The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1904-10-02
FROM ne French Or Mare rAerv.


ately that he was a man who suoceeded In
winning whatever he set out for but /
never guessed how Fate would help him.
Sucb an adventure. my dear, and 30 utterly
ridiculous that cannot help laughing
whenever think Of it! .....
But, i must begin at the beginning and
not spoil a good story by telling it back
ward. II all began on that momentops
Sunday, a Sunday unique In a hundred
years. ..
It.is q heavy burden for a country cure
to undertake the mental. moral and physical
culture Of two poor, motherless nieces. but
our good uncle staggers beneath its weight
only at the time Of our vacation, The
money sacrifice which our edit cation at a
first .ciasa fnishing school costs him is
nothing In comparison to the worry and
fuse Of the months we spend at the par
coinage. '''
adore it here In the parsonage. The
roses grow all over the low walls-I can
gather them from my wfndow-and below
brilliant border Of zinnias looks like the
border OF multicolored patchwork quilt.
All around the potato patch is a luscious
bed OF. straw berries, the best in all France.
] am sure. -. 'l- ...
Ny good Uncle loves us tenderly. and our
happiness in this world and the next is
certainly his dearest aim. The only trouble
q that his ideas of happiness do not re-
semble mine. They are, in fact. extremely
different.
Marguerite, you see. Is quite my unces
ideal Of what girl ought to be. The only
thing she cares about is to graduate with
every possible honor and finally get some
position as school mistress in pc,
little forgotten corner Of the world.
She cares nothing for life as other people
Hive 1t. while Lob. should like to live with
. capital l.. But it appears that life under
such conditions becomes dangerous and
even naughty.
In clothes. as everything else, Mar
guerite and ! are widely different in our
tastes. She loves grays and violets with
severe collars and atraight ties, while l
love white, with flowers and ribbons, and ]
adore jewels and sweet scented things.
And 1t was the difference from my num-
like sister that first got me into hot water
on that memorable Sunday.
My uncle was just starting for high mass
when we came down stairs. Marguerite
and /. should have preferred not to
have met NJ. let ure until we were In church,
being anxious as to the effect my toilette
would produce on him.
Marguerite had already greeted me
with q sarcastic, Him! How swell you
are!" And ! knew that the cure did not
like sweetness.
He looked-us over with a kindly, gentle
glance that betrayed its partiality for
my elder sisters dress of gray cashmere,
with It's sombre black dots, and his face
was oomioally -apprehensiye when he cane
to nay white seI &C. d. essT-you know how
becoming it is--with sleevee that are nearly
what, : /. possible tina. you, are going
M, w,sn Rs:e ft Tepe s ssad
have some gloves. See, they are very long
As held them in my hand it was not
impossible TO hide them. The good cure
looked more troubled than ever.
DO you mean to wear black gloves as
long as those with a white dress?' he per-
yes. indeed, it is the proper thing"
eR Hs took S bis hat and set out without a
word. and followed quickly in order to
avoid the comm ents Of old Ursula, thu
housekeeper, who would be sure to protest
even further against my gloves.
I reached the church without other in
oident. On the porch beside the bucket
that serves rs q holy water vessel for the
faithfui--the other Is broken and church
funds are low--sitting close TO that fatal
bucket, ] saw-thdrn.
peared everywhere have been this snm-
nner, but so far We haze not met.
Il seems that the cures niece is difficult
person 10 meet. Because Of her uncle, /
felt queeriy. som show, when l saw
him sitting there. and l hastened to dip
my hand into the holy water bucket To
my horror, II was full and overhowing, and
wet my arm to the very elbow,
The water filed the crevices Of my kid
glove, pufYed II out n lies bevond its natural
size and then slowly filtered through the
ends OF the fingers--drir, drir, splash and
drip. Some one laughed behindre.
haushtiirr made the sign Of the cross, which
caused a perfect torrent to emerge along
my arr. Then went Inside. "..
But my Troubles we're scarcely beeun.
The dye from my glove as be~innin9
dress. knew it would be impossible to
did not dare tape of my gloves and sit
bareagsned in. church. neither did dare 90
home. I kneltq stiff1y ON the. floor, both
arms STRAIGHT out before me.
Ivas sure that he v as somewhere behind
me, enjoying nv predicament. Marguerite
laughed and laughed. 1t was the first
tire had ever seen her laugh in church.
When finally reached home my rood
49,. q
o. text the ponps and vanities OF this
wicked world II was preached to an audi
ence OF one. IL! ~ '. -. Z t., .- reg.
think he was really tempted TO punish
me, as. he had done m wears zone nv. he
did not, however, and y ent to vespers in
the afternoon dressed in az sombre gray
dress a. ever MarRuegite wore. ~ .a's''r
Upon our return we found NJ. Molneau, and
his pretty wife with their English dogcart
waiting at the gate to take my sister and
me for a drive, . o.. ... b.
Uncle Effected little at first, but I
did not listen to him and jumped to nv
seat behind. Marguerite hesitated also.
and she, too, was echoing the cures Il
am afraid that -" when I Loo ed at her
% entfeatineiv that she as silent ard
mounted to her place reside me.
sRemeut er what ] told rou, Marguerite,
said nv uncle. pronheticallv.
Il was beautiful dav, the road was
shaded bv tall trees. bright flowers grew
IN the flelds, the sun shone warmly and
nothing was lacking that might add TO
our pleasure, The only thing to trouble
our serenitv was the two facts that the
pony NJ. Moineau was driving was very
lively and slrittish and the road was very
bumpy and uneven. owing to its recent
improvements.
forgot to tell you that when we started
N. Moineau wrapped Marguerite and me
together IN q big clingfng dust robe, d fact