The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1900-04-14
"Thank you, mademoiselle, - said |,

| ventured to speak.
The uncle, it is true, bids me goUd-day
now-Marietta salutes me also. But [
am afraid of everyone, of myself, of the
porter, of the neighbors, of the principal,
of my two colleagues especially, two old
mocking bachelors who at times look at me
with provoking air And it was thus [
found myself at Easter Sunday. | had
before me five long days of vacation, FIVE
days of liberty
''Are you man p asked myself
| 'Yes
''Well, then, go ahead =
awoke in the morning very full of
laughter. [ opened wide my window
All but it is good to live This was a
great feast everywhere The birds were
warbling above my head under the caves
On all sides the bells were ringing, and
their joyous chime seemed to answer one
another. Then they began to chant all
together, the biz ones with deep, loud
baSses accompanying the clear voices of the
smallest And these sounds all seemed to
ascend and then disperSe high up in the
rosy SKY, and already all was bathed in
| sunshine.
\ sharp knock at my door made me
turn quickly opened it and saw stand
Ing there the porter, small, round, fat
old man, who smilhngly handed me a
package folded in white paper. For
/ YOU. Monsieur Jacques, said he. And
he was gone.
Astonished trembling without knowing
I why. | united the pink ribbon which last
ened the parcel. uufolded the paper aud
a little box appeared | opened the box
at once and on bed of cotton white as
snow. saw What An Easter egg.
\ little Easter egg of sugar, on which, in
red letters. was traced this magic word,
Hope
remained moment confused, gazing
/ now by turns at the ribbon shining ON the
floor. the box aud the egg. Nothing in-
dieated. nothing could indicate to me from
whence came this gracious gift. | knew
/ no one at Chautevigne. All at once |
uttered cry. had OWNED the mystery.
II Is from her, | said, and taking the
err in both nv hands, | covered it with
I kisses. delicious kisses, fond kisses, kisses
which left on my lips delicious perfume
of yiolets. For had now recognized the
egy. All the week had seen it in the
show window Of the little shop.
Il was she She had guessed my Sc
/ cret. she had OWNED my timidity and my
silence. and she had sent me this little
I Faster present that it might speak for her:
/ Hope and confidence My Imagination
( travelled 80 much and so far that only an
I hour after went down dressed in my best
! clothes What | would do | had not de
/ cided. but surely, | would do something.
/ Il must be said my coat shone little
/ in the sun. the nap Of my hat was little
thin in places, but did not give much
Thought to these details 1t was Easter
| II made the sun clear. The bells were ring
ing ike the joyous chimes Of betrothal.
/ And in the pocket Of my coat, dellcately
resting in its bed Of cotton, | could feel the
esg Of sugar which | had been too willing
Z 70 carry with me,
In passing before the porter lodge, |
saw my two colleagues | waved my hand
to them, they bowed and smiled, aud |
went on was on the point Of telling
everyone of my good luck, even to the
principal, if met him.
The pastry cock, the uncle, was at his
door. He saw me and signed me to ap-
proach | pretended not to have seen,
but he called me. commenced to be
nervous. was too lucky and my hapPl-
ness frightened me. had always had a
timid nature went towards him.
And where were you going 50 fast
said the large man, extending his hand,
..and 81 fine 2 added he, beginning to
laugh
| Redeemed and did not know what to
reply. but with a look | searched the in.
terror Of the shop If | could only le,
Marietta know that | am here, thought l.
All at once an idea come to me. My
old trick : | couShed
Still that yillianous cold there
4 YES. replied l. by the way,
added, since am here may as vel
take some gum drops
VERY good, said he, ''come in /.
And entered Marietta was not there
The uncle took down the jar, and one
by one rolled the gum drops in the scales
separatin. any that were fastened together
| looked about me-my eyes everywhere
hoping that the curtain at the end woulc
be lifted, and in her pretty white apron,
Marietta would appear smiling, finger OF
her lips. And | quietly prepared to take
the egg from my pocket, that she might se'
that | had received it and that | under
stood
"Apropos to this, said the pastry
cook, rolling the paper bag between his ia
fingers, ''has the farce succeeded ?
| looked at him in establishment, no
understanding.
'Ah but you are not, perhaps, in th'
game, said he. Your colleagues tolc
us the story last evening. They came t
buy an Easter egg, which they wished t.
send TO silly friend of theirs, to maxi
him think that the present came from :
beautiful unknown, for whom he had beer
signing for two months. -
1t seemed that everything was turning
around me.
They wanted one, he continued
with suitable motto, Marietta foun,
an old one of last year for them. How
ever, they will tell you the story bette
than |, but this much | can say, the,
laughed very heartily as they tied thei
little package with a beautiful pink ribbon
Apropos-I had forgotten to tell you, the
principal thing, and customer like you
that would be impolite ! My niece vii
no longer serve you with gum drops Sh'
is to be married in eight days. Her fu
ture family has come to visit her this morn
ing, and this evening a grand betrotha
dinner will be given. All it will be
great affair.
And bursting with laughter and pleas
ure, he slapped me on the shoulder. Tn
shock was too rude-I fell back Imply OIL
chair, unable to say word. Unde
me heard a crash. 1t was the egg whicl
broke | had sat upon it. Fortunately
customer entered and went out imme
diately.
vi - l. .--z., -. ..,,,,,. s.,,r, 1ro,,..