Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1895-09-12
THE TWO INNS.


read wound its way between gardens OF
OLIVE trccs and dwarf oaks under a great,
flat silver sun which tillod all the sky,
There was not spot Of shade, not y
hrath of air, There was nothing but tho
vibrating heat and the shrill cry OF tho
! grasShoppers--a foolish, deafening music
! to quick ttmo which seemed the expression
of the grat luminous vibration had
hcon wal&ingi in this open desert two hours
when cluster OF white houses arose sud.
denly out of the dusty read before mo,
IL was what Is called the relay of Sc.
| Vincent, There were five or six houses
| with long, low red reefcd barns an empty
watering trough in clamp OF struggling
| fly trSses, and at the end of the place stood
two largo inns looking at each other from
opposite sides III the Rad
There was something striking about
these inns,
One was largo now building, full OF
life and noise. All tho doors were open
Tho diligence was standing In front, from
which they wero unhitohng the stoaming
horses, The passengers were climbing
down TO yet n hasty drink In tho short
shadow thrown Ivy the walls, Tho court
was filled with mules loaded carts and the
drivers lying under tho sheds awaiting
fresh relays
From tho inside could he heard cries.
ouths, tho pounding Of fists on tho tables.
tho exploding oorks Of lemonade bottles,
the blinking OF glasses, tho noise Of billiards
ami dominating all this tumnlt joyous.
ringing voice singing In u manner ealou.
lated To make tho glasses tremhle,
Tho Inn opposite, ON the contrary, was
Ms silent rs II abandoned Weeds grow
about tho entrance; tho blinds We're bro.
ken; upon the door n small branch Of with.
cred holly hung like nm old plume; the
doorstops were proppcd upwith STONE from
tho road, All was SO poor, SO pltiful that
II scomcd n real charity To stop there for u
glass of something
entered. There was n long, deserted.
mournful room, which the dazzling light
from three great ourtatnloss windows made
moro deserted and mournfnl still,
Some limping tables, on which wcru
scattered fow dusty glasses yellow
sofa. an old counter, broken down bill.
lard table slept there In u heavy doathly
hoat,
And flies, iles Never had seen No
many-~-on tho ceiling, In tho glasses, In
lunches Whom | opened the door, there
was n hussing and agitation OF wings as
II had entered u beehive,
At the end of the room, In window, n
woman stood with her face against the
glass, looking intently outside. | called
| twice,
clio, hostess,
She turned slowly and lot mo sec u poor
PEASANTS face. wrinkled, hollow. OF tho
color Of dirt, framed In a scarf Of red iaee
such as old women wear In villages with
MS Nevertheless she was not All old
woman Tears had faded hor
what do you wantS" she asked, wipinR
her eyes,
II want to sit down moment and have
something To drink y
She looked nj mo very much astnntshcd,
without moving as VI she had not under-
stood,
"This IL not mn Inn, thens"
Tho woman sighed,
Eyes, II Is an inn II you llke--hut why
have you not Como opposite, like the otherss
IL Is much payer",
1T Is too gay for mo. prefer to stay
at your house, :"
And without waiting her response l
seated myself before table.
Whom she was very sure was speaking
seriously, sho began to 90 and como with n
bustling air, opening drawers, moving
bottles, wiping glasses, disturbing tho
tlies--one felt that to walt upon this tray
eler was mn event,
Now and then tho unhappy woman
would clasp her hands tn her head ns
though she despaired Of keeping on her
feet
Then sho went into mn adjoining room.
could hear her there rattlinR great kays,
~ "A
box Rnsping, busting, washing glasses.
From limo To ttme there was u great
SIGH half choked sob
Aftor quarter Of an hour OF house.
keeping Ind before mo plate OF dried
grapes, nm old lonf of bread hard as slate
and bottle OF wine,
You are served" said tho strange crca
ture, and she turned quickly To take her
place nt the window While drinking
tried to make her talk,
People do not come here often, do they,
my good woman
"Oh, no, monsieur Never any one,
When we had tho only Inn here. II was
quite different Wa had tlie stagcooach.
game dinners In the wild duck season and
teansters all tho year, But since our
nclghhors have como and established
themselves we have lost everybody People
would rather 20 on the opposite side They
find II too duh here The fact Is the house
IL not pleasant Lam not beautiful
J have had feyers and my two little ones arc
dead. Over there, on the contrary, they
laugh oil tho time IL Is an Arle 'sieune
who keeps tho inn, u handsome woman
who wears lace and three strands OF gold
chain about her neck. The driver Of tho
diligence IL her lover. With that there are
several cajoling chambermaids. And then
she has good stendy patronagel sho has
all the young people of Becomes, Of Re.
dessan, OF Jonquieres. Tcamstcrs make a
detuur To pass her door. III stay here oil
day without q customer
She said this with a preoccupied, indif-
ferent voice, continuing to support her
forehead against the window glass. There
was evidently something In tho opposite
Inn which absorbed her.
Ali at once there was great excitement
the other side OF the road The diligence
moved away In the dust. Ono could hear
the cracks Of tho whip and the footing OF
the POSITIONS horn, the girls standing Mt
ths door crying.