The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1898-04-05

Lizotte?
Yes, that Agenaise lassie, half peas
ant, half wording, who revealed the
sweetness Of woman's presence to the
little thinker and dreamer that / then
was.
must tell You that they are good to
look upon our girls of the Gascon
country. They have not the rather
hard type, the accentuated Greek type,
OF the Arlesiennes, but their tall fig
ures are less supple less stocky, their
more humid eyes have more sweet
ness.
Lizotte was an incarnation of this
charming and piquant type.
When l became her friend l was 15
years old. l lived in Fontgrane. Ev-
cry day I went to the parsonage to
take lesson in Latin from the Able
Destourbes. The Able was a kindly
teacher, lover of Virgil, whom he re-
cited with devout intonations, like a
prayer.
But what was best in the parsonage
was Lizotte-Lizotte Destourbes-the
little niece of the able, the daughter
OF the Destourbes of Agen-he who
kept at the corner an important estab-
lishment Of fruits and candies. Liz
otte was some months older than l.
She loved fun like child, and none
the less did not disdain from time to
time to play the lady, as she paced
along the sidewalk on Sundays, at
tracing much attention from the
young fellows.
Unforgetable days, those Easter hol-
idays in the parsonage at Fontgrane.
Never since have | made such tremen-
dous journeys nor such curious ones as
those which / then undertook with
Lizotte in the attic of the parsonage
real wilderness of entangled beams.
Further, it was the season of ap-
preaching Easter.
/ recall above all others a certain
evening of April, at the commence.
ment OF Holy Week.
Lizotte and l were enjoying a holi-
day on the plea that we had to attend
to decorating the church. dlned pleas
antly enough at the parsonage between
the Able Destourbes and the LITTLE
mink, who amused herself by kicking
me on the shins under the table. We
had finished the frugal repast thai
and had already left the table wher
a messenger came to call away Able
Destourbes to very old lady who was
very sick and wished to make her con
fession
He instantly donned his overcoat
took his hat and stick, and sailed ou
with the final instruction that l wa!
not to leave Lizotte alone in the par
sonage, for, the night being dark, Irma
the housekeeper, accompanied, he
master, lantern in hand.
The charge gave me great pride, bu
at bottom ! was forced to own to my
self that she had in me rather poo
defender. She was at that time ia
braver than /. Taking me by th
hand, she drew me into the intermlna
BILE, winding corridors of the house
then into the cool solitude of the nave
She whispered into my ear at the SAM
time awful stories of ghosts, whose ia
vorite season, as is well known, /
Holy Week, for enjoying themselve
In consecrated spots. Suddenly sh
burst out into song. her fresh youn
voice accentuating the yowels in tn
Languedoc fashion.
Come, divine Messiah,
Bless our unfortunate days!
Come, source of life,
Come, come, come!
But when she ceased the church an
swered to her voice In such horrible re
verberatory echoes that We madly fe
back through the sacristry and tn
long winding corridors to the dinin
room Of the parsonage. where we fel
into chairs. affrighted and laughing a
our fright.
Then as the Able Destourbes did nc
return, Lizotte enumerated to me al
the presents she had received on he
birthday. which fell that year on Pair
Sunday. At last. my little friend ros
from her chair and went On tiptoe t
open the buffet at the dining room
SIZE drew from !! box Of whit
wood, which she laid cautiously on the
table.
This box was present which Liz
otte had brought from Destourbes
d'Agen to his brother, the cure. a
hundred of the finest prunes were al
ranged side by side in layers of twen-
ty, upon beds of laced paper. Tile
prunes which Lizotte had brougl;
were phenomenal ones, large, meaty
bursting with juice ard luscious and
perfumed. The girl was right in the
pride with which She displayed these
products OF the paternal business AS
to me, shogld hays wtshed 70 COM