The Saint Paul globe., 1900-01-28

made or air.
Suddenly Jean was filled with great
sense of shame that came whence he
knew not and he bent his head. and an
other 9eling came also. making him
think he was in some holy place, so that
he would have dropped to his knees only
that he did not dare. 1t was as II he
was in the presence of sorrow as deep
as that of the Crucilled One! Then his un-
Gle stepped up behind him and put his
hand on the boys curls-soft. golden
curls they were. that the young mother
had kissed again and again. so that Jean
did not like any one to SO much as touch
them, but the man. unCaring, gathered
them away from the little throat. laugh
ing the meantime in the womans face.
Now, why he did that thing Jean did not
understand, no more than l understand
to this day, but only he knew that twas
done to hurt the woman in some wise.
And she stood still, unseeing, as it were.
with not so much as muscle stirring
she was like one frozen.
THE next day when Jean went again
with the soldiers he would have been
dumb, save that his uncle prodded him
ferceiy in the side and he must call aloud.
But he said the words more gently, so
that they were almost like caress, and
he, looking, saw little flush of rose like
that the dawn casts upon. the rocks yon-
der shift quickly across her face, and
soften 1t, even as the glow softens the
boulder with its beauty. Yet there was
no other sign. And in the days that fol-
lowed there was no least recognition on
her part; she never seemed to see him.
nor did he know that she even heard
his call. though always he let 1t slip from
him on the wings of love. He was not
like other children, you understand; it
hurt him to see any one, anything suffer.
bird with broken wing or-or-any-
thing. He had a heart like that. More
over, ne felt a great pity for the woman
in her loneliness. He knew not what
wickedness she had committed. but that
1t was some black thing he was sure, for
so his uncle declared again and again.
His uncle hated her and cursed her, call
ing her 'Aristocrate!' and he and his fell
low soldiers would drink to the speedy
coming Of the day of reckoning. until
they could drink no more. Now, 1t Is
true, another child, with stronger wits
than Jean, would have been guided by
the men, but instead he felt tenderer
somehow, so that each time he spoke to
her, though he only said those three
words, he tried to put what was in his
thoughts into his voice. Sometimes 1t
meant I am sorry and other times 1t
meant BE of good cheer, and still other
but this more softIy-I love you, unhap
py one
But how could he tell that she under
stood, when the men listened to him with
indifference and did not bid him cease?
He was like one crying through heavy
fog; still he kept on crying, hoping to
be heard at last. And ever something
grew within him. why, he knew not; how,
he knew not. She was like stone, and
yet, because of that something in his
breast he could see the heart-break
spreading over her face that was so
shrunk and white, and he would have
comforted her even as he had often COM
forted his mother There had been heart
break in her face. too, you understand,
but it had lightened under the touch Of
his clinging fingers. If he had dared
he would have touched Veuve Capet iii
that fashion. Perhaps-he knew not-she
had known the pressure Of childish arms
once on a time-he could not say-She
seemed SO very old. Still, there must have
been a little child to love somewhere In
her past.
.'But he did not stir his hand. and that
for two reasons-one, because he feared
the men, and the other, because, though
she was so near, she seemed so far away
1t might have been her sorrow that kept
them asunder he coud not tell, and yet
sorrow had driven him closer to his
mother But this was different. He
wanted to kneel to this woman. to serve
her as If she were a queen. though she
did not look like one In her poor dress;
with her old, old face. Once, when he
was much younger, he had seen the queen
go riding by all glitter and sparkle ike
dream out Of a fairy world
mot so fast, Duval. not so fast.9gA
queen, didst say? Thou canst not mean
1t, and JEAN old Jean-there's some mis-
take, L"
peace, woman Yes, he saw the
queen; there was such In those days; but
what would you? He was no more to
her than the dirt of the road. and sne
was vision to him that passed away
like the mist in the morning. 1t Is Of this
ether + am telling you. Constantly he
carried the pitcher to her and spoke those
words on entering, and she seemed to
neither see nor hear him His uncle WIS
often drunk as time went on, and harsh.
Dieu how harsh!-and once old Jean,
petit Jean he was then, thinking to es-
cape from his anger, roamed out into the
country 1t was almost like a mother
to him, the country. He loved the trees
and the birds; they had voices for him
alone. Child though he was, he would
have stayed away always. but that some
thing stronger than all else drew him
back to the city, SO that he only tarrled
little space. ~,
''The land was waking into beauty, for
# was spring, and suddenly he spied
| tiny flower growing near pool. He fell
upon it In his Joy and kissed 1t for very
gladness; 1t was like friend, and he
had no friends Then there came to him
| the thought Of that other, lonelier far
than he, for he could move about on
Gods earth beneath the blue sky.
ITEMS he cried, i will take this little
| primrose to Veuve Capet.' So he plucked
| it, and searching round he found two
others. These he Slipped into his shirt,
| and hurried back to his uncle with IL
proud heart.
when next he visited the prisoner he
carried the flowers in his hot little fin
gers, waiting his chance to give them to
her. The soldiers were more drunk than
usual that day, and none of them re-
garded him closely, but the fear of them
| was like chain about him; he could not
act The moments flew, 1t was almost
| time to depart: then he became cold. I'm
noticed, he touched her hand softly.
/ Veuve Capet started and looked down at
him coldly, but when she saw what was
| his will smile broke over her face,
making the room seem full of light
and she took the flowers swiftly and hid
them in her breast as if they were Jewels
of great price. The next moment she
began to sob. Parbleu, that is the way
| with women; do them a kindness and
| they will Oftenest return you tears for
recompense as though 1t were hurt.
Jean was frightened at her grief but he
felt she was not angered at him; her
smile had told him otherwise. She cried
because-because she was woman; he
| would have cried too but that he was
n1an-child. He stood trembling amid
the fierce shouts and laughter of tho
| drunken soldiers which fairly shook the
room; they seemed to find pleasure in
the woman's tears.
:" so You can Ween. citoYenne one Of