Evening journal., 1899-08-24
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1 "L0 Bette"
By Ethel Ramsey. Z
S'NSA~'AG'ASsAS SiASiRaaaSsAS

ated in an eminently respectable but
eheerlees quarter OF Paris. Moreover
the story is founded on fact" as tAeg
say. and is devoid Of that lavish orna-
mentation which a bona fide afnimai
story permits for q teller, whether he
be church member or not.
had been left in tie convent to com
plcte my education. Slight illness
had excused me from the 6utine of the
schoolroom. and as ] STOOD ia the re-
fectory one morniug, struggling with
the demon of homesickness. AN uncon-
trouable desire TO look out OF the win
dow seized me- Not the window which
overlooked the garden, who're I knew
there was nothing of iEterest 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.
H9d been less homesick it might have
been temptation TO investigate, and.
IL fortune favored me, TO establish a
rival claim. but thirsted for q sight OF
the street, forbidden pleasure.
soeur Marie, lay sister, had taken
me to task when first arrived for de-
lliberately standing at the front win
dow, where could see and be seen.
1T looked so bad" said she, "for a
demoiselle to appear before the pub
lie"
Presently man carrying box Of
tools game out OF the house. Instead
Of turning 10 the right or left, he
crossed the street. The door-bell
| tangled and a moment later Seour
Marie led the man into the refectory
"Whut are you doing, mademoiseileY'
she asked.
Looking out of the window" Soeur
Marie roRed her eyes.
"lmagines vous," she said 70 the car
penter. "the demoiselle likes 10 look ont
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
lie was much younger than she, and
possibly had broader views. J decided
to cultivate him as far as possible. Sc
as to rout utterly the girl whose ad
mirer lived acress the court There had
never been any doubt in my mind bsf
that he was a valet, aud il seemed'tha
a present carpenter promised'more eN
citement than a distant valet.
Soeur Marie hustled arotPd nervous
lly. From time 20 time she eyed mi
curiQusly as though celebrating. Sh
finally beclSoned me to follow her int
the han.
u lave to 60 down 10 tha kitchen fe
a few rasuants." said she. ~snd ] don,
, like 10 leavo him ia there alone. Al
the silver mtgs are outin fun view, an
who knows when the-hour OF tempto
ton approaches? Blessed u be who !
prepared to,resist il. NOW you are M
American, and it will be proper 70
YOU to remainiin the room while I an
downstairs, SO just stay and watch th
mugs. but don't 80 TO the window"
every well, ma soeur," snsweTe'
quietly.
There WIS evidently struggle in he
mind as to the prsPriety of this, ant
to betray interest would have settle
any doubt at once.
The carpenter by tbs time ha
opened the dsor OF whstI had suppose
was a closet. When I returned to IN
= room, he we llneeling by = hoie j
the floor cut in the bettom Of the close
, taking measurements.
what are you doing2" l asked.
He stopped in his calculations.
'Les bonnes seours." he said. "hav
{ given me job. wanted TO put til
? dumb-waiter out in the room, but nj
, 1t would look untidy, so they have mad
, me use the closet for it. which is cor
. trary TO the laws of carpenteringl"
: "Are there laws of carpentering~
2 asked.
( ooh, mademoisellel There are laTS
Z 20 everything. but carpentering is on
q Of the most difficult and cemDlicate
2 Of artist" Having found already this
9 every Frenchman considered his trad
/. an art, proceeded toeonverse aniabl,
: plying him with q6estiens, and real
= having almost as much fun as. the da
q rhe charbcnnier came and brought M
t lille dog and made him perform trick
r until a sister came up from behindian
sent me on an crrand.
), The dumb waiter was a concession
e the march Of time. Who shall say he
n many years the patient sisters ha
i toiled up two flights of Stairs, carryin
every moutiful eaten by the Is or
boarding scholars, and carrying dow
every utensil used in the service?
II The meals and the service were Of n
q simplest. The refectory was larg
d Well-lighted room, with whitewashS
e walls and a bare foor. The only o
r nament was a large ebony cHucifix
: one end of the room. When the cir
q went to q meal they walked in ''tv
is by two" not dressed in the tradition
V yellow, pink and blue" but clad
d black mohaT aprons, which complet
.e ~ covered every vestige of the dres
n Each girl halted at her place at Il
d long black marble table, and, fixir