The pioneer press. (Miller, Hand County, S.D.) 1893-190?, 1899-11-02

beside the fire and held forth - -. aa'
admiring neighbors. He sbowoa !, ny
at length, the causes of the accidon.
ior years, he explained, the fall has
peen impending; one sign had =,
lowed another, the joints had ononss
the plaster had cracked. the old 49,
bowed inward; last, not three wsah. .
ago, the cellar-door had begun 70 VOL,
with difficulty in its grooves "Tsa
cellar!' he said, gravely shaking ~
mead over a glass of mulled w,no
That reminds me of my poor vintapas
by a manifest providence the Hermit
age was nearly at an end. One bot,lo
lose but one bottle of that incon
parable wine. 1t had been set anor.
against Jean-Marie's wedding. Well
| must lay down some more; it will, hs
an interest in life. l am. however
a man somewhat advanced in year,
MY great work is now buried in tha
fall OF my humble roof; it will never
be completed-my name will have been
writ In water. And yet you find ma
calm-I would say cheerful. Can your
priest do more?"
BY the first glimpse of day the party
sailed forth from the fireside into the
street. The wind had fallen. but still
charioted world OF troubled clouds
the air bit like frost; and the party
as they stood about the ruins in the
rainy twilight of the morning, beat up.
on their breasts and blew into their
hands for warmth. The house had en-
tirely fallen, the walls outward. the
roof in; it was mere heap of rub
bish, with here and there a forlorn
spear of broken rafter. A sentinel
was placed over the ruins to protect
the property, and the party adjourned
to Tentaillon's to break their fast at
the Doctors expense. The bottle cir
culated somewhat freely; and before
they left the table it had begun to
snow.
For three days the snow continued
to fall, and the ruins, covered with tar.
paulin and watched by sentries, were
left undisturbed. The Desprezes mean.
while had taken up their abode at Ten.
taillon's. Madame spent her time in
the kitchen, connecting little delica-
cies, with the admirlng aid of Madame
Tentaillon, or sitting by the fire In
thoughtful abstraction. The fall or tiie
house affected her wonderfully little;
that blow has been parried by another;
and I'm her mind she was continually
fighting over again the battle OF the
trousers. Had she done right? Had
she done wrong? And now she would
applaud her determination; and anon,
with a horrid flush of unavailing peni-
tence, she would regret the trousers
No juncture in her life had so much ex-
ercised her judgment. In the mfan'
time the Doctor had become vastly
pleased with his situation. Two OF inc
summer boarders still fingered bemhd
the rest, prisoners for lack of remit
lance: they were both English, ou1
one of them spoke French pretty nu'
emily, and was, besides, a humorous
agile-minded fellow, with whom tns
Doctor could reason by the hour Sc
cure of comprehension. Many were tnS
glasses they emptied, many the topics
they discussed
"Anastasie," the Doctor said on lns
third morning, take an exampir irom
your husband, from Jean-Marie. ino
excitement has done more for the ".
than all my tonics, he takes ms Turn
as sentry with positive gusto AS ~
me you behold me. / have mauo
friends with the Egyptians; ana my
Pharaoh is I swear it. a most asres
able companion. You alone are hlppe..
About a house-a few dresses! Mha'
are they i'm comparison to- the rna.
macopoeia'-the labor OF years H .ss.
buried below stones and STICKS ID w., ~,
depressing hamlet? The snow lails'
I shake it from my cloak. Initiate ny.
Our income will be impaired, l sia.'
II. since we must rebuilds but houe =,
alton, patience, and philosophy ~"
gather about this hearth In the nieaA
while the Tentaillons are obligins' sns
table. with your additions, VIII p''I
only the wine is execrable-wei,, .
shall send for some to-day. MY ~
roah will be gratifieS to drink q 49, ~.
glass: aha! and l shall see II ne ~
sesses that acme of organna.f"
palate. II he has palate, ne
feet" ..oa
Henri" she said, shaking hei sor.
| ..you are a mar: you cannon .onld
| stand my feelings; no woman IT. a
shake off the memory OF SO puD'
humiliation ~.
The Doctor could not RESTRAIN nhut
ter. Pardon me, darling" ne saia ,.olli.
really, to the philosophical ma,l I
gence, the incident appears 50 So
trifie. You looked extremely "'N q
"HeUii!" she cried.
ITO Bs coNrryusD.'