The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1899-09-02
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Il By L. II. Yates. Sc

& - By L. II. Yates. e &
9ooooooooooooooooooox
Farther along the rocky coast Of Finis-
tere and away back from the cliff one
COMES on stretch Of wild, lonely country
-marshy Inoors and bleak hill pastures.
These are the pres sales Of Brittany, whore
grows rank coarse grass; that feeds few
sheep and where green sanphire 1ourishes.
At certain times of the year the older wo-
men from Ploumazcldeo come to gather
the samphire and take away basketfuls to
sell In the towns roundabout Besides
these and the shepherds or their boys, who
some occasionally to drive the sheep on to
different quarters, the wild, lonely landes
Of the Pays do Leon are rarely visited by
any.
Grandmere Bonnet in her solitary hut
feels herself the rightful owner of these
solitudes and resents any disturbance.
When they meet her. the women have a
pleasant word Of greeting, for she Is wo.
man like themselves. They pity her,
knowing just little Of her history. But
tho shepherds avoid her. There is some
thing uncanny about her unwomanly fig.
I ure, and tho herdboys are her dread. You
can't intimidate gamin that Is bent on
mischief and he Is rich in resource when
his mind Is given to tOrturing his unhap-
py victim. Sad days are there for Grand
mere Bonnet when the boys invade the
landes Her keen eyes detect her enemies
afar of; seeing them, she retires within
her lonely hut and barricadcs her door,
often as not to find that another barricade
Of stones has been raised on the other side
when she opens 1t again. Her hermit life
began 80 many years ago that people have
almost forgotten her existence in any other
sphere. To the majority she Is gro
tesque fgure-une insensee-better left
alone, as she cannot be civilized. Yet a
faint recollection fingers of once thrifty
bourgeoise, clever, capable, hardworking,
but the fell stroke which broke her heart
strings touched her reason also and turned
her into the half wild creature who will
speak to none.
A rough pilot's coat and cap have been
her dress winter and summer these many
years Heavy sabots look hugely big I'M
der the short, rough skirt that is the only
remnant left to tell her sex. A stout stick
is her weapon Of defense-one, too that
she would not hesitate to lay about the
head of an unhappy offender
How she gains her scanty living Is a
/, puzzle, but one way or another she strug-
giles along, and the inside of that lonely
hill cabin Is never seen.
-
"He-pardi-elle ma fait peur!" and
the speaker drew away in alright She
had been sitting on one Of the fat bowl
ders, resting from the constant STOPPING,
and, busy with the "causette' she was
holding with her companion, had not no.
ticed that Grandmere Bonnet had drawn
close to them.
There was an elflsh grin on the withered
face of the old woman. It pleased her to
see others afraid Of her; she suffered such
tortures Of fear herself.
"Restez tranquille-ne dernngez vous
pas" she said chuckling within herself.
"I'll not come too near. But you are CO.
ing to talk to me, do you understand"
They signifled their willingness, but
waited for the outcast to begin
"What has become of herf" she de-
manded.
"Whom do you meanP"
"Bah, Mere Clotilde-you are not this
years child. You know I mean her-the
red skinned girl. What is she doing now"
"If you mean Paul Bonnet's wife, can
tell you she Is good and brave woman,
and many years it Is since she was a girl.
She has lived hardly and worked long. 1t
is we'll that she has good children to work
for her now. You are wrong to hate her
20, grandmere."
The old woman made a grimace. "You
are wise woman, Clotilde, and you are
memory behind you. Go on. Tell me
about the children. Are they fishing toop"
"They live at Varogues with their moth
or, all except Marthe and Lisette, who are
married to good men and true. 1t Is a
family to be proud of, grandmere, and
they would all be kind If you would let
them"
Grandmere's reply to this was curious
one. She took q handful Of the rank,
coarse grass and thrust it into her mouth.
After chewing it for a moment she spat 1T
out in disgust
"There," she said, "bitter as the taste
IF tho grass on the press sale is the name
of that red skinned woman to me- had
garden once, u little house with green
all about it, and husband who was good
aud kind to me, even though he was q
fool for the drink at times. All this until
she came, but afterward she turned it to
salt Bitter tears have shed because of
her. Then I left her for the solitude of
the landes. Here at least have peace. 1t
seems that she has gained what she
sought too.
The two listeners looked from one to
the other How much of this rancorous
hate was due to disordered brain and
how much had foundation on fact they
could not tell. 1t was difficult to believe
that Felicie Bonnet had ever been unkind
least Of all to her husbands mother.
Grandmere saw their incredulity. |
"Ecoutez," she said, "you shall hear what
few people know, but you shall tell the
historic to no otheri You underestimate
They signitied consent, and the old wo-
man leanJd toward them eagerly, her
olawlike fingers spread out in excited ges-
lures as she went on with her tale. 1t was
years since she had spoken SO freely MS
this. What was urging her to do SO now
she could not have told either.
u was ~ years old when L married
Amedee Bonnet, and for go years after
that we lived together, happy enough as
married life goes. worked hard for him,
and minded not If he gave me touch Of
his hand sometimes when the drink was
In him-he never knew what he was doing
then, being a soft fellow and led by the
nose, as they say. Paul WAS our only
child, and he went wherever his father did
Ito tho whaling as soon as ever he was
big enough. For months lived alone,
but when they came back they filled the
house with life. was ever their first
thought and Very happy was I.
"When Paul was 81, he drew bad
number in the CONSUMPTION. He had fyo
years service, and he was to 60 out to
Tonkin. When he was gone-surely u
bad dav enough for me-nothinu would