Waterbury evening Democrat., 1904-12-13

% tiny. Paul. berore you Knew now Io love me back. If I forget how"-she clutched the lapels of my coat-''will you leave me thenr'
 Eagle, say this: 'Lazarre cannot leave me-
 "Lazarre cannot leave me-" heard her repeating this at her sewing. She boasted to Marie Gri- Egnon- Lazarre cannot leave mel Paul taught me that" ] My cloud mother asked me to tell 1 her the stories she used to tell me. 1 She had forgotten them.
 T am the child now" she would say. Tell me the stories"
 I repeated mythical tribe legends, gathered from Skenedonk on our long: rides. making them as eloquent as l could. She listened. holding her breath or signing with contentment.
 If any one in the household smiled when she led me about by the hand. there was a tear behind the smile She kept herself in perfection. be slowing unceasing care upon her dress. which was always gray.
 | T have to wear gray. I am in cloud" she had said to the family.
 "We have used fine gray stuff brought from Holland and wools that Mother Ursule got from Montreal," hatarfna told me. "The Pawnees dye with vegetable colors. But they can not make the pale gray she loves" l Skenedonk was not often in the house. He took to the winter hunting and snowshoeing with yigor. When ] ever he came indoors used to see him watching Nme. de Terrier with satur- nine wistfulness. She paid no atten- ton to him, He would stand gazing at her while she sewed, being privileged as an educated Indian and my attend ant to enter the family room where l the Pawnees came only to serve They had the ample kitchen and its log fire l to themselves. Iswondered what was working in Skenedonk's mind. and if he repented calling one so bufeeted a sorceress.
 The more thought about it the less enduFable it became to have her de pendent upon the Grignons. My busi- ness anairs with Pierre Grignon made l 1t possible to transfer her obligations. lsto my account. The hospitable man l und his wife objected, but when they saw how I took 1t to heart gave me my way. I told them wished her to be regarded as my wife. for should never have another, and while 1t might lreInain impossible for her to marry itne. on my part | was bound to her. You are young, M's'r Williams,'' said, Mne. Ursule. You have long l life before you. A man wants com fort in his house. And if he makes wealth he needaCa hand that knows how to distributeba how to save. She could never g014payour home as she is.'' 10 flai
 T know it, mddfssrd4e''
 "You will change your mind about a. wife, '
 Madame, I have not changed my mind since first wanted her. It is not mind that changes.".
 well, that's unusual. Young men are often flclzle. You never made pro posals for her?''
 T did, madame. after her husband lied''
 'sBut she was still a wife-the wife of an old man-in the Pigeon Roostj E.gettlement" | 37 Her father married her to. a c0usiil ] nearly as old as himself. when she was child. Her husband was reported dead while she was in hiding. she herself thought, and so did her friends, that he was dead.'
 q see. Eh! These girls married to old men! Mime. Jordan told me Made leine's husband was very fretful He kept himself like silk and scarcely let l-the wind blow upon him for fear Of Injuring bis health. When other men were out toiling at the clearings he sat in his house to avoid getting chills and fever in the sun. It was well for her that she had faithful servant Made leine and the servant kept the family with their garden and cornfeld. They never tasted wild meat unless the other settlers brought them venison. Mime. sJordan said. they always returned g present of herbs and vegetables from E their garden. It grew for them better than any other garden in the settle ment. Once the old man did go out
 with a hunting party and got lost. The men searched for him three days and found him curled up in a hollow tree. waiting to be brought in. They carried him home on a litter and he popped his head into the door and said; :; , Here I am. child! You can't kiHamef5'' 4 FsWhat did Mime. de Terrier say 2''
 Nothing. She made child of him, as if he were her son. He was in his second childhood, no doubt. And Mime. Jordan said she appeared to hold her self accountable for the losses and crosses that made him so fretful. The children of the emigration were brought up to hardship and accepted everything as their elders could not do."
 'I thought the Marquis de Terrier a courteous gentleman
 Did you ever see him?" 4 Twice only.''
 E t'He used to tell his wife he intended to live hundrsa years. And I sup pose he would have done it, if he had not been tomahawked and scaiped. sHgge:s'll never get De- Chaumont.' he