New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-03-05
NINE. POULARD'S DAI-DREAMS.

"Oh Scigneurl what noise! One cannot
make ones self heard. what docs he want, then.
this Joseph that he wines sou
Nine Poulard laid down her distan. and
looked half apologeticaly. half nervously, at the
BARRIERS wife who was in the midst Of most
thrilling scene involving many Of the surround
ing regulations, and who must therefore be con-
clated at least till the end Of the tale Then
her eyes turned TO the open door where on the
step her two grandchildren sat playing with
Joseph, the shoemakers black puppy joseph
and Refine and Alphonsine were very intimate
and most Of their life was spent on their grand
mothers doorstep.
Nine. Poulard was small and brown and
crumpled like chestnut-the kind they make
rosaries Of in Italy. She was old, but her hair
was still brown, and her eyes, which had been
her chief dowry. had worn well Her cap was
indescTibable being a Breton cap Of the most
elaborate kind, a thing of twists and curves
and streamcrs; her collar white and goffered.
reached far beyond her shoulders, and as she
sat spinning in her kitchen she looked pretty
pcevish old woman She lived in her kitchen
with Of green bowls on the dresser, and
spoke seldom except when the BARRIERS wife
looked in to gossip. She wasn't at all pleased
with her life Nine. Pouard; she wanted more
honor and glory, and there was none to be
had in the present. she retired to the past.
only coming back now and then to slap her
grandchildren. She sat in the corner spinning.
and remembering the days OF milk and honey.
We all have our dreams. and hers had been a
wholesale grocer's shop Ohe grocer was there,
to her hand so to say. a beautiful shop, shelf
after shelf OF chocolate Planteur merging into
coffee rice, soap, candles and sardines. Not
only SO, but he, the grocer, had discovered how
long and brown and sleepy her eyes were, 30
that it all going well; she would occupy
the first position in the country round and sit
behind the counter on market-days wearing a
cashmere apron one does who gives direc-
tions and conyerses while others weigh and
measure.
All, how well it all promised, She had quite
loved her young grocer; and then suddenly 1t
went wrong. one evening she walked into her
shop that was to be, and found a crowd in the
back parlor and laughter and voices and bis
cults and a bottle OF wine; the sun kept her
from seeing anything but dark forms against
the window, but they all seemed glad to see
her and to think her coming very appropriate,
and her fat father-in-law patted her on the
back and called her good girl and said that
she had just come ia time to her brother
had for her wholesale grocer OF the quality
suited to eldest sons who inherit; and here she
FOUND she had been wrong all the time, and
had been squandering all her smiles and her
dreamy looks on younger son with no position
and counter while here was the one she
really loved come from over the sea with a
ready made wife,
When Nine. Poulard reached this part Az the
story she invariably lost her temper She
dropped her distaff, scOded Aphonsine and
RENE and slammed the door on the BUDDY 80
that they had TO leave their doorstep and their
play and hope for a better mood after tea Then
she would pick up her work and go on with the
story and be cOmforted. In any case there had
been mistake about POulard. AS the elder
Pculard she had loved him. and Poulard the cid
et he was. and continued to be Ind though the
gfocers shop had faded. and the candles and
the sardincs had never existed. still. the mem
DRY Of her wedding, at last ii had taken
plh q, soothing. 1t had lasted for three
dss after the manner Of the best Breton wed
digs. ON the first day they were married she
and Pouard Ant, he wearing waistcoat
stitched with yellow and broad brimmcd
beaver hat with flowing ribbons and she "A
black gown with velvet bands and "A lace cap
lined with blue to please the Virgin, in whose
month Of May the wedding was held. ON the
second day she and Poulard drove in big cart
accompanied by her oak cupboard with brass
hinges. twenty -four unbleached linen chcmises
a pair Of copper suffers, and her brown eyes,
which (as has been already said her chief
possession. They drove, then. slowly and with
few words. there being no further need of con
versaton now that the thing was done. When
they passed a cottage the woman came out
and looked at the cupboard and understood and
envied At length they stopped in village, 1t