Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1905-05-20

thin wooden door from the main room.
Goodnight" she added as she turned
away. Il must 90 to the little one; she
is frightened, Try to sleep we'll"
The woman took the lamp and disap-
peared into the adjoining room, leaving
La Bretonne in darkness.
Eating her potatoes, the eX-prisoner
laid herself down gratefully on the pile
of heather. thankful for the warmth Of
the low fire. Then she tried to sleep, but
her eyes would not close.
Through the thin partition she heard
the mother talking in whispers with the
little girl, who had been wakened by
the strangers coming and who did not
wish to go to sleep again. The mother
rocked her, soothing her with caressing
words that strangely affected La Bre-
tonne.
This outburst of tenderness awoke a
confused instinct of motherhood in the
brA st of the peasant woman once SEN
fenced for killing her newborn baby. La
Bretonne remembered that IF things had
not turned out so badly" her own little
one would have been the age of this
child.
At the thought and the sound of the
low whispering she shuddered. 4 fash
Of something sweet and gentle filled her
heart and she longed to be able to weep
Come, little one" said the mothers
voice, coaXingly, "hasten now and 90 to
sleep. If you are good, ! will take you
tomorrow to the fair of st. Catherine!''
"That is the fair for little girls, isn't
it, mammal
Yes, my treasure"
"And it is true, mamma, that on that
day st. Catherine brings toys to little
boys and girls!'
Yes, sometimes
Then, why hasn't the good saint ever
brought any to our house!"
Hush, dearest one | think it must
be because we live so far away. And
then, we are too poor"
Does she bring them only to rich peo-
pie, mamma? | wonder why? l should
like to have some playthings. too"
All, WELL Some day, perhaps, if you
are good, and 60 to sleep quickly, per-
haps st. Catherine win bring you some.n
DO You think so really? Then l viii
go to sleep right away, so she can give
them to me tomorrow"
There was silence Then a low. even
breathing. The child had fallen asleep,
and the mother with her.
Only La Bretonne was still awake
An emotion both tender and painful
throbbed in her heart, and she thought
more than ever of the tiny boy who had
lain for but a moment in her arms.
Thus the night passed and the gray
light of the dawn stole through the mar
row window. When the sun rose the
mother and the little girl were still
asleep. La Bretonne rose quietly from
her bed of heather and pushing open the
door, stepped outside.
Hastily she walked back over the
weary mile that she had travelled the
night before, returning in the direction
Of Auberive. Not once did she pause
until she reached the first houses of the
town. Then, walking along the single
street she looked closely at all the store
windows.
At length one seemed to strike her at
tention. Knocking at the door, she called
to the shopkeeper to open it. In the
window, among the calicos and ribbons
and threads, were displayed some cheap
little toys, rag dolls. Noah's arks and
stuffed animals
The tradesman appeared and to his
great astonishment his early morning
customer bought all the toys in the shop,
pau lOI lttlH anu went out.
Her bundle under her arm. La Bre-
tonne once more turned in the direction
of the little cabin on the wav to Lam
gres. Suddenly heavy hand fell upon
her shoulder
She started and trembled to see at her
side an officer of the guard of police.
The unhappy woman had forgotten the
strictly enforced rule that newly dis
Iaho
vicinity of the Jail!
why are you not at Langres. where
you belong, instead of lingering here?"
demanded the officer severely. Come.
now, start alongi"
La Bretonne tried in vain to explain
1t was useless! In the twinkling of an
eye wagon was procured, the woman
was lifted to her seat beside a policeman
and the driver whipped up his horse
The rough cart bumped and iolted
over the frozen roads. With pitiful,
aching fingers, La Bretonne held tightly
to the package of toys. Presently. as
they turned Il bend in the road, she rec
ognized the struggling pathway that led
to the matched cabin; her heart gave
leap and she begged and pleaded with
the policeman to stop and let her get out
if only for a moment.
She had an errand with La Flemiotte
the woman who lived there in the house
beside the rock. She asked so earnestly
that the guard, who had tender heart
hidden beneath his severe demeanor.
yielded and the wagon stood still
Tying the horse to tree, they entered
the narrow path. In front of the door
La Flemiotte was choF?ing wood At
the sight of her visitor returning in COM
pany with a policeman she stood stiu
her eyes wide open.
'Hush" whispered La Bretonne, lis
the little one asleep"
Yes but
Take these toys and put them softly
on her bed and tell her it was St Cath
crime who brought them. | went back
to Auberive to get them, but it appears
that | had no right to do so, and they
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