Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1903-01-01
| CLOCHETTE1
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Nhich we are not able to rid our
selvesl
This one is so old, so old, that
l cannot comprehend why it has re-
manned, living and tenacious, in my
mind. Since that time Ihave met with so
many things, sinister, affecting or
terrible, that it surprises me to find
that a single day cannot pass with
out the face of Mother Clochette re-
tracing itself before my eyes, just
as l knew her, so long ago, when
was only 10 or - years old.
She was an old seamstress, who
came each week, on Tuesday, to mend
the family linen. My parents in
habited one of those country dwell
ings called chateaux, which are sim
ply old houses with peaked roofs,
with four or five farms grouped
around.
The village a large one, almost a
town, was visible some hundred feet
distant, closely surrounding the
church, an edifce Of red brick, black
ened by time.
Every Tuesday, then, Mother Clo-
Ghetto arrived, between half-past six
and seven in the morning, and going
up to the linen press, commenced
her work.
She was a tall, thin woman, beard
ed, or rather hairy, for unexpected
and surprising tufts Of hair appeared
all over her face.
She limped, not like ordinary Grip
pies. but like a vessel at anchor.
When she rested her large body,
bony and bent, on her one good leg,
she seemed as If about 10 take a
leap, in order 70 ride a huge wave;
then suddenly she would plunge, as
if to disappear in an abyss, or 10
sink into the ground. Her gait gave
the impression of tempest, as she
seemed to swing and balance herself
at the same time; and her head. al
ways covered with an enormous
white bonnet. the ribbons Of which
fioated down her back, appeared to
traverse the horizon from the
north to south. and from south TO
north, with each movement that she
made.
/ adored Mother Clochette As
soon as | was out of bed ! ascend
ed to the linen press, where / found
her installed with her sewing a foot
warmer at her feet When / APP
peared she insisted on my taking the
foot warmer and seating herself
upon II, in order that ! should not
take cold in the chilly room, which |
was directly under the roof.
THAT draws the blood from the
throat" she would say.
While she darned the linen with
her long, crooked active fingers, she
told me stories. Her eyes. behind her
spectacles with their strangely mag |
nifying glasses for age had weak
ened her sight, appeared to me
enormous, strangely deep, and double.
She had. as far as | can recall
from the things which she told me,
and by which my childish heart was
moved, a magnanimous soul. She
saw everything great and small. She
related to me events of the town;
the story Of a COW which had es-
capped from the barn, and had been
found one morning in front Of Pros
er Malet's mill, watching the turning
of the wooden wings; or the story
of a hens egg discovered in the
church turret. where no one could
ever imagine what creature had
come 10 lay il there; or the ac-
count of the dog Of Jean-Jean Pilas.
that had recovered at ten leagues
distance from the village his mas
ter's trousers, which had been stolen
by a passer by as theyswere drying
before the door, after shower. She
related these simple events in such a
manner that they assumed, in my
mind, the proportions of never-to-be-
dramas. of grand and mys-
ferrous poems; and the ingenious
tales invented by poets and narrated
to me. in the evening, by my moth
sr. had not that SAVIOR, that fullness,
hat power, which the recitals of the
peasant possessed.
One Tuesday. after having passed
he entire morning in listening TO
Mother Clochette, l went with a
servant, to gather nuts in the Hallet Z
woods. back of the Noirpre farm.
IN my return / went up to rejoin $
he old woman. / recall all this as '
as the events of yester- I
lay.
On opening the door of the linen
Dom. l perceived the old seamstress '
wing on the floor beside her chair, y
Ier face on the ground, her arms ex- {
ended. still holding her needle in one
and. and in the other one of my shirts. ;
me Of her legs (the longer one, b
oubtless), in a blue stocking, was v
tretched under her chair; and her
pectacles were glistening at the end ?
4 the room, having rolled from her. \
l rushed out, giving sharp cries of }
istress. The family came to my call,
nd after some moments l learned that
lother Clochette was dead. l can \
OF describe the deep emotion. poig-