The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1903-11-27

BlOSSteT, ICtth q bOlC handed the old lddv
her staff.
at the window, cooling off and, as they
said, talking things over" Jane now
opened up the subject she had had SO
long at heart.
"'Pears, Andy, like Mr.. Blossy's too
good to be doing niggah's work all the
time. Of course with a Frenchman
things is different, but seems like if he
can teach Janey he might teach 9th
ers."
st pears like it would be more fit
ting" said Andy, seizing the idea.
Its called a smart thing to know
French. There's Babe Tucker"
"Blossy must know all about it," re-
sponded Andy again.
Eyes; l heard Judge Caldwell say
years ago that he was educated"
Its bad time now, Jane"
81 know that, Andy, but we must
just try and get him started. The wars
over, and people got to educate their
children quick if they're going to at
ALL"
French is eXtry."
"Well, Blossy's right here, and a
heap of houses beside ourn would we
burnt down if he hadn't been. 1t won't
cost much He'll be better off anyhow
than working all the time like mig
gah. You talk to your brother Ben,
Andy. He'll like to have his girls as
smart as Janey," concluded the self
sacrificing Jane, with sigh.
Ten years from that night Judge
Caldwell was saying to guest, law
yer from west Tennessee: Eyes, sir;
Strathboro can show more people, old
and young, accomplished in the French
tongue, sir than any town-a larger
proportion, sir, so accomplished-than
any town in the state. There are nu-
merous children in Strathboro that
talk French with each other together
at their play, sir, sometimes. In fact,
there is a little niggah here about the
house somewhere now that heard say
ing You, Eliza, where's that picka-
ninny of yours?" The judge interrupt
ed himself to call servant passing the
door.
''She done sleep, jedge."
every well; never mind"
"Well, sir, must let you hear that
little darky talk French in the morn
ing. 1t sounds comic; it does indeed.
She picked it up from my grandchil-
dren. Strathboro always had literary
taste. This county has produced a
large proportion of the great men Of
middle Tennessee, Mr.. Hunter-a large
proportion, even take the whole state
together, strand, owing to the cir
cumstances l have related to you, a
rivalry in the French language and lit
erature sprang up among our people
ladies and children, that is, chiefy-till
now, sir, almost as many of them have
read 'Corinne,' sir, Nine. de Stael's
masterpiece as are familiar with the
'Beulah' or st. Elmo of our own Miss
Evans"
The judge spoke truly. 1t had come
about that learning French was the
game the town most affected, and Bios
sier was, of course, the teacher.
The tone about him had not greatly
changed. A familiarity with French
had not much decreased Strathboro's
sense of the anomalous in the exist
ence of a Frenchman, but the face of
life had greatly altered to Blossier.
Stimulated by the gentle proddings of
Jane McGrath he had studied to fit
himself for his new calling, and it had
come about that he had developed q
little genuine simple interest in exer-
cising his few wits, and, bless him, was
enjoying the sweets of the intellectual
life.
Moreover, though the tone of the
town about him had not much altered,
its tone to him was necessarily in the
new circumstances more friendly and
considerate, and that deeply touched
and pleased the little man.
He still lived by himself, but now it
was in ''the Office" in Mrs. Pembroke's
yard, and so he was within the pale of
civilization and could be looked after
If he fell sick. Jane had not rested till
that possibility was provided for. But
fate is apt to pass over the possibilities
scrupulously provided for Blossier had
never spent day in bed since he re-
covered from his burns when one au-
tumn the dear Jane herself sickened
and died and was laid away in that
shadow village always growing, grow
ing silently and oniinously, by Strath-
boro's side.
Poor Andy McGrath was indeed left,
as Ant 'Cindy said. like the half of a
pair of scissors. Yes; that was it, He
was now a something absurdly useless,
unnaturally unfit for existence, a some
thing to provoke the mirth of Olym-
pus,