The Virginia enterprise., 1900-01-19
The basket OC Flowers.

JacurrS was the gardener Of the Count
dc SurycrcS, and Marie waS his daush-
ter.
Marie was always gay and ohetient
and thus she attracted the attention of
the countess. who spoke pleasantly to her
ard sent her to the castle to the seam
stress to learn to sew and mend.
Marie also learned to make pretty
baskets and every evening: she spent her
time weaving them. These baskets
served to carry the flowers and fruit to
the castle. and now and again Marie
Sc!d some. of them ut the market when
she needed new shoes or !, new dress.
The prrttirSt of ill these baskets was
reserved f"r the birthday OF the little
rorrtcS>. the daughter of her hcnrfar-
II, ~. for Marie wanted to offer it t"
her full Of fresh, beautiful flowers.
So she got up early in the morning and
gathered her roses all covered with dew,
arranged them with taste in the pretty
basket. and when the present was ready
she carried it herself to the castle. The
yrun" Countess Amelia admired it very
much. then begging Marie to wait Il mo-
nunt. she ran to the next room to show
it to- her mother. y few minutes after
Sh; returned and said:
Marie. your present has given me
"rta. pleasure and | would like in re-
turn to- give You something just as prtt-
ty. for | know it is your birthday. too.
That is why | beg you to accept this
dress, and I hope you will think Of me
every time you wear it,.
Marie Left the castle enchanted with
the pretty present, and above all with
the kind words Of the Young countess
Evcryrne rejoired ut her good luck ex-
ctpt tihnr. the Snun" countess cham
hcrmaid. for sh" had hoped 10 receive
that pretty dress. and she was jealous
of the affection of her yu;lny mistress for
the gardeners child.
Marie had scarcely had time to show
her pretty dress to her father when the
young countess entered, the cottage all
'nt &C breath.
Oh. Marie. said she. with Il tone of
r.rr';ch. ''how could YOU do such a
thing: Give me- quick my mothers di,-
n'nl rin" and premise tn protect YOU -
Marie. who could not understand what
such verbs Sl"nitied. asked IN txlla,n,
tl,n and soon learned that the countess
diamond ring had disappear, Il. Tn,
r""nt'>S had lett it, on tn" table in her
daughters room. where no one had en-
tered except -Anr!ia and Marie: that is
why they as''1~,'l her OF having stolen
thu i:w-t |.
Nalir protested her innocence. Swurc
thai >'l" had neither seen nor touched
The '''ain"ni! ring. AMI iii spite of the
i,Ar> and PRAYERS If th, yu,lliy ruuntr<S
and Il her ed father she continued t.
1,ny the crime
!ivJ father. finally convinced az lei. in
n': :tn;r. ti'i to tn!l>',lr h:r. saving that
';ctl Ia N"i' ;,';liul'n,t! thrS, who had Il
clear conscience. hut tn" Young countess
r,!U>vu to believe her and hr"y., her to
return the ring.
y few minutes after the sheriff arrived
and arrested poor Marie She was put
III prison and the next day was taken he
fore the judge. where she again >wor;.
that she was innocent of the theft
nhalpily the chamhernlait was called
as Il witness. She WAS so Jealous of
Marie that she testified that she had seen
htr take tn" ring. and upon this tcSti-
nr ny the judge condemned the poor girl
To- StEt raj years in prison.
Scrins l"'or jacques sorrow. the count
pltmiSCtl tn do his best to soften the pen
atty. The result of his efforts was that
Marie was cxilcd and forbidden to return
to that part Of the kingdom,
Fc"r jacques. who did not want to
abandon his daughter. declared that he
wn"ld accompany her. and. in spite of his
age. he prepared tn depart. leaving all
his I"'Sstssicns, which had been cunfis-
Gated. to replace the stolen ring Marie
and her father walked thus for several
days seeking a shelter. Fati=,,c and p,i-
vaticn made the poor old man 50 sick
that he fell by the way. Marie Looked
hrl1iedly cn all sides. and seeing Il little
house at the foot Of the hill. she ran there
t" obtain help.
The farmer and his wife. who were
very KIND people. hasten. i to the relief
IF poor jacques. They carried him to