The Portland daily press., 1895-10-17

him her hand and they run away and
every one stop to look. 1t is grand sight.
He laugh and his teeth shine and the
ladies say things of him, and he tell P tite
Louison that she look ver' fine and walk
like queen. 1 am there that day and I
see all, and I think it damn good. I say,
THAT P'tite Louison, she beat them ALL
1 am only 12 years old then. When he
leave he give her two seats for the theater
and we go. By gosh, that is grand thing
that play: and NJ sieu Hadrian, he is
prince; and when he say to his minister,
But, no, my lord, 1 will marry out of my
state and where my heart go, not as the
state Wills he look down at P'tite
Louison and she go all red, and some of
the women look at her, and there is a
whisper all around.
HNex' day he come to the house where
we stay. but the cure come also pretty
soon and tell her she must go home. And
SO we come out home. Well, what do you
think! Mex day M'sieu Hadrian come,
too, and we have damn good Florian,
Octave Felix, Emile, they all sit and say:
sPerfaiuementp 'Cir cir to him all the
time Holy, what fine stories he tell
And he talk about P P'tite Louison, and his
eyes get wet, and Emilesay his prayers tc
him-by gosh, yes, think
"Well, at last, what you guess? M'sieu
he come and come, and last one day he
say that he leave Montreal and go to New
York, where he get a good place in big
theater. His time in Montreal is finish.
$50 he speak to Florian, and he say he
want to marry P'tite Louison, apd he say,
of course, that he is not marry and he have
money. But he is a Protestant, and the
cure at first ver' mad, by gosh But at
last, when he give hunder dollars to the
church. the cure say yes. All happy that
way for while. P'tite Louison, she get
ready quick-holy, what fine things had
she, and it is all to be done in week,
while the theater in New York wait for
M'sieu. And he sit there with us, and
play on the fiddle, and sing songs, and act
plays, and help Florian in the barn, and
Octave to mend the fence, and the cure fig
the grapevines on his wall. And he show
me and Emile how to play sword sticks,
and he pick flowers and fetch them tc
P'tite Louison and show her how to make
an omelet and salad like the chef OF
Louis Quinzs hotel, SO he say. By gosh,
what a good time we have, but first one
anu tu6u duO1u6I, u0 S0U q ooD Al LIE
throat when he think that P tite Louison
go to leave us, and the more we try the
more we arc damn fools. And that P 'tite
Louison, she kiss us every one and say tc
M sieu Hadrian, Charles, love you, but
1 cannot co. He laugh at her and say,
viola, we will take them all with u.s.
That night a thing happen. The cure
come and he look ver' mad, and he frown,
t. l-sn 11,eo ,nIJ
M sieu, you are married!
'sBy gosh, that P'tite Louison get pale
like snow, and we all stand round her
close and say to her. quick, Courage,
P tite Louison.' M'sieu Hadrian then
look at the priest and said: No, M 'sieu, ]
was married ten years ago. My wife
drink and go wrong, and I get divorce.
am free like the wind.'
You are not free, the cure say quick.
'Once married, married till death. The
church cannot marry you again. and
command Louison to give you up
"P 'tite Louison stand like stone. M'sieu
turn to her. What shall it be, Louison?'
he say. You will come with me-
Kiss me, Charles, she say, and tell
me goodby till-till you are free
"He look like a madman. kiss me
once, Charles, she say, and let me go.
ttAnd he como to her and kiss her on the
lips once, and he say: 'Louison, come with
me- will never give you up
'ItShe draw back to Florian. Good
by, Charles, she say. 4 will wait as
long as you will. Mother of God! how
hard it is to do rightp she say, and theE
she turn and leave the room.
"M sieu Hadrian, he give long sigh.
1T was my one chance, he say. Now the
devil take 1t all. Then he nod and say to
the cure: Well thrash this out at judg
ment day, M 'sieu. I'll meet you there
you and the woman that spoiled me-
"He turn to Florian and the rest Of us
and shake hands, and say: Take care of
Louison. Thank you. Goodby.' Then
he start toward the door and stumble, for
he look sick. Give me drink, he say
and begin to cough little-a queer sort
of rattle. Florian give him big drink,
and he toss it off. THANK you,' he say
and start again, and we see him walk over
the hill YER slow, and he never come back
But every year there comes from New
York box of flowers, and every yea1
P'tite Louison send him a sMerci, Charles,
miles fois. Dieu tie garde. 1t is SC
every year for 25 year"
"Where is he now?" asked Medallion.
Isidore shook his head, then lifted his
eyes religiously. Waiting for judgment
day and P'tite Louison," he answered.
"Deadl' cried Medallion. "How long?"
"Twenty years"
"But the howers-the fowers?"
"He left word for them to be sent just
the same. The daughter, the child of the
other woman, send them"
Medallion took off his hat reverently as
if soul were passing from the world, but
it was only P'tite Louison going out into
the garden.
"She thinks him living?" he asked
gently.
"Yes, we have no heart to tell her.
And then he wish it SO. And the flowers
KEEP coming"
"Why did he wish it SOP"
Isidore unused awhile. "Who can tellf
Perhaps whim. He was great actor
ah, yes, sublime!'' he said.
Medallion did not reply, but walked
slowly down to where P'tite Louison was
picking berries His hit was still off
NexeA MJlT AMI MfCnOM