The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1895-04-11

"wny not?" returned the iofa lady.
'I think it would please him" And
then, seeing that he was looking at
them wonderingly, she went toward
him, saying:
"M. Boinville, you have already
oeen so kind to US that am going to
ask of you another favor. It is late,
and you have long way to go-we
should be so glad if you would stay
here and taste our tot-fait-shouldn't
We, Claudette?"
Certainly" said the girl, ''but NJ.
8oinville will have plain dinner. and
besides he is, no doubt, expected at
home"
@No one is waiting for me-" an
swered the gentleman, thinking Of his
usual dull, solitary meals in the testau-
rant. 81 have no engagement, but"
he hesitated, looked at Claudette's
smiling eyes, and suddenly exclaimed.
II accept with pleasure. :"
"That is right!'' said the old lady.
briskly. "What did I tell you, Clau-
dette? Quick, my pet, set the table
while T 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 a candle and
went down stairs, while the old dame
sat down with her lap full of chest
nuts, which she proceeded to cracb
and place upon the stove.
els not that bright, lively girl?"
she said. "She is my consolation; she
cheers me like innet on an old
root"
He1e 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 octoeenarian
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
I 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.
Then came the roasted chestnuts ID
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. but she
now yielded to the combined effects Of
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 laugh
merrily as he stirred his dull fire, and
then be 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
Ihad-,temporarily resuscitated the
sensation of his--twenty-frst 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 I passed the time for lo7.
ng?"
Then he would be seized with sort
of tender homesickress 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 well, sir" was the en-
swer, "and your visit broughth her luck;
she received an appointment yesterday
in telegraph Office. I could not thinf
Of leaving Paris without again thank
ing you sir, for your kindness to Us.
Boinville's heart sank.
"You are to leave Paris; is this posi-
don in the provinces?"
eyes, in the Vesges. Of course, l
shall 80 with Claudette; I am over
eighty years old, and cannot have
much longer to live; we shall never
part in this world"
"Do you go soon3"
sIn January. Good-by, sir; you
have been very kind to us, and Clau-
dette begged me thank you In her
aame."
The Deputy Governor was thunder
struck, and he answered only IN mono
syllaIIes, and when the good woman
had left him he sat motionless for q
long time with head in his hands.
That night he slept badly, and the
nezt Gay was very taciturn with his
employees.
Towards 8 o'clock he brushed his
bat, lett the Office and jumped into
cab that was passing, and hall an hour
later he hurried through the market
garden of u Rue de Ia Sante and
Knocked tremblingly at Nine. Blouets
door. Claudette answered the knock,
ind on seeing the Deputy Governor she
started and blushed