The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1895-08-28
P'TITE LOUISON.

three miles from Pontiac, and Medallion
camo to know Thorn first through having
sold them mt an auction slice Of an nd
joining farm. Ho had boon invited to
their homo, intimacy had grown, and aft
erward, having severe illness, no had
been taken into tho household and kept
thcre till no was we'll again. The night Of
his arrival Louison, the sister, stood with
u brother on either hand, Octave and Flo
rian, and received him with n courtesy more
stately than usual, an expression of the re-
servo and modesty of her single state.
This maidenly dignity was at all times
shielded by the flvo brothers, who treated
her with n constant and rcvcrcntial cour-
tesy. There was something Signally Sug.
gestivo in their homage, and Medallion con-
cludcd mt 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 hass q romance. There was some
thing in tho way they said "P'tite Loui-
SON., in tho way thoy avoided oil gossip re.
garding marriages and marriage feasting
In tho way they deferred to her ON qucs-
ton of etiquette in married lifc-as, for
instance, should tho eldest child DO given
the family name of tho vito or n Christian
name from hor husbands family-whch
ion was accepted instantly rs final, with
triumphant and satisfied mods on tho part
of all tho brothers, and with whispers of
How clover! How adorable! Such beau
ty!"
P'titc Louison affected never to hear
these remarks, but looked compaccntIy
straight before her, stirring the spoon in
her cup, or bcnignly passed tho bread and
butter She was quito aware OF the ado
ration In which she was held, and sho grace
fully accepted the fact that she was an OBJ
ject of interest
Medallion had not the heart to laugh at
tho homage of the brothers, nor at the out
landish sister, for, though sho was angular
and sallow and thin, and her hands wcro
large and red, there was something deep
In her eyes, II curious quality i'll her car
riagc which commanded respect. She had
ruled these brothers, had been worShipcd
by them for nearly half n century, and tho
romance they had kept alive had produced
grotesque sort of truth and beauty In tho
admiring "P'tite Louison," an affection
ate name for her greatness, like "the Lit
Ito Corporal for Napoleon. She was not
little either, but about the middle height,
and her hair was we'll strcakcd with gray
Her manner toward Medallion was not
marked by any atfcctation. She was
friendly i'll n kind, impersonal way, much
us nurse cares for patient, and she nov
cr relaxed n sort of old fashioned courtesy
which might have been trying in such
close quarters, wcro it not for tho real SIM
plicity of tho life and the spirit and light
ness of their race. One night Florian--
there were Florian and Octave and Felix
and Isidorc and Emilc-thc eldest, drew
him aside from tho others, and thoy walk
cd together by tho river. Florian's air sug.
gcstod confidence and mystery, and soon,
with voice OF hushcd suggestion, he told
Medallion tho romance of P'tito Louison
And each of tho brothors at different times
during tho next two weeks did tho same,
differing scarcely at ali in details or choice
OF phrase or meaning, and not at all in
general facts and essentials But zach, as
no ended, made difforont exclamation.
Viola! so sad, so wonderful! She keeps
the ring-doar P'tito Louison!" said Flo
rian, the eldest.
"Alors! shc gives him a legacy In her
will-sweet P'tito Louison," said Octave.
Mails the governor and the cardinal
admire her-P'tite Louison!' said Felix,
nodding confidently at Medallion.
"Bien! you should 500 tho linen and tho
pctticoats'' said Isidoro, tho humorous
one of tho family. "Ho was grcat-shc
was an angol-P'tite Louison JOLT"
Attends! what Lowell what historyl
what pnssion-tho porfoct P tito Louisoni'
cried Emile, tho youngest, the most scnti-
mental. "Ah, Molicron' he added ms If
calling on the master to rise and sing tho
glories of this daughter of romance. Isl
dorc's tale was aftor this fashion:
II YER well rcmombcr the first of it,
and the last of it-who can tell? Ho was
an actor-ah, so droll that Tall. YER
smart, and no play i'll thcatcr at Montreal.
1t is in the winter. P'tito Louison visit
Montreal. She walk past the thcatcr and
rs she go by sho slip on tho snow and fall.
Out from door with II jomp como M'sieu
Hadrian, and pick her up. And when he
see the pretty face of P'tito I.ouison. his
eyes go all fire and he clasp her hand to
his breast.
&C Madcmoisollc! Madcmoiscllep he say,
we must meet againp
"Sho thank him and hurry away quick.
Next day she is skating, and she try to do
the dance Of tho Blue Fox upon the leo.
While she do it, some one come up swift
and catch her hand and say, 'Mn,lcmoi-
seilc let's do il togcthor'--likc that. 1t
take her breath away. 1t is NI'sjeu
Hadrian. He now seem like tho other
men she know, but he have sharp look,
no is smooth in tho face and he smile kind
like u woman. P'titc Loliison she rive
him her hand, and they run away, and
every one stop TO look. 1t is n grand sight.
He laugh and his teeth shine and tho
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 L
SEQ all, and think 1t damn good say,
That P'tite Louison, she beat them ALL
am only IL years old then. When he
leave he give her two seats for the thcatcr
and wo go. by gosh, that is grand thing
that play, and M'sicu Hadrian, he is a
prince; and when no say to his minister.