The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1904-11-10

49, i uSSS - iSS Va ySeA6 AStASN o.
In to his chopping little while ago."
"why didf you got" Murmured VIC
torine. asserting her rights. Michel
turned. 81 was coming here" he said.
simply. And at last monsieur saw
madam's signal.
Excuse moi" he said. hastily, II 60
feed my horse" It was indeed high feed
ing time for the dusk was deepening,
Michel looked after him gratefully.
"Votre pere looks we'll heem," he said
to Victorine.
"Yas."
you glad to get homer"
'yas. I'm right glad, me-"
With rush of glad courage he slipped
from his chair to the one left vacant by
little sister. I'm glad me. Sim like
you been gone long time, long time, vas.
Sim more like six years den six mont"
'Torine laughed gaily. Was M. Mich
ell forgetting how to count? 1t was
four mont she had been gone. But
Michell's unsteady fingers were layine
a parcal in her lap, his unsteady voice
was beseeching-"Yout ink mebbe you
wear dis sometime?"
'Torile undid the wrappings deftly-
oh, there was plenty of light, to see how
red 1t was and that it was cotton satin
She paused. Michel expecting little
cry of delight did not understand. How
was he to know that within four shor;
months culture had set its claw I'm the
girls heart, harpy-like. defiling for hel
all the bright, cheap pleasures OF life:
You don like heem?" he faltered
"You won't wear heem?"
81 can wear red me"
Den geeve him here. 60 burn heem
op-"
mo. no; you shan. Das mine, you
geeve heem me-" And she thrust the
unlucky ruban rouge deep into her skirt
pocket. Michel was modified. Il bring
you some blue next time"
CONSERVATION seized Victorine. Only
too clearly she foresaw what he would
bring. Three inches wide and half cot
ton.
Mon ami" she said, softly, 81 tell you
what piece of blue ribbon l want you to
get for me-"
"An' das?" he asked, eagerly.
you know la maitresse de'ecoie 60
ing give a piece of blue ribbon to who
ever stand up last next Friday"
"Ill get heem for YOU" Michel prom
Used rashly, eagerly. 1t was contest in
arithmetic-whoever stood up through
the first IL tables in multiplication
Miehell had intended to absent himself,
being a bit shaky on the nine table; but
now he promised himself to study that
table every night That 'Torine was only
selling upon chance to substitute the
teachers taste for his, did not occur to
him. He thought that she wanted him
to win an honor for her and the thought
fired his blood-and his energy for study
Friday evening, and little log school
house packed to bursting. Two boys
and girl facing each other in the midst
of the crowd. All that the eight table
had left standing.
Mine times one?" began the teacher
hoarse but patient. Michel sang out
the answer. IF get through this table
me- I'm all right" He reflected and
seemed to see the blue ribbon fluttering
at 'Torine's throat mine times severn
The girl on his side sank her head
turned and sat down. "Sixty-three,'
said Michel, but his voice trembled, his
hands grew suddenly cold, his head hot
Stage fright seized him. Asked just then
he could not have told his name and in
the midst Of his terror came the teach
er's voice. mine times miner" His mind
a blank he yet heard the whisper behind
him - "Eighty-one' The teacher
coughed to give him time, the whisper
came again insistently. The sweat
sprang out on his forehead and wrists
In it's agony the temptation lasted life
time. Then he clenched his hands, shook
his head and blundered out of ranks
Blind with modification he sank upon
the bench reserved for defeated candi-
dates. He had but one thing left to pray
for and he prayed for that as he had
never prayed before. That the other
boy would miss. He prayed in vain The
other boy stood up to the end-and the
ribbon, a long. narrow streamer OF
delicate blue Michel started up and
forced a way through the crowd. H.
would not sit there and see the grinning
fool go give it to 'Torine. If he had won
'Torine was to have ridden home with
him in his new sulky, but now
1--WE goin' now?" querried a low, swee,
voice. He stopped and started stupidity
Crossing her breast like a baldric, en-
circHng her waist and streaming at her
side in flowing end. she had it on, the
whole three yards of it.
"Torine," he stammered.
MITCHELL" she mimicked, deliciously
Then with mock severity. What fol
you didn' say 81 when tell it you? You
wouldn' cheat to get me de blue ribbon
I have to 60 back on my word and wear
la ruban rouge" Culture, that puts q
fine edge on sense of rectitude, may
have had something to do with it, native
Kindness of heart more, and love for him
most of all. Michel was too wise to rea-
son. They were around behind the
school house-out of sight of the crowd
where the mare was tied, so he took
the dear girl in his arms and kissed her
."Alors quot, qu'est-ce que vous voulez7'