Pawtucket tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 1890-189?, 1895-08-23
P'TITE LOUIsON.

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Joining farm. He had boon ipyited To
their homo, intimacy had growh hnd aft
crward, having severe illness, no had
boon taken into the household and kept
there till no was woll again. Tho night OF
his arrival Louison, tho sister, stood with
a brother on either hand, Octave md Flo
rian, and received him with courtesy moro
stately than usual, an expression OF the re-
servo and modesty of her singlcA state.
This maidenly dignity was at all times
shielded 10y tho five brothers, who treated
her with constant and revercntial cour-
tesy There was something signnlly sug
gestive In their homage and Medallion con-
cluded mt last that IL WAS paid not only To
the sister, but to something that gave her
great importance In thoir eyes.
He puzzled long and finally decided that
Louison had romance. There was some
thing In the way they said "P'tito Loui-
son." In the way they avoided all gossip re-
garding marriages and marriage feasting,
I'm tho way thoy deferred to her on aqucs-
tion of etiquette In married life-as, for
instance should the eldest child be given
tho family name OF the wife or Christian
name from her husbands family-which
suggested it, And P'tite Louison's opin-
ION was accepted instantly rs flnal with
triumphant and satisfied mods on the part
of all tho brothers, and with whispers OF
"How clever! How adorablel Such beau
tyi"
P'tite Louison affected never to hear
these remarks, but looked complacently
straight before her, stirring the spoon in
her oup or benignly passed the bread and
butter. She was quito aware OF the ado
ration In which she was held, and she grace
III. tnl h.. mot hatG ha xyaG m ol,-
ject of interest.
Medallion had not the heart to laugh at
the homage OF the brothers. nor mt the out
landish sister, for, though she was angular
and sallow and thin, and her hands were
largo and red, there was q something deep
In her eyes, a curious quality In her car
riage which commanded respect. She had
ruled these brothers, had been worshiped
by them for nearly half a century, and tho
romance they had kept alive had produced
a grotesque sort OF truth and beauty In tho
admiring "P'tite Louison," an affection
ate name for her greatness, like 1.-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 not
marked by any affeotatlon. She was
friendly In kind, impersonal way, much
as q nurse cares for patient, and she new
or relaxed a sort of old fashioned courtesy,
which might have been trying in such
close quarters, were 1t not for the real sim
plicity Of the life and the spirit and light
ness OF their race. One night FlOripn-
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 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 or meaning, and not at all In
general facts and essentials. But each, az
he ended, made a different exclamation.
"Viola! so sad, SO wonderfuli She keeps
the ring-dear P'tite Louisonf' said Flo
rian, the eldest.
"Alors she gives him legacy in her
will-sweet P'tite Louison," said Octave.
"Maisi the governor and the cardinal
admire her-P'tite Louisonl' 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 grcat-she
was an angel-P'tite Louison jolip'
"Attends what love- what history
what passion-the perfect P'tite LouisonP'
cried Emile, the youngest, the most senti-
mental. "Ah, Molierep' 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:
II vcr' we'll remember the first of It,
and the last OF it--who can tellP He was
an actor-ah, 80 droll, that. Tall, ver'
smart, and De 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 door with jomp come M'sieu
Hadrian, and pick her up. And when he
see the pretty face Of P'tite Louison, his
eyes go all fire and he clasp her hand to
his breast.
'Mademoiselle Mademoisellep he say,
we must meet againP
"She thank him and hurry away quick.
Next day she is skating, and she try to do
the dance of the Blue Fox upon the ice.
While she do 1t, some one come up swift
and catch her hand and say, 'Mademoi-
selle, let's do 1t together'-nke that. It
take her breath away. 1t is M'sieu
Hadrian. He now seem like the other
men she know, but he have sharp look,
he Is smooth In the face and he smile kind
like woman. P'tite Louison, she give
him her hand, and they run away, and
every one stop to look. lisa grand sight.
He laugh and his teeth shine and the
ladies say things Of him, and he tell Ptite
Louison that she look ver' fine and walk
like queen. am there that day and I
SEQ all, and think 1t damn good. / say,
THAT P'tite Louison, she beat them ALL
! am only 12 years old then. When he
leave he give her two seats for the theator
and we GO by gosh, that Is grand thing
that play, and M 'sieu Hadrian, no is u
prince; and when he say to his minister
out, no, my lord, will marry out Of my
state and where nag heart go, not as the
state Wills, no look down at P'tite
Louison and she go all rod, and somo of
the women look at her, and there IL a
whisper all around.
mex day he como to the house where
we stay, but the cure como also pretty
soon and tell her she must 90 home And