Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1903-09-30
Paris ought to know"

Paris ought to know
Then said Dame la Rue, perfectly
collected and gravely giving into the
girls hands the other bundles:
Try this on, mamselle."
Jaquette went into the little room
again and returned presently as radiant
with joy as a rose arrayed, as Solo
mons wife in all her glory had not
been.
What does 1t mean, madameY said
she In an ecstasy of delight. where
did you get it?"
You shall know presently" was oil
the other said.
Then Jaquette began to pace up and
down the room in a maze of emotions.
so perfect, so beautiful, so heavenlyv'
she cried In delirium of pride and
joy, the little mother looking on with
her mouth wide agape, like mouse
trap.
Outside the cabin door stood Caliste,
snugly attired, rose in the buttonhole
of his brave new coat and another,
long stemmed nodding favor, in his
fingers, nice as q verger with his white
wand, yet with an expression of pa.
thetic perplexity on his now not un-
handsome visage. He had left Dece at
the bench with strict injunctions to re-
main there until he should return.
Some business of great Importance re-
garding the land he had sold was to be
transacted with a stranger who was
then awaiting him at Hotel Castor.
Now. the whole detestable baseness
of the intrigue was pressing upon Ca
lste's conscience with merciless stress.
Did Dece's harsh words justify all this
deceitful scheming? Was it fatherly
thing in any light? If Jaquette should
refuse and scorn him, he would be the
laughing stock of tile parish to his dy-
ing day. Then he reversed the argu-
ment emphatically. 1t was scurrilous
thing for Dece to say, and he would
prove to the tipping, good for nothing
lout that, supposing his calumnies were
even half true, he (Caliste) was smart
enough to get Jaquettes preference
What a beautiful revenge!
His heart softened a little toward
Dece, but he quickly treasured himself
with he's young and will soon ge,
over it, And the girl-she was lovely!
He believed he was more in love with
her than he had ever been with Sabine,
his first wife. Then lie reverted to the
first dreadful hypothesis. All, If he
were mistaken in regard to her vanity!
If she should refuse! The thoughts
fairly stifled him, so he could get no
relief save to burst into the cabin and,
SO to speak, get away from it.
In her great joy Jaquette rushed into
Caliste's arms Immediately when he en-
tered and, planting kiss fairly upon
his reddening cheek, cried: "Oh, look!
How good you We're to send me this
sweet gown! know it was your
His heart sank, and he glanced dark.
ly toward the little modiste 1t oc-
CURED to him that Dame Ia Rue had
broken faith.
@rhen-then you will agree~ he
stamnfered.
Agree! Agree to what, monsieur?"
"You-yOu will-wfll agree to take
lAC 4A5LSfiu vi lJGGC. rus Sic uOC lOlu
you-the modiste3"
"She has told me naught, monsieur.
do not understand" the girl said,
rubbing her eyes with perplexity.
Then Caliste made matters clearer
In fumbling, clumsy way, not at all
as he had expected to do it-how If she
should marry him instead of Dece the
gown was hers; II not-well, the other
| way.
5"st, yierge, how lucky!n muttered
the mother under her breath, then
aloud: Certainly she will, monsieur.
Have no fear of that. Her father,
that's on his raft now down by Que
bee, has always been against the other
match. And am willing. Yes, mon
sieur'-making a courtesy to his fat
pocketbook rather than to his person
with all MY hearth
The thing set Jaquette into a kind Of
stupor of perpleXity. The gown, the
gown. the heavenly. lovely gown,
seemed to rise above every other cry
of her being. She could not part with
that. No. no, no, no! Let come whit
might, that was hers forever. Love of
angels, what a sight she would be be-
fore the admiring village! Nothing
IKE it had ever before been seen in the
Eparish, the province, the world! After
all, did she really love Dece? He had
pfnched her often with anger. What
might he not do after they were mar
ried? Besides, he was drunk half the
time, though he tried to hide 1t, the
sneakl Come; he wasn't half SO hand
some as his father, that dear, kindly
man with such tender ways and not O
gray hair either! What must the peo-
pie say? Her heart chilled at this
thought. But, then, did not every one
know of Dece's miserable conduct?
All, but the gown! The gown! She
surveyed herself from head to foot,
and then her heart flew up into her
throat like catapult. and, with
great gulp of Sob she thrust herself
into the arms of Caliste, who had suf-
fered martyrdom during her med1ta-
tons, crying, "Ah, monsieur, I know
you will be kind and good to mer'
That evening Dece came to the cabin
and was received iclly. Jaquette was
not feeling very we'll. Dame Dion said
he must wait until the morrow to see
her.
mo; must go to my bride,r said he,
attempting to force an entrance with
much arrogance. ''If she be sick, I'm
the one should see her."
Jaquette's mother had but crack Of
the door opened. and she closed it
quickly, saying:
"Go away, Dece! You must not come
inside tonight"
So to lie Loup went Dece. much de-
jected, SO much that he spent the night
In glorious spree to drown his sorrow
and was not at mass the next day
when the banns were published.
Narisse. the carter, met him after
mass and, striking him playfully upon
the shoulder. said:
so the old man broke your nose3.'