Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1898-01-11
MERE SUSANNE.

ing in her cottage doorway. leaning
both hands on her stick The sunset was
OIL her face, glorifying the cottage win
dows and the little garden, and there
was noise of singing birds about her
Her eyes were turned westward She
was little old woman, with gray hair
and small. determined face. Her lips
were thin and her eyes bright and deep
set, with penthouse brows
fingered. wondering a little From
inside the cottage there came the con-
tinual cheep cheep and twitter Of birds
There were cages hung up outside
near the door, and one even on the door.
step The old woman looked straight
across the fiat fields to the sunset. She
had colorless wrap about her head,
and she wore q colorless dress and a
blue apron The sunset gloriiied them
all.
thought she did not see me, but rs
I went by she called To me, and turned
back She came down to the little gate
and said. Monsieur il u Stranger
Yes. madame.
"And he has travelled perhaps"
''In many lands -
"Has he ever niet tall lad, sol.
dier, very fair and handsome. with llue
oyes:'
II have IN. many soldiers, madame. "
But this onel Think, monsieur y
she urged "You could never have for.
gotten him. His hair was like the sky
yonder she pointed 20 the ruined
gold Of the sunset-"and his eyes
danced, danced always He was always
merry"
II am very sorry. madame, do not
remember him. "
she seemed little saddened and was
turning away when l said, You keep
many singing birds, madame?'
"They call me Mere Susanne, p" she
said Come in, monsieur, II you will.
and see them.
The cottage was two roomed-one
room where she lived and slept; l learn
ed afterwarr that the other was "A
shrine-cinpty-where she went TO
pray when her heart and hope were
numb.
The little kitchen was filled with
birds in cages She had to put one on
the floor TO offer me seat. As for her
self she sat down ON q stool in the
midst of them Then she took up the
cage from the floor ON To her knee. and,
putting in her hand, captured the song
ster. Ii was chafiinch. She stroked its
wings and laid 1t against her face. 1t
did not try to escape. but nestled con.
teuiodly against the wrinkled cheek.
at knows you. said.
She gave contented little laugh.
"They all do. But ! won't need them
when he zones home.
"Who is hep
"He-my boy that ! told you Of.
Some Of them used 70 ay he would
never come back when they thought !
didn't hear them. But know.
The twilight was closing in. A grad
nal hush had crcpt over the linnets and
iinches, the canaries and the rest She
put back the bird into its cage and rose I;
| TOO. She did not ask me to go again.
went out into the little garden and
the twilight and continued my walk;
but returning home the same way, ]
heard strange sound through the
spring darkness II was Mere Susanne
crouched up by the garden paling, cry
ing to herself.
A few days later came across her in
the fields She was plucking dandelion
and herbs for salad aud groundsel for
birds She told me that she went about
selling them to those Of the neigbbors
who had no time TO come and look foT
their own.
The new green was springing up
around US The sky was blue. A spring
wind wandered about and blew apart
the old woman's hair on her forehead
as she worked
You leave your birds alone all day."
l said.
yes" she answered. "but hear
them singing all the same. "
"How, then, since your cottage is not
near here?''
"How do know" she said, straight
ening herself. 1T gets palmer and
palmer as go home in the evenings,
aud when | get in at the gate they all
begin together. She stopped down
again. smiling. Its almost like hav