The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1897-10-05

blue house appeared as before i'm the sun
light by "a singular coincidence thought
all nt once of my shipwreck In the Black
sea. 10 must have been thus that day,
calm and Indifferent Us ever, while out
there in my last hour thought of it, but
the train was stopping just in front of It,
and | saw In the garden under the arbo~.
surrounded Ivy children and grandchildren.
an elderly woman, not really aged but
with bands Of silvery hair under large
cap.
1t was Lnurinel No one would have
Enown her but me. Not one minute was
| in doubt. And in II fash I saw her
again as u child, playing with her doll.
then as n girl then as n woman, now Us u
grandmother always different, yet always
like herself. This time regretted bitterly
that | must go away. | knew that womb
mover pass this way again, and wanted
20 stop moment to speak at least to this
: Id friend of 40 years whom did not
Enow. Chance favored my wish. y Sigh;
iccidont happened to the engine. They
told us we would have an hour at least to
wait That decided me.
l advanced almost trembling to the gate
tell you | was never so moved was
never timid, however, and had just seen
some rough times among ,the Turks. At
last | rang. The gardener opened tho
gate. told him that l wanted to speak
to the elderly lady in the urbor. He told
me to enter, ran to tell the lady, and she
came.
The next minute Laurine was near me
and knew no longer what to say to hoy
1t was she who broke the silence.
"What is it, monsieur, to which l owe
the honor of your visitY'
Timidly | asked, "Do you not know
meY"
mo, indeed, monsieur"
"But know you well. Just think, it
is a long time that have known you. |
saw you as child, playing with your doll
in this garden. l was the man, you must
remember, who said good day from the car
window when you were betrothed, and
later, quite little later, it was l who
threw an orange to the little
The good lady looked at me quite
frightened. She had at first receded sew
eral steps, taking Inc no doubt for II mad
man. Then, treasured by my good old
face, she answered quite sweetly:
You are certainly in error, monsieur,
my family and l have lived in the blue
house only about year..
l was stupefed. You-are-not-
Lau-r me-
"Laurine2 1 do not know what you
mean. We have no one here by that
name
1t seemed as though dreamed. AS she
walked away l asked:
pardon me, madame, one more ques.
ton. Who lived here before you did,
Before us? An old man, bachelor
He lived here ten years.
Il, ,,1x 81. -,
the gate and closed it behind me. found
myself in the tiny streets of Blaisy Bias,
quite confused my heart heavy, as though
after some misfortune. ! wished, how
ever, to inquire about the matter. quite
sure that there was some unheard of mis-
take, some strange coincidence. ques.
toned the guard at the station He knew
nothing being new in the country. but he
directed me to an old man, the oldest in
the village, who lived quite near the sta
ton, just opposite the blue house.
| He gathered together his thoughts.
"Laurine-let me see-Laurine |
don t remem ber''-
| But the lady saw in the garden about
| 10 years ago, rather plump and having
| light chestnut hair She had with her u
little child and great dog. "
/ "Ah," said he, with great dog. Wait
a minute-with great dog. Oh, yes, that
was the wife of the comptroller. She WAS
! from Macon, Nine Gilamet, but her name
was not Laurine | remember well, for
was over there ii great deal Her name
was FRANCHISE.
WAS dumfounded.
but loOE h;re, monsieur, think back
about ten y, D jefore A young girl, fair
also; tall, w,,..n blue ribbon in her hair,
who WAS there with tall, dark young
man, her tiuncc.
The old nan thought and thought. AT
last he called his wife, u little old woman n,
with bright eyes and determined step,
who seemed to have good memory We
told her our discussion.
"Oh, that was Mile Stephanie, the
daughter of the contractor, II tall girl,
with ribbon. Certainly, that was she.
She married merchant from Dion, poor
girl, and they are separated. She lives
with her parents up there at Sombernon,
and is very unhappy" l felt my head
was ready to sart.
/ but Laurine," exclaimed, but Lau
rne. l saw her when she was quite small
and heard her name. 1t seems to me see
her yet playing with her doll in the gar
den."
why, monsieur" began the old lady
why didn't you say that at tirstY You
speak first of a woman then of II young
girl, and at last of u child Yes, |. recall
her. have my faculties yet she said
with pride. "Laurinep Yes, that is 1t
but you speak Of long time ago 1t Is
no less than 40 years. A little blond, the
daughter of the druggist, They were rela
tiyes of ours. We lost her just as she wa:
finishing her tenth year, poor thing, in
tho same year in the month of May"
just the year and month in which foi
the first time had noticed the blue house
A few days at most after | had passed
through, and for 40 years had followed
her life.
At this place in his story my uncle al
ways became sad. He would pass his hant
two or three times across his forehead and
would say slowly: "You see, my boy my
story is of no Importance, and yet 1t is thu
whole of life. 70 live happily in our dolu
sions we must not examine them too close
ly, nor open our eyes too wide, nor descent