Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1899-12-23

OF the suns soft woolng. Tie air was
chlsp and frosty and an almost SOL
.fnn stiffness rcigncd. Then the sound
OF children singing rang out ON the
clear air. How full Of melody II was.
speaking OF innocence and peace Sure
~ the praises OF these little ones
would mount up TO the throne above
and win FOR them q special blessing
from Him who had promised to Dc
Father to the fntherlcss, for IL was the
little orphnna at the Home VINO were
making such sweet music.
At an uppcr window sat one OF the
Inmates, "a ciTl N about twelve years
OF age. She was certainly not a pretty
child and the severe outlines OF her
close fitting black dress lent an air OF
einsh angularity TO her slim form Her
hair and eyes were black and the face
was one that arrested persons atten-
ton by the firmncss Of the tightly
closed lips Looks as N she might have
a temper. one would cNclaim. and then
for hours afterwards those piercing
eyes would haunt you and make you
wonder Row she looked when she
smiled. II was only six months since
little Gabrielle Duval and her two year
old brother Pierre Tor Picrrot M she
always called hlm) came to the
home. and although she was not unhnp-
pt tntft, ttfhhlutuilg tnf Wbulh WIN
draw herself aa now, to the window AT
the end OF the corridor to think OF her
dear mother and OF the events that
had followed each other In such rapid
succession during the last three years
Of her young life.
Adrian Duval. her father. was sol.
dier and she well remembered him and
the merry games they had together.
He would teach her to fcnse and some
lines Let her think she rad won the mim-
ic contest. Then she recalled the cN-
element OF the beginning OF the war.
when he had gone out. not to play At
fighting. but TO lead men into the feld
10 conquer or TO die. How her mother
had wept during those days. and she
had loved 20 sit at her feet aud conn
fort her Then came the news that the
enemy was coming to the very walls OF
their capital and one night her father
had carried her In his arms away from
their home to n place OF safety and
she had seen him no more. She knew
he had given his life In his EFFORT TO
defend his beloved city OF Paris from
the prussian Invaders Her mother had
brnyely tried to battle on her side
against most trying circumstances. for
the sake OF her child. but after the
birth OF the little brother. who was all
Gabrielle held dear ON earth now, she
too had slowly faded away.
Then Il was that Monsieur lc Cure
the good parish priest. who had been
the friend of the poor widow IT. her
nfiiictlon. took the little orphans TO the
kindly shelter OF the home.
Madame Lcgre. the mntron. had taken
them under her hospitntble roof and set
them down to run with the rest. as she
termed Il. She was n good woman, but
having never known herself. the Joys OF
motherhood she had II fixed idea that
n these many little souls In her care
had plenty of good food at regular
hours and went Ia bed when tho An
geius rang Mt night. they would thrive
like youn. chickens. II one OF them
was sick. then she was all anxiety and
never bcgrudTcd rising from her warm
bed In the coolest night TO minister IA
their slightest need. but once well again
they could just run with the rest"
but Gabrielle whose heart was filled
with an intense longing for love. could
not ind In her the friend she needed
so much The matrun thought her
proud and imagined she ridlculed her
manners and speech. Thus an imper-
ceptlble barrier had grown up between
them and on picrrot was concentrated
every thought and purpose OF tho
child's being. and they seemed 10 live
In a world apart from the other chill
drcn OF the house. And yet Madame lie,
gre was almost worshpped by the rest
and u contentcd. merry little crowd
they were. FOR she was too busy with
her numerous duties and prayers e
trouble them with many donts
In the afternoon when her work wa
finished the little ones would GROVE
round her and read their daily portion
and learn some lesson In spelling or d
little piece to reclte to Monsieur L
Cure when he should come ON Saturday
to Inspect the school, She In the mean
time would take her rosary from he
pocket and repeat to herself n few Ave-
Mnriu'a. Soon her head would begii
TO nod ana the children would look shy
~ at each other and giggle under thel
breath. Then the beads would drop oi
the floor and with her chin resting ~
her breast the good lady was sure q
sleep an hour NJ least. the children
knew. q the fun they had then. on
would softly Green to the door and tn
rest followed, ON into the big dlnini
hall, jumping over the forms and Ia
pies and waking ne echoes WIN
their Joyous shouts, After u while thel
would hear the mutron's heavy foot
fall and In an instant they We're al
seated at tho long table as domurcly ~
little Saints When che entered uh
would shake her fst at the little oul
prlts but they only laughed and crlcl
out; "liut. Madame. II was your fault
Tor you went 90 sleep, and We are =
hungry. o. We do want our supperl
And away would go the older once 4
help bring IN the huge plates oc brcnl
nnd butter. and the jugs OF sweet. warn
milk. and before the meal was over
some OF the little tired honds were rest
ing ON the table almost too sleepy 1
lake part In the evening prayer.
To Gabrielle the great event OF tn
week was tho saturday visit Of IN
good priest who had known her mother
He would always ask for the chlidre
and when they came he would place hi
hand upon hor head and say In hi
kindly way that he was glad the ma
tton had such a good report 10 max
81 her and what a fine boy her broth
pr was growing.
Tonight. seated AZ tho window. an
hears HIN speaking 10 someone on IN
stairs, She strains hcr ears 10 cate
he sound ~ HE loved voice. SUDDEN
her heart seems 10 stand still DO he
ears deceive her2 can she believe he
ferses2 Gabrielle would never cor
cent 10 H." she hears him say.
'Hlt II win be such a splendid OF
portunliy for the little fellow Madam
\ rich and will let him share equal
w everything with her own boy" N
other cnllca
know, but M any rate let him sta
his week 80 that they can spend The
hfisimns together poor little lambs
me priest says, with a tromor IN N
voice that Gabrielle remembers after
wards with gratitude. Then the grei
moor " swung onon and he steps oil
mo iho street. Mechanically tho chill
Matches the tall figure OF her ftlen
~ ne w lost 70 view. Then the who
.'uhuon breaks upon her She know
mat sometimes Kind peoplo omen the
a.pithnle doors to these little wall
""o ENJOY once more fathers al