Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1904-02-25
Mother Nanette's
90 Sacrifice. %
The Price She Paid to Save
Her Son.

FIT S it still no, Mother Nanette!
Mother Nanette spun, as was her
custom, before the door. With n
movement of her nimble old fingers
she seized the fast revolving spindle.
Then she raised her clear, bright eyes
to the man and mixed in her tone
friendly reproof:
But Toinonchon, the joke goes too
far. I, an old woman, to sell my hair
as a girl might to buy furbelows. That
would indeed be too l%aughable. have
said to you 100 times, no."
Antoine Honlin, whom everybody in
the village called Toinonchon, ap-
preached with melancholy face and ad-
mired the wonderful silver tresses
showing under the double hood which
the old woman wore
Mother Tantia, you do wrong TO re-
ject my offer. You have a small for
tune there on your head. Brown or
light hair, one can find more than
one wants, but such abundant soft
white hair as yours-that is a rarity
indeed"
y Zone ground more that | should keep
this rarity" replied Mother Nanette,
laughing.
"By no MEANS" interrupted the
tempter. you are allowing a fine OPP
portunity to escape you.
"See, I have offered you $50 francs.
I will add so morocco francs. That
is a sum-. So much no n else will
give.
mo, the affair is settled. Give me
your hand on it."
He extended his hand, but instead
of offering hers, Mother Nanette
proudly stroked the beautiful white
ornament of her old age.
mot for a thousand, young man.
You don't know how I pride myself
on m Y snowy hair, and what pleasure
it gives me when people admire it,
The mayor said the other day:
"'Your white hairs, Mother Nanette,
are the witness and crown of your
honest life
And it is true"
The hair dealer shrugged his shout
ders.
Mere talk. The gold would serve
you we'll in your circumstances. With
out it you may suffer. Every one
knows that you are not rich, Mother
Tantia."
On the lips of the old woman ap.
peared a smile of silent pride.
zone is always rich enough When
one can work; l earn my bread by
spinning. Besides, my grandson Jear
found a good place in Paris. When
he has saved some money he will come
back again. We will buy a piece Of
. ground and then no n could neeo
more. Leave me in peace, Toinon'
chon."
With stubborn tenacity he contin'
ued:
But you might get sick. What
would become of you then? 1t would
be so simple to lay the 200 francs aside
and who will know that you have solo
your hair when you wear a hood?"
Impatiently she looked at him.
go your way. I must despise my
self if | listen to you. Nevertheless,
believe I should die of sorrow if my
hair were cut off. No word more OF
the subject"
GAS you will" he said at last; "bu
remember, I place 200 francs at you
disposal"
He withdrew, turned around afteI
some steps, and said, holding n fingel
in the air: 1.-TWO hundred francs
think of it,"
The old woman made a gesture o
Indifference and the hair dealer dis
appeared at the corner of the street.
This conversation had taken place OF
a Sunday afternoon. and, as she hat
been accustomed for 20 years, Mothel
Nanette went toward evening to de
liver to the tenants wife the flax car
ried away during the week, receiving
for it the customary pay-a large loa
of bread and a modest silver coin.
Nimble and joyous, the old womal
returned home by nightfall, the breat
under her arm and the coin in thu
pocket of her black apron. In spite o
her 70 years she still walked vigor
ously.
Nearing the threshold of her doc
she noticed her neighbor, Mariett'
Costil, the shoemaker's wife, VIII
wanted to give her a letter which tn
postman had brought in her absence
A pleasant smile cleaned over tn
fresh and cheerful face of the oil,
woman.
"The letter is from my grandson
Jean Tantia."
The neighbor shook her head. 81 d
not know" she said. 81 do not -ecog
nize his handwriting-and then woul,
Jean himself have made a mistake il
the address? But see, it is sc illegibl
that the letter was sent different place
before it reached here"
Thereupon she extended the envel
ODE. The old oma became pale
her limbs trembled and she said anx
iously:
"Still, Marietta, 1t is from Jean. VIII
Else could write to me? I have moth
ing to expect from any n in tn
world. But If he can no more writ
his graadmother's name and his vii