The Dupuyer acantha. [volume] (Dupuyer, Mont.) 1894-1904, 1899-11-23

dark figure perched in a meditative
attitude and Immediately recognized
Jean-Marie.
"Ahap' he said, stopping before him
h~umorously, with a hand on either
knee. $50 we rise early in the morn
ing do we? 1t appears to me that we
have all the vices of a philosopher"
The boy got to his feet and made a
grave salutation.
"And how is our patient?" asked
Desprez.
1t appeared the patient. was about the
same.
"And why do you rise early in the
morning?" he pursued.
Jean-Marie, after a long silence, pro-
,fessed that he hardly knew.
"You hardly know?" repeated Des-
pref. 1--WE hardly know anything, my
man, until re try to learn. Inferno
gate your conscience. Come, push me
this inquiry home. Do you like it,"
eyes," said the boy, slowly; eyes, I
like it,"
"And why do you like it?" continued
the Doctor. "(We are now pursuing the
6ocratic method.) Why do you like it,"
sit is quiet" answered Jean-Marie;
"and / have nothing to do; and then l
feel as if I were good"
Doctor Desprez took a seat on the
post at the opposite side. He was be-
ginning to take an interest in the talk,
for the boy plainly thought before he
spoke, and tried to answer truly. "It
appears you have a taste for feeling
good" said the Doctor. "Now, there
you puzzle me extremely; for I thought
you said you were a thief; and the two
are Incompatible"
"Is it very bad to steal?" asked jean
Marie.
Such is the general opinion, little
boy" replied the Doctor.
mo; but I near as I STOLE" ex-
claimed the other. For I had no
choice. I think it is surely right to
have bread; it must be right to have
bread, there comes sc plain a want of
1T. And then they beat me cruelty if
returned with nothing" he added. II
was not ignorant of right and wrong;
for before that l had been we'll taught
by a priest, who was very kind to me"
'(The Doctor made a horrible grimace
at the word "priest.') "But it seemed
to me, when one had nothing to eat
and was beaten, it was a different af-
fair. I would not have stolen for tart
lets, I believe; but any one would steal
for bakers bread"
"And so I suppose" said the Doctor
with a rising sneer, "you prayed God to
forgive you, and explained the case
to Him at length"
"FWhy, STRIP asked Jean-Marie. 81
do not see."
"Your priest would see, however,
Letorted Desprez.
would he?" asked the boy, troubled
for the first time, II should have
thought God would have known"
"Eh?" snarled the Doctor.
"I should have thought God would
have understood me-" replied the
other. "You do not, I see; but then i
was God that made me think so, wa
1T not?"
little boy, little boy" said Doctor
Desprez, 81 tolL you already you hat
the vices of philosophy; if you displa!
the virtues also, l must 60. l am
student of the blessed laws of health
an observer of plain and temperate ma
sture in her common walks; and I can
mot preserve my ~equanimity in pres
,ence of a monster. Do you under
.stand?"
mo, sir" said the boy.
"T will make my meaning clear t
you" replied the Doctor. Look her
at the sky-behind the belfry frs
where it is SO light, and then up an
up; turning your chin back, right t
the top of the dome, where it is al
ready as blue as at noon. Is not tina
a beautiful color? Does it not pleas
the heart? We have seen it all OF
lives, until it has grown in with GU
familiar thoughts. Now" changing hi
tone, suppose that sky to become sue
denly of live and fiery amber, like tn
color of clear Goals, and growing seal
let toward the top-I do not say
a'ould be any the less beautiful; bl
would you like it as well?"
Il suppose not" answered Jea1
Marie.
Neither do I like you," returned tt
Doctor, roughly. Il hate all odd pc;
pie, and you are the most curious lit
boy in all the world"
Jean-Marie seemed to ponder fl
q while, and then he raised his hea
again and looked over at the Doctt
with an air of candid inquiry. "Bl
are not you a very curious gentl