Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1896-03-25
s1r. 1t ism t the same kind of work we re

any account. L LII pdiu WoAi, YOU S0o,
and get a fair amount in tips, and
then no expenses, like he has. Why, in
my way, I'm as rich as he is. :"
''Has be never been to see you again?'
Pirotou looked slightly embarrassed
this time as he answered:
"He'll be coming, sir, soon, because
of my wedding. I'm going to get mar
ried. you see."
'Ah, you re going to get married?"
"Well. sir, yes. You see, it's getting
time. I'm nearly "a, and then she is
from these parts, and we've known each
other three years. We haven't been
able to SEQ much Of each other, that s
true. for you see she's lady's maid for a
lady who lives at Paris and has coun-
try house near here. They come for
three months each summer, and | can
only see her on Sundays after church.
So, you see, sir, I'm anxious to get mar
ried.''
you'll be changing your trade then,
suppose?''
emo, sir, not yet awhile. You see,
we haven't got enough money to set up
in little business. In five Or six years,
if we save up, we shall be able to do it.
For the present, though, as soon as we
are married, the lady's going to take
me in her house with Louisette-Lou-
isette, that's her name, sir, the girl
I'm going to marry. My brother'n be
best man," he went on in great glee,
"and we shall have very fine we'd
ding, for, you see, sir, I shouldn't like
to have anything shabby when he's COM
ing to it-just think. sir, an officer,
you know!"
"Pirotoul Pirotou! No. SO wants his
key!"
After leaving Avignon it was some
months before I happened to go there
again. On arriving at the hotel I was
struck by the change in Pirotou. He
looked quite morose, and it was only
with an effort that he managed to smile
as he recognized me. I could see very
plainly that he had something to tell
me, but there were so many people
wanting him, and then the landlord
kept calling him for something every
minute, "Hurry up, Pirotou, hurry up,
my good fellowP'
He did hurry up, but it was not with
the same jovial alacrity as formerly. He
used to carry the trunks about as though
they were as light as air. but now they
appeared to be as heavy as lead. Idlned
when every one had finished, and I was
really quite curious to know what had
happened and how Pirotou's wedding
had gone off. As soon as he was, free he
approached me, but he did not come
and lean Oh the table in his old familiar
way. He just stood there looking wretch
ed, and it occurred to me at once what
had happened.
"Why, I don't believe your brother,
the officer, came after all, Pirotou, tc
the wedding" said.
eyes, sir; yes, he came, but-you
see, sir, must tell you how it all was.
First of all, I thought he would be sure
to put up here, at my hotel, and SO ]
expected to see a good deal Of him-all
the time was Free It was bit rough,
sir, when found he had put up at the
st. Yves hotel, right at the other side Of
the town. Well, then, he did not come
himself to see me, but he sent messen
ger to tell me to meet him at cafe, and
he told me in his letter not to forget tc
take off my apron and to put on hat.
1t was just as well he thought to remind
me Of that. you see, for should never
have remembered myself. Twas in such
, a hurry to see him that I should just
have nipped off there and then, without
thinking about what looked like. Well,
sir, when l SAW him looking SO handsome
and SO finely dressed, felt that proud
Of him that, excited-but he just held
out his hand to me and asked ne whether
I'd have sherry CT absintI-I said sher-
ry, and then lost my head, suppose,
for when the glasses came ] just picked
up his and drank up his absinth. You'll
think me pretty foolish, sir, for a hotel
waiter and alL but didn't know what
Twas doing. My brother spoke so kindly
and just explained bit about things.
"Of course l quite understand that
he could not come to sec me; but, as he
said, I could go there and meet him.
He did not want every one to know he
was here, for, you see, sir, I'd been SO
foolish and talked a good deal too much
about him, and, as he said, he did not
care about showing himself off like some
curiosity. Of course it was quite right,
you see. just think, an officer! Well,
I asked him just to come and see my
employer here, for that seemed only nat
ural to me at first. He explained, though,
that he could not, as that put him in a
false position, and when looked at it
in that light I saw that he was quite
right. But, you see, sir, it has made
things bit awkward for me, because
my master and then everybody just
sound that know-well, they all think
that it was my fault he never came.
They think was ashamed Of them, and
that did not like my brother to come
and shake hands with them
But how ever did you manage at
the wedding, Pirotou?"
''Wait a bit, sir; I'm coming to that.
There isn't much to tell you about that,
sir. Well, let me see; how far had I
got? Oh. yes, it was where I went to
the cafe. Well, my brother asked me- all
about my wedding. and I told him
about Louisette and about her mistress
and everything. Well, he wanted to see
her, of course, and SO, as the next day
was Sunday, I knew they would be at
church, and he agreed to meet me here.
Well. when Nine. Dalbert came in and
Louisette after her, I just nudged him
and told him who they were Isn't
she pretty?' said, and he nodded, but
he never took his eyes off Nine. Dalbert.
When we were going out of the church,
he just got first and stood there watch
ing her. and when was speaking to
Louisette he went off, so that I could
not introduce him then.
'tThe next Gay I went to the cafe
again to meet him, but saw he had
some friends with him, some officers he
had met by chance, old friends Of his
at SaintCyr. When he saw me, he left
them and came to meet me, for he knew
should feel bit awkward among all
his friends.
" Didn't you say the lady was a
Mime. Dalbert where your Louisette is?'