some one come mp swift
and catch her hand and say, 'Mademoi
Eclle let 5 do 1t togethcr-like that.
take her breath away. 1t is M'sie
Hadrian. He now seem like the othe
men she know, but he have sharp look
he Is smooth in the face and he smile kin
like a woman. P'tite Louison, sho Civ
him her hand, and they run away, an
every one stop to look. 1t is grand sight
He laugh and his teeth shine and th
ladies say things of him, and he tell p tit
like queen. | ann there that day and
see all, and think ii damn good. / say
a That Pitite Louiscn, she bent them all
am only II years old then. when h
leave lac give her two seats for the thcate
and we go. by gosh, that is grand thin
that play, and NJ siou Hadrian he is
prince; and when he say to his minister