Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1902-03-15


A weddirg party3v said Jacques.
Tts. rnus arr the bride groom, re-
syonded Zenhyrin with Il laugh Come
with SIS. We are going to luncheon"
Jacques declined, saying that he must
be home by noon. Zephyrin insisted.
but can't go like this" said
Jacques, pointing to his rough blouse and
great shoes, Then the bridegroom be-
came angry. But still jacques shook
his head. Then the bride. Il plump and
vivaciOus little woman, told ner husband
that he ought not to insist as the gentle
man evidently did not find the society
to his liking. This decided Jacques and
he accepted the invitation. The bridal
procession resumed its march, Jacques
following with his cart. On the way
ZeDhyrin told his mother-in-law why he
had insisted on jacques joining them.
The cart will be handy if any OF us
get tired The bridegroom's happy idea
was received with approval by all.
The stars were shining. 1t was mid
night. No sound was heard in the de-
serted street except the noisy rafting of
the cart over the stones. jacques
steered devious course out of the city.
lie muttercd incohcrent words, the most
frequent of which were: ",The calf
Then he felt his leather purse and Swore.
Only 20 of the 80 francs remained. He
WAS lullS sure, ipF ne hdu cpuulcu me
money several times by the light of his
lantern. IL was an easy sum TO count,
for the purse contained just one 20-franc
piece.
This l. how it came about. After
luncheon he had been for going home.
\ few hours late, what was that? He
could explain it and the master was
good-humored. But taking a whole day
off was a very different matter Tie
must go home His companions urged
him To stay. the ladies employed their
most seductive arts. and finally the bride
groom brought forward Il very plausible
argument. The party was going out IL
EstreeS on the Etricourt road, To &C
company il 10 that point would not delay
Jacques greatly and then he could so on
his way. jacques yielded. At EstreeS
they found village festival in progress.
The wine had circulated freely at
luncheon and on the way out. so that
Jacques was in no humor to refuse to
dance a quadrillc. After the quadrille
came a polka, which lady of his party
begged him to dance with her. Then he
danced waltz and then more wastzcs
and more polkas. Dancing is thirsty
work, and after each dance the thirst
was allayed-partially. Jacques forgot
all about going home and spent the whole
day ut EStreCS. He also spent, very soon,
what little money he had Of his own, and
.
cy went rapidly. At sunset the wedding
party packed itself into the cart and re-
turned TO the city, laughing and singing.
JACQUES drew a long sigh rs he passed
the milliner's shop and saw the gorgeous
bonnet again. Yielding to sudden inn
pulse, he stopped the horse handed the
rcinS To the bridegroom and rushed into
the shop. When he came ont he had Il
his paper parcel in his hands and 20
francs less in his purse He stood his
companions raillery with good humor
but mt dinner, which was the next event
on the programme, he drank recklesSly
TO drown his remorse. When the party
broke mp his companions had TO help him
into the cart.
Hence. as has been said he found him
self driving homeward at midnight in q
very cloudy frame of mind. As he drove
ON the weather became cloudy. too. The
stars vanished, the wind blew and pres
emily the rain fell in torrents. Jacques
had become slightly sobCred and thor
cughly wretched Every few minutes he
started at what seemed the plaintive cry
| of the calf lying bound behind him as
IN the morning. He turned and saw
only the iamboyant hat. Then he
thought of his almost empty purse and
tremhled at his masters wrath. With
unsteady hands he drew the purse from
his pocket, took out the lonely gold piece