Western liberal. (Lordsburg, N.M.) 1887-1919, 1896-05-01

and study.
Our good man breathes at case. Ho is
at homo. Before beginning his work he
opens a large closet, takes out a pair Of
heavy silk sleeves, which he draws on
carefully also a little red plate and
some pieces Of sugar. He then peels his
apples with an air Of satisfaction. The
fact is, one could hardly find q more
cheerful little office, better lighted or
arranged in such good order. But, sin
gularly enough, ono hears the noise OF
water everywhere; it surrounds you,
envelops you, very much as if you were
in the cabin Of o steamer.
Below you the Seine rolls and tum-
bles at the arches Of the bridge, making
heaps of foam at this point, always clog
ged by floating debris. Even in tho
house itself, all around tho Office, there
isn noise Of trickling water. l know not
why, but the sound makes you shiver.
1t drops upon a hard surface and, re-
bounding, falls upon a broad stone floor.
There are marble tables which make it
seem still more cold.
What do they wash at this strange
laundry? What ineffaceable stain? At
times, when the trickling and patteriDg
cease, down below we hear the sound
CT solitary drops Of water, II by enc,
like snow in n thaw or the beginning Of
a shower. We might think the fcg was
condensing, gathering upon the walls
and continually dripping. It does not dis
turb our good man. Flo is entirely taken
MP with his apples, which arc beginning
to steam in the little red plate, giving
out a faint perfume Of burned sugar,
and tho pretty song seems to prevent
him from hearing the sound Of the wa
ter-that horrible drippingl
"Are you ready, recorder" says a
hoarse voice from the adjoining room.
Our recorder casts u glance at his apples
and leaves them, with regret. Through
the half open door a current Of cold air,
smelling Of reeds and marshes, strikes
him. and n vision Of clothes hanging on
a line - faded blouses, workingmen's
garments, a calico dress stretched at full
length by the sleeves and dripping,
drippingl
He has finished and r~e-enters. He lays
down upon tho table some small objects,
all wet, and goes to the stove to thaw
out his fingers, benumbed and Redeemed
by tho cold.
"They must have been mad in such
weather AS this, he said shivering.
"What is the matter with them all?"
When he is again comfortably warm,
and when the sugGr melts and runs over
the side CT the plate, no breakfasts in a
corner of tho Office. While eating lie
opens one Of his great books and COM
placently turns over the leaves. This big
book is beautifully kept; the lines arc
straight and headed with blue ink, with
little reflections Of gold powder and q
blotter for every page. Everything is il
perfect order.
Business seems to DO good. Our re-
corder has the contented air Of an &C
countant looking over a good balance al
the end Of the year.
While he tulns over the page will
delight they open the doors Of the ad
joining room. There is the cound Of {
crowd upon the stono pavement ant
hushed voi1es as il in a church.
"Oh, how young she isl What a pity =
And there is u hushing and u whis
PbAAhbs AA 40 4 ~ "a 6OOA AAAA
whether she is young or not? He tran
gully finishes his apples and draws TO
ward him the objects which he place,
ON the table but a short time before.
A thimble full of sand, q pocketbool
, containing a sou, a little pair of ruste,
scissors, SO rusted that they never cal
, be used again. Oh, something elsel !
5 working girls book. all tho pages stuc.
5 together; a torn, defaced letter-a feN
words are still legible-"the child-n
money-a month as a nurse"
The bookkeeper shrugs his shoulder
as if to say, Il have seen all that be
s fore" Then he takes his pen, blow
? away carefully the bread crumbs whic
S have fallen upon his book, makes a lii
r tie preparatory gesture before gettin
his hand in the proper position, an
then, in large round letters, ho write.
"Felicie Rameau, metal burnisher, az
Q liz years. From tho French of A
a phonse Daudet in Short Stories.