The National tribune., 1896-05-21

Every year since he had been old enough,
Pierre Pomerio, a young farmer OF Plerin,
near Saint Brieuc, went to the Isle of jersey,
tohelp with the harvesting and to CLEAN the
shillings of these Anglc-NOrmans who need
the aid of foreign arms TO cut their gram
and stack it.
He earned more there in two weeks than
he did at home in three months, and his
mother slipped the pieces of money into an
old stocking and hid it behind pile of linen
in the drawer of the great foldimg-bed.
Pierre was now Just 81; strongly built rs
professional wrestler, with fists fit TO knock
down an OK. and blue eyes soft as "A girls.
His mother was widow, and he was her
only child. AS queer fellow; for Pierre,
with his Hercuean chest, was withal
timid soul Fond of romance aud passing
many long night on the plains with an old
shepherd who related Breton legends, he
sometimes ielt nervous and started ut the
writhing of the willow branches or the dane
ing light of the will-o'the-wisp.
Afraid ?-no; Pierre WAS no coward. Only
be filled his head with impOssibilities with
fantasies about golden-h haired fairies smii-
ing from the depths of the clear springs or
the clefts of the rocky coast, and with stories
about peGniless young men encOuntcrlng
tattered princesseS in the yellow genes'a
bloom, or crouched amid the rushes, who
were fleeing from wicked enchanters or
fer0cious chevaliera, and who always mar
ried the peasant lad after he had vanqulshed
the prosecutors. Such incidents were of
frequent occurrence in The old shepherds
narrations; but Pierre knew they never
happened in real life. at least in his part OF
the country; though, TO be sure, he had
heard a surprising rumor of very ordinary
Breton girl who had married Russian
Prince at Paris. Perhaps she was fairy.
One never eau tell.
Just at present. however, he wasn't think
ing about fairies, nor about the old shepherd
and his nonsense. Pierre was leaving Jer-
sey with 212 francs in his pocket, besides
fine Engiish knife OF Sheffield steel, with
four blades, which lie had bought from
cutler on King street; superb knife equal
to cutting down a sapling or killing an ami
NAL. He had also some English needles for
his mother, and heart of rose and black
Jersey granite ornamented with silver,
which he meant to give 10 some pretty girl;
for he intended 10 marry. just for the sake
of being married, without having fallen in
love or chosen among the charming maids of
Saint Brieuc. And while the sailors hoisted
the sails which tapped against the wind, he
wondered on whom be should bestow this
trIDket. How pretty it would look all gilt
tering with its six silver letters, Jersey, rs 1t
rose and fell over the hte bosom OF some
lovely girl. He passed them in review be-
fore his mind: Aune PtoubaTn of Plern,
with her small white teeth and rosy dimpled
cheeks, who laughed so merrily; Marie Ber
cen, who sailed the Goldfish at Binic with
her sleeves rolled IN, her arms rs white IA
the milk of her cows the big Gicquei girl
who amused herself by letting her long
hair down and dipping the ends in the sea
by bending back wards ever so little-co
queiie and 1.-THE Jeanne, so tiny and frail
he could snap her like toy between his
hands but vino teased him and made fun of
him until he longed 10 plunge his fists into
her yellow hair and imprint hearty kiss OIL
her merry lips. All pretty, these girls, every
one of Them; 1T was really di1icult to decide
his mother must choose her daughter-in- |
law for, after all. If il were left TO him he
would sigh for one OF those fairy Princesses |
of the shepherds tales. And Princesses |
were not for common mortals
Presently the wind and the boat |
danced like cork over the heavy biilows. |
The sea grew rougher and rougher. The |