The Farmington times. [volume] (Farmington, Mo.) 1874-1902, 1900-12-20

n fit by the midnight train TO Can
ada whenever fancy dictated. they
were evolving into landowners and
had bought a house. # was very
little house on the hillside, which
overlooked the village where Jean
Aubert and Della aud Henri worked
In the mills. but two acres of land
went with It. and already the Httle
Auberts were growing rosy and fat
legged. Hitherto the gates Of Para
disc had been cifectually closed TO
them. and with woods and fields no
more than half a mile away and the
whole street on the other side lined
with green lawns 10 tempt their very
eyes, they had never till now kicked
up their heels on grass
Peeping out OF the two street win
dows of the yardless double tenement
house which had been their home, or
playing softly round the doorstep
on hot summer evenings. they had
looked like family OF mice, noiseicss,
bright-eyed and shy. Mamma Aubert
was the mother mouse. q thin. dark.
eyed. decent French-Canadian won.
an, seldom seen outdoors. but often
of an afternoon by the window with
a baId-hesded baby In her arms and
a rather hectic flush upon her cheeks.
In school the little Auberis wore
perennial hIgh.necked, long.sleeved.
pink calico aprons, and stiil main.
tanning their mouHe-iike manners did
excellent work. The bows were
blaek-eyed rogueE. but like true
Frenchmen took kindly 10 instruction
In eap-dofiing and excuse-me. They
all had a gift for penmanship and
drawing. and Robert Aubert was tho
artist OF the school.
The year before che horse was
bought the two eldest children had
graduated into the woolen mill, and
Delia's deft fingers earned enough
money TO pay her board, clotke her
self tastefuily and have 9 little mar
gin left, which she laid by for furni.
ture for the room which they were
going TO call parlor.
There was one shadow on she fam
ily happiness, and that was the mort
gage; and Just before Christmas this
shadow began 20 assume alarming
proportions. IL hxd looked easy in
the spring, when they FIRST moved
Into the new home, 20 meet the pay
mcnt which was due in December.
Jean Aubert was carpenter ard ma
ehinist in one Of the factories, and a
steady and capable mRn. but the pros
ess Of evolution "a never without q
struggle. and. do the best he could,
the interest was all he could pay.
Even for that. what with the cold
coming suddenly on and hts nessfui
Of young ones being uneomnonIy
hungry and hard on their clothes
after their summer ont doors. the
family resources were strained 20 the
utmost. Della and Henri contributed
their savings, the parior that was TO
he was shut up, and they all came
down 10 9 pretty strict diet Of pud-
ding and milk. II was q pcor out.
look for Christmas, for ahead of than.
soomed up more interest and ctheg
payments, besides the eomtauuoun
outgo Cor their living.
Il don't know but f're undertaken
too mucL,r Jean Anbert said, soberly.
"Is eosts more over here than Il aid
on the street. II we donst save mors
this ~inter than we hsse sinee W
came. we shall have TO move bach, \
and In the melancholy siience that
followed Mamma Anhert gave up hen
ehirkrna and COW. Della saw hes
dream of mnsiin curtains aud IN or.
gar sanikh in air. and the ehiIdreE
suffered that dcprsssion Of spirits
which l. always induced hy = vsrdios
adverse 10 ChristmaA
Fertuns has way of expcrimsnt.
snx wIrh fun cupa to - how muek
more they can hold sftm sAey ~