Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1898-03-24
JEAN-LOUIS.

JEAN-LOUIS.
(Translated from the French of Mich
ael Triveley.)
~ - ONE here, quick,
6 !: !: 6 { :: :: :: :: :: !"
ANh M II you want to
NEs6gY see Mdlle. Aline.
MTICM q She's coming down
WI a WI the street."
&S/k ~ Christine, the inn
49, keeper, seated be-
NJ ~ fore her door knit
al ting, dropped her
A J work as she spoke
and fixed her eyes
upon two figures
coming along the little street.
1t appeared that from each
doorstep like summons had been CIV
en-, for almost all the inhabitants OF
Coubertin were gathered at their front
doors. Mdlle. Aline, the object of such
great interest, passed along accom-
panied by young fellow dressed after
the manner of a farmer, with whom she
talked, and never seemed to notice the
tumult which her radiant beauty had
caused. She smiled and bowed to those
she knew and finally entered a store
which bore above It's door the sign:
Louvre de Coubertin" AS soon as
she was out of sight the tongues be-
gan to move.
"Oh, my, but she's pretty"
There's not girl in this town that
can stand next to her!
tits her husband who will be the
lucky mani"
Its funny she hasn't married"
If only she would have taken M.
Duviquet!
"Or M. Bonnassal, the advocates
nephew!'
"Oh, we'll, look at Jean-Louis, the
nephew Of M. Beaujars. He seems
happy enough with his cousin, doesn't
he?"
II wonder if he is in love with her?"
HE? He's too stupid. All he thinks
about is the cows and chickens on his
uncle's farm. He couldn't fall in love-"
Aline Beaujars merited her reputation
for beauty. Nothing could be more
exquisite than this young girl Of 18
years, with her blonde hair, her gray
eyes and her brilliant complexion. She
lived happily at her fathers farm,
where every one loved and worshiped
her as sort Of queen, beginning with
Jean-Louis, who, in spite of his stu
pidity, possessed marvellous ingenuity
in satisfying the young girls ,caprices.
He was an orphan and had been
adopted in his childhood by his uncle,
M. Beaujars, and now occupied on his
farm the position of general manager.
IF it were not for Jean-Louis," Beau
jars had often said, 81 would not be
as well off as am. He is treasure,
but it is queer that he seems so stupid
about other things"
It was on account of this reputation
for innocent stupidity that Jean-Louis
was allowed to be the constant COM
panion of Aline when she went to town.
He was protector, nothing more, in
the eyes of the girls parents. In real
ity he and the girl were fast friends
and Aline found him anything but
stupid as companion. She used to
question herself as to just how much
her regard for her friend had to do
with her desire to remain unmarried.
Once she said to him, little wistful-
ly:
"Jean, Bristol has asked me to mar
ry him. What do you say?"
"He is a fine fellow" replied her
cousin, without meeting her eyes.
"Then you would advise me to ac-
cept him?"
"Why not, since you must marry
some day? AS well he as another"
Nevertheless Aline determined to be-
come an old maid, and in this resolve
she reached the age of 81. Then NJ
Isidore Bertoulin proposed to her. He
was considered splendid parti, and
Beaujars was determined to secure him
as son-in-law. He was good-looking,
rich and clever. Aline consented and
was hurt because Jean-Louis seemed
glad. He didn't care for her, she de-
cided, and she might just as well GO
away from him.
M. Isidore came every day to see his
~ a. H. 4