The Houma courier. (Houma, La.) 1878-1939, 1897-03-20

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WHICH, AAN 6kLOUln AAu bNAAAsI Save LQI
q gentle undulation, like the rise and
tall Of a sleeping baby's breast. In the
east the vapor was pierced by a thou
sand golden arrows and was fleeing
from the assault in a wierd, fantastic
rout, upward, ever upward, until lost
In the harmony of the green-gray sky.
Straight to the point of Cleek's Head
the host Of advancing day was directed,
and Lizette knew that in a few mo-
ments the rocks, now dripping with the
moisture, would sparkle under the
golden beams. as if set with a million
precious stones.
Yet, ignoring all the beauties of the
scene, she carefully shaded her eyes
and gazed ~intently at a flock of white
m the offing, indistinguishable, except
to the trained eye; which, even as she
gazed, was wrapped in q mantle of
vapor. And when it, too, rose to join
its comrades fleeing westward, the sail
was gone. When first Lizette saw it,
she knew from its course, northward
and eastward, it was not bound for
the Cove, but she had hoped, and hope
was strong with her, that the skipper
was taking a long tack, and would soon,
catching the morning breeze, bout
ship and head for home.
Lizette turned, and with dropping
head and weary footsteps, made her
wa down the narrow path, and over
the rocks toward the spot where the
blue smoke, curling lazily upward, told
her Mere Choucard was already up
and preparing the breakfast.
But once on the way did she stop. 1t
was at the gate in the old stone wall
separating the little cottage garden
from the neighbors. Here she had stood
with him on that last night, here he
had kissed her; now in the cold gray
dawn, she shivered at the memory, and
pressed her cheek c~aressingly against
the cold damp stone post and closed
her Y obliterating the present and
living for a moment in the sweet past.
"Some day, ma chere, we will meet
and kiss here again. Some day the
Swan will come again to Nova Scotia,
sail into the Cove, and leave me here
with you, ma petite Lizette."
"Some day" All, how she had wait
ed and longed for that day. Twice had
the stone wall been hidden under the
SHOWS; twice had the little garden
greened and lowered, and still Lizette
waited, for hope only fades as the
heart grows old, and Lizette was but
10.
Faith and hope go hand in hand with
love. Sunrise and sunset found Liz0tte
pn the Bears Neck, happy in her love,
secure in her faith, strong in her hope,
un~ceasing in her vigil. when he
comes, you must be the first to greet
him. her heart whispered. "You must
be the first to take his hand,' and
Lizette was ruled by her heart.
The old people in the village shook
their heads sadly, when they spoke of
hers the young girls shrugged their
shoulders and gave a toss of their
heads; the young men gazed wistfully
IS she walked quietly down the village
street. She was ''la belle Lizette" to
them, and to their sisters and sweet
hearts, Ella pauvre Lizette." But she did
not know, she lived in the past and
waited for the future; the present was
the purgatory Of her love. She endured
patiently, silently, uncomplainingly;
smiled when the day died, for it
brought her nearer the future; awoke
smiling, for the joy of waiting and
hoping was to be hers, until the night.
Pere Choucard misunderstood her
and spoke harshly. Called her silly,
foolish, and bluntly told her he would
never come back; that his words and
bis promises were idle; that his love
was a fancy, the dream of a day; that
ere this he was welded to one of his
own standing, and had long ago for
gotten the little girl of the Cove.
Pere Choucard often spoke thus, but
Lizette only listened indulgently and
smiled. Pere Choucard was so good, so
strong, yet so rough, and Pere Chou
gard was old, and spent the day mend
ing his fishing nets or working in his
little garden. The Pere did not under
stand; he could not; SO Lizette only
smiled and said, softly:
mo, bon pere, you know not" And
she was sorry for him.
Mere Choucard did not understand
either. She thought Lizette was un
happy and sad, because she did mo-
laugh or go to merry parties with thu
other young folks. She did not know
Lizette was saving all her laughter foi
him. When he came, how merry sh,
would be, how her eyes would sparkle
how she would smile at nothing, a
everything. No, Mere Choucard did no
understand; but then Mere Choucart
was old, too, and her eyes were dim.
Sometimes, when it rained, and tn
girl was sitting by the window, her win
dow, through which she could see tn
gate in the stone fence, Bears Necl
elects Head and the restless, tossinI
ocean. Mere Choucard would softl,
stroke her hair and with tears glisten
ing iii her eyes, murmur: ma pauvr
enfant.p
And Lizette, looking into the agec
kindly face, would pat the wrinkle
hand, and say, with a soft smile, to hel
self: "Ah, bonnie chere mere, you to
know not"
This day was Sunday, and Lizette, q
she had done every fine Sunday sine
ae left won't for the long walk up til