Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1895-11-08
P'TITE LOUISON.

P'TITE LOUISON.
The FIVE brothers lived with Louison,
three miles from Pontiac, and Medallion
came 70 know them first through having
sold them at an auction a slice of an ad'
joining farm. He had been invited 10
their home. intimacy had grown, and aft
erward having a severe illness, ne 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 courtesy more
stately than usual, an expression OF the re
serve and mOdesty of her single state.
This madenly dignity was at all times
shielded by the five brothers, who treated
her with "a constant and reverential cour-
tesy. There was something signally sug
gestive in their homage and Medallion con
cluded AT 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
Louison had a romance. There was some
tn ing in the way they said "Ptite Loui-
son, In the way they avoided all gossip re
garding marriages and marriage feasting,
in the way 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 family-which
suggested it. And P'tite Louison's opin-
lon was accepted instantly as final, with
triumphant and satisfied mods on the part
Of all the brothers, and with whispers OF
How clever How adorable Such beau
tyl"
P'tiie Louison affected never to hear
these remarks, but looked cOmplaccntly
straight before her, stirring the spoon in
her cup, or benignly passed the bread 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 ut
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, "a 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
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 we'll streaked with gray.
Her manner toward Medallion was not
marked by any atfectation. She was
friendly i'm a kind impersOnal way, much
as a nurse cares for patient, and she new
er relaxed sort of old fashioned courtesy,
which might have been trying in such
close quarters, were IL not for the real sim
pl1city 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 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, as
he ended. made a different exclamation.
"Niolal 50 sad, 50 wonderful She keeps
the ring-dear Ptite Louisonl" said Flo
rian, the eldest
"Alors she gives him legacy in her
wildwood P'tite LouisOn, said Octave.
Mais, the governor and the cardinal
admire her-P tite Louison!' said Felix,
holding confidently at Medallion,
Bien you should see the linen and the
pctticoatsl" said Isidorc the humorous
one of the family. He was grcat-she
was an augel-P tite Louison jolip
Attends what love- what history
what pa>Sion-the perfect = title Louison! -
cried Emile, the youngest, the most senti-
mental "Ah. Molierc' he added a. il
calling on the master TO rise and sing the
glories of this daughter of romance Isl
dorc's tale was after this fashion:
Il yer well remember the first Of 1t,
and the last OF it-who can tclly He was
on actor-ah, so droll, that. Tall, YER
smart, and he play in thcatcr at Montreal.
II j. in the winter. P'tite Louison visit
Montreal. She walk past the thoater and
as she 90 by she slip on the snow and fall
Out from door with jomp come VI sieu
Hadrian, and pick her up. And when he
see the pretty face of Ptite Louison, his
eyes 90 all fire and he clasp her hand to
his breast
Mademoisellel Mademoisellep no say,
we must meet againl'
"She thank aim and hurry away quick.
Next day she j. skating. and she try To dc
the dance of the Blue Fox upon the ice.
While she do it, some one come up swift
and catch her hand and say, Mademoi
selle, let's do 1t together like that. 1t
take her breath away. 1t is Nj sieu
Hadrian He now seem like the other
men she know, but he have "a sharp look,
he is smooth i'm the face and he smile kind
like a woman P'tite LouisOn, she give
him her hand, and they run away and
every one stop to look 1t is a grand sight.
He laugh and his teeth shine and the
ladies say things of him, and he tell P'titc
Louison that she look yer fine and walk
like queen. am there that day and |
see ALL and think it damn good. | say,
That P'tite Louison, She beat them ALL
am only IL years old then. When he
leave hc give her two seats for the theater
and we 20. BY gosh, that is grand thing