The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-04-13

q ciatCer OF OlSneS, -nOuSenOld SQuaDDllhSS.
Then, at the very top Of all, a door
through the keyhole,
"C'est fol! moi, avec, Monsieur" ="
young woman came out upon the
landing-the ordinary type Of Boul' Niche
young woman, though with a certain I'M
familiar gentlness Of bearing. soft mois-
ture in her eyes, an utter and strange lack
Of coquetry. ..
She closed the door after her. and from
behind it came a sound of hoarse cough
ing. of little means in a faint voice.
''C'est. Monsieur Creighton?' asked the
young woman, 'l'ami de st. Denis?" -
"Why.yes." said l. "yes, I'm Creighton. |
And Mile. Coette? She's ill, poor child?
Can I do anything? St. Denis would have
me care for her in any way possible, l.
know
| ''Helas, Monsieur said the young wo
| man. None Of us may care for her long!
She's very, very ill. but she would see
you before-before it's too late, because
you were the friend Of St. Denis. p. She
would give you messages for him. Will
you come in, Monsieur?-But do, not stay
long-she is so weak! She must not be
| tired!' ~rD:. 49,.
went into the room and the young we-
man closed the door softly after me, re-
| naming outside. ,~. .,
1t was very small room, hot and close
and sitting, from the tiny stove in the
corner that filled it with fumes Of coke.
The window was closed tight.
The girl in the bed gave a little weak
cry when she saw me, and held out her
hand eagerly. The change in her. since
I had seen her before, was shocking. She
was terribly thin and white, and the two
red spots in her cheeks cleaned like GRIM
son paint. Her eyes, that seemed twice
too large, burned feverishly in their hol-
| lows.
| II thought you would come. twas so
so good Of you!. St. Denis wrote me
that-you would come when L should
send for YOU .ys,,..-.: : :.<.
dropped upon my knees beside the bed
and caught the two wasted hands in
mine.
"Ah, child, child" cried, "why didn't
you send for me before? Why did you
wait till-now? I'd have come so gladly
| Colette, so gladly''
| She gave me little tired smile and
turned her head YEARLY upon the pillow
| Grand merci monsieur!' she whispered
grand merci! But 1 didn't need any
thing-they've been good to me, Elise
and Marie Delmar, and ALL Butt
wanted to see-you to-ask you to say
say goodby for me-to st. Denis -.
"Ah no, no!' cried. "Al? no., .Colette !.
It hasn't come to that! We're going. to-
| take. care Of you row, to- take you away
where you'll get better soon,. where you'll
get quite well-don't talk of good-bys,
| child
But she moved her head on the pillow
and a little fit Of coughing came and
shook all her frail body cruelty, shook
| her till she gasped for breath.
| "It's-too late, monsieur!' she whis-
pered after time "Listen--listen. mOn-
| sieur! I have very little--strength left.
listen! Say to-st. Denis, dear st. Denis!
as I cannot-say to him. myself, that
or1oI fl,s
Say to him-that I've loved him always,
always, from-the very first, that when 1
ran away, when I played him false-it
was. for a silly silly. pique-a woman's
pique because. III: knew that: he had
|never-loved me-. that be- d only been sorry
else in all the world. Oh. say to him that
Loved him madly through it all. Tell
him. monsieur. that what II did. a little
while ago, for him. was-reparation, to
make. up for-for wrenging him; that l
did it-gladly-ah so gladly. Tell him
not to be-sorry. not to--regret. Tell
him that when I--go-as must soon go,
it will be thinking of him, saying his name
holding his-locket tony lips!' And she
pulled from her bosom a little fiat locket
that was fastened about her neck by
thin gold chain.
Another fit of coughing shook her, and
at its end she lay silent for time. pant
ing for breath, weak from the strain The
! edge Of a letter, .dislodged by her move
ments. showed at the neck of her gar
ment. I saw the writing and it was
. Denis hand. g r.. ...... -.
Tell me-monsieur'' she whispered
, presently. He'll come Blackjack to
Paris, won't he. st. Denis? He'll come
back to-her? Heb make her leave the
y husband whom she-doesn't love? They'll
be happy together after atime, won't they
t monsieur? See, I'm glad, glad! I would
t have him happy Oh, but not too
e happy, Yes, yes, I'd have him come
back to herr!
0 ''Helas. Coette"' said I. Hell never
r come back to her, nor to any of. us who
love him! We shan't see him again,
o child You'll see him before we will-if
t one may believe the books. will write
him all you've said, dear girl, but I shan t
see him again. lei bas:' @+>',',', 80 ~sE,"
She turned her head upon the pillow, SO
that her great eyes burnt into mine and
there was a little wondering glad smile
at her lips.
"He-means to-die down there?'' she
whispered, ITO die monsieur? He-Won't
A come back to the other woman, the tall
, proud one? All, if might meet him, la
haut!-Monsieur, monsieur, you've made
i me so glad to go. so slad!-1f I might
meet him!-Tell me- monsieur, do you be-
l lieve-do you think? All, but you
+ don't know. do you? Personne n'sait pas
= hot even lie bon Pere Michel!-He means
y to-die down there, to die as-as I'm
a dying?-O. I shall be waiting for him
- moi! waiting, Iautre cote!-How loved
= him in those old days!-Monsieur. do you
- know whot love is? It's, a. rose-witf
-, thorns. Roses die, monsieur, in hand:
: that are careless-and they're thrown
!. away, withered-but sonnet iues-the,
= live forever-if one shelters them anc
lguardS them. waters, them with one:
:. hearts blood. carries them in ones bosom
u He never loved me, helas. He only pitiec
mel wonder-I wonder if he'I-love m,
3 la haut?-Listen, msieur. Once h,
e taught me. my. ST.. Denis, a little song
a love song, en- Anglais. IL do not know
y what it means, the words-but I-sant
r. it to him with my guitar. Will you writ
IF to him that-that 1 sang it once again
= before- went? Such pretty little
z chanson-all of-of love!' And smilin,
: softly as she lay. one cheek upon the pill
70 low, her great mass Of black hair loos
If ened from It's braid and streaming to tn
1T floor, she closed her eyes and sang jus
l over her breath:
- % ole Morraire 'Ubhard
lie She went to cubbaird ~
lie To fetch 'er, poor&dog abboner ~ -
1t "Colette, Colette!" I cried, in an agony
4 hiding nay face in the bedclothes. Itiwa
1t the most heart breaking thing eve
Re heard But she raised one white han
/ to hush me and sang on, just over
3 whisper, smiling tenderly, as one smile
Re in sleep. = s -
q, kzT--Y- z