Evening journal., 1899-07-29
gytewnv-ov.ov-ev-owov-ev
"Lo Bette"
BY Ethel Ramsey.
SiA~'ANiA0'AOiAN'Ao


rheerless quarter of Paris. Moreover,
the story is founded on fact" as they
say, and is devoid of that lavish orna-
mentation which a bona fide animal
story permits for teller, whether he
be church member or not.
had been left in the convent TO COM
plcte my education. a slight illness
had excused me from the routine Of the
schoolroom, and as l stood in the re-
fectory one morning, struggling with
the demon of homesickness, an uncon-
trollable desire to look out OF the win
dow seized me. Not the window which
overlooked the garden, where ! knew
there was nothing Of interest to be seen
except few rowdy sparrows, or per-
haps a sister scurrying across the
walled court TO the other wing OF the
building, but toward the opposite
house, where one of the girls declared
there dwelt a handsome young man,
who had looked out of the window
when we were playing in the yard and
had twice tried to attract her attention.
Had been less homesick 1t might have
been a temptation to investigate, and,
IL fortune favored me, to establish
rival claim. but thirsted for sight of
the street, a forbidden pleasure.
soeur Marie. lay sister, had taken
me to task when | first arrived for de-
lliberately standing at the front win
dow, where I could see and be seen.
1T looked so bad" said she, "for
demoiselle to appear before the pub
lie"
Presently a man carrying a box of
tools came out of the house. Instead
of turning to the right or left, he
crossed the street. The door-bell
tangled and moment later Seour
Marie led the man into the refectory.
"What are you doing, mademoiselleY'
she asked.
Looking out of the window" Soeur
Marie rolled her eyes
"Imagines yous," she said TO the car
penter. "the demoiselle likes to look out
of the window She says that in her
country every young girl can look ont
into the street all she wants to-
He shrugged his shoulders politely.
He was much younger than she, and
possibly had broader views. decided
TO cultivate him as far as possible, SO
as to rout utterly the girl whose adj
mirer lived across the court. There had
} never been any doubt in my mind but
] that he was a valet, and it seemed that
, a present carpenter promised more ex-
citement than a distant valet.
Soeur Marie hustled around nervous.
lly. From Eme to time she eyed me
! suriously as though celebrating. She
finally beckoned me TO follow her into
. the hall.
81 have to go down TO the kitchen foi
: n few moments" said she, "and don
l like to leave him in there alone. AT
d the silver mugs are out in full view, an'
9 who knows when the hour OF tempta
ton approaches? Blessed is he who j
prepared to resist it. Now you are NJ
/, American, and il will be proper foi
, You TO remain in the room willie an
downstairs, so just stay and watch thu
mugs. but don't go TO the window"
'Very well. ma soeur," ! answered
quietly.
There was evidently struggle in he
y mind as 20 the propricty of this, an'
to betray interest would have settled
any doubt at once.
The carpenter by this time ha'
opened the door Of what ] had suppose'
,, was a closet. When ] returned 10 tn
room. he was llneeling by hole u
the floor cut in the bottom of the closet
talxing measurements.
r sYhat are you doing2" ] asked.
!, He stopped in his calculations.
IT "I.es BONES seours," he said, "hav
Il given me a job. wanted to put tn
e dumb-waiter out in the room, but nc
l. it would look untidy, SO they have mad
If me use the closet for il, which is cor
t, trary TO the laws of carpenteringl"
p "Are there laws of carpenteringY
J. asked.
q, "Oh. mademoisellel There are law
ie to everything. but carpentering is on
II of the most difficult and complieate
10 of artsl" Having found already tha
every Frenchman considered his trad
D. an art. proceeded to converse amiabl,
m plying him with questions, and reall
Of having almost as much fun as the da
the charbonnier came and brought N
n, lilo dog and made him perform trick
v. until a. sister came up from behind an
id sent me on an errand.
is The dumb waiter was a concession
the march of time. Who shall say no
n many years the patient sisters ha
v. toiled up two flights Of stairs, carryin
Y every mouthful eaten by the IS or
boarding scholars, and carrying dow
IN every utensil used in the serviceP
in The meals and the service were of n
nd simplest. The refectory was a larg
he well-lighted room. with whitewashe
as walls and a bare floor. The only o
nament was large ebony crucihx
one end Of the room. When the CIR
went TO a meal they walked in ''tv
en- by two" not dressed in the traditions
IT, yellow, pink and blue" but clad
I'D blacl, mohair aprons, which complet
Is ly covered every vestige Of the dres
~ Each girl halted at her place AT Il
as long black marble table. and. fixir
nj her eyes on the cruciiix, hurried Il