Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1902-08-09

stage when Drought 'he
weekly mail over the mountain to
Rougemont, late on Saturday night,
had dropped her and her tiny bundles
at the door of the little French Inn.
She wanted a room, she told the old
woman who came in answer to her
knock-nOt the best one, she could
scarcely afford that, and she shouldn't
mind how small it was so long as she
and her baby might have 1t quite to
themselves.
Old Marie mumbled as she hObbled
along before: "Mon Dieu, but what a
child it is! And so pretty, too. Where's
her husband?'
Then she held the door Of the room
open and the young woman passed In;
her sharp old eyes noticed that she
wore no wedding ring. Marie shrugged
her shoulders significantly. then hur-
ried down stairs to inform her col
leagues Of the fact. AS for the young
woman, once the door was closed she
laid the baby down upon the bed and
walked to the bureau, upon which
stood lighted lamp. She raised her
left hand and looked at it closely. Di-
rectly below the knuckle of her third
finger the flesh had been compressed
and Redeemed, but both the marks and
color were now gradually dying away.
"By this time tomorrow every trace
of 1t will have gone. AS far as looks
60, it will be-eXactly rs though l
never had any ring at ALL"
The cure called the next day. He
was an old man and had seen queer
things even in that quiet place, but he
believed in her instinctively. "You
must take me on trust for little
WHILE" she, said to him in her gentle
way, when she caught his eyes wan
dering to her hands. ut doesn't mat
ter what you call me-BrOwn, Jones or
Robinson-anything. was married Al
year ago, but it doesn't matter to
whom. That's why I've come here, |
wanted to get somewhere where
neither my baby nor need be known
by her fathers name"
She was English, but she spoke
French excellently, and her gentle
manners won his sympathy.
AS he was leaving he called Marie
to one side and pressed coin into her
hand.
'That's for you, Marle-on one condi-
ton. You must see to it that they all
call her madame"
"Mais, Monsieur lie Cure"
Enough, Marie! Do as l bid you
now, and say no more about It,"
The days went by, but none Of the
village people came to see her. They
never called in that vicinity; they
were far too primitive for that But,
nevertheless. had things been other
wise than as they supposed, they would
have soon shown her, after their own
fashion, that she was welcome guest.
One day the cure came and found her
knitting upon long, white, fleecy
cloud.
Look" she cried, holding 1t up for
him to see. Isn't it pretty? Tell your
your people-all of them down in the
village there-that If they will pay me
I will make them clouds and mittens
and all sorts Of things far prettier than
they have ever seen. | don't ask them
to know me; l only want to earn my
own living"
So the cure told them Of 1t. and put
in word parenthetically upon the lit
tie mothers behalf. go and see her.
said he. 'She can't harm you. It's
lonely up there alone, and you Older
women could help her so with the
baby"
But the good people would have none
of her; If she worked well they would
pay her well, but with her they woult
have no fellowship.
One night about two months later ole
Marie came hobDling down to tn,
cures house and told him Madame wal
i'll. When he came 10 her she handed
him the envelope in which she kept he
slender earnings. On the envelope SD,
had written the name of q well know
pawn broker in the city, forty miles
away. There's just enough" she said
II have counted it. Take 1t to hin
yourself. or send it by some one whom
you can trust, and who will lose n,
time. They will give you little bO!
with my ring inside Tiny weddin:
ring, YOU know. l had to pawn it t.
pay my fare on the stage the night w
came. Even If am not here when yoI
get back, you must put 1t on my tinge
and show it to them for baby's sake
My name and the date of my marrias
are written inside of 1t"
The cure waited to hear no more. Is
will go there myself" he said.
1t was showing that night when h
drove away, and all through the da
that followed the snow continued t
fall. Early the next morning the cur
returned. Marie met him at the doc
and he saw at once that she had bee
crying.
MADAME is Dead" she said. "Sh
died just a little while after you wer
away"
She led the way into the room, whcr
they laid her In a plain, pine-boarle
coffin. Some of the villagers had gait
cred there. as well as the cures Sc
= want, Paul.
"Paul," cried the cure, ring III
church BELL and when they ask yo
what has happened, tell them that yo
ring for marriage. burial and
h christening all at once. Tell them all
b that the cure wants them here"
L The cracked old bell rang out on Il
frosty air. and the people. startled L
the unusual sound. hurried to the In
| They crowded into the little room. me
!. and women. and stood there In awe