The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-07-02
CATISSOUS VISIT
" To THE FAIR
A Little Shepherdess's Temptation
The Pink Shawl and Her
Lovers Gift.
From DC Gctn,ar.

Over the fields and meadows Of the coun-
try the May sunshine, absorbing the morn
ing vapors, scattered its beams of rosy
light and turned the last gossamer cob
webs to diamond threads. As they gittered
from bush to bush they seemed tho for
gotten necklaces and diadems OF some
nocturnal fairy who had fed before the
dawn. Splashing down the hillsdes, be-
meath the trees and over the rocks. where
the trout cleaned III its depths, the cool
brook made a way to the plains below
singing az it went.
Az was her wont. Catissou the hephe rdess
of the Grlnewad farm led her sheep to the
sloping, unshaded fields which bordered on
the village road. She took her accust omed
Reat on the fiat rock half way up the little
hill.
In the distance the church bells rang
out the hour of I, Along the road carts
laden with squawking hens went slowly
by in the direction of the neighboring
village, where the great summer fair was to
he held. Presently, Catissou would follow
in their wake. for the master had told her
that he would sell her flock that day.
Pinkou, the shepherd dog, standing on
the top of the hill, greeted each cart as it
passed with a series of delighted barks
until, tired of the useless demonstrations
which provoked no reply, he ran to take
comfort with his mistress.
The young girl. moved by the beauty OF
the spring morning, threw herself back on
the soft grass, pillowing her head on her
finely nodded arms In imagination, she
was once more re-living the distant days
when Johann, the shepherd Of the adjoining
farm, had kept his sheep in the fields Just
across the road.
She was 10 then and he was 20. but
they had grown to love each other during
the long days in the meadows, and when
he had gone away, almost three years ago
now. she had given him her promise and
their betrothal had been celebrated
Johann = was simple nature; she loved
him for his very awkwardness and his big
good, brown eyes, tender and fearful as
the eyes Of his own sheep. 1t was he who
had rolled the big fiat stone there for Cats
sou to rest on and it was he who taught her
dog the tricks that helped to while away
the hours.
AT present Johann was finishing his SER
vice in the Fiftieth Infantry. He had not
been home once, for his neager pay was not
sufficient for the long journey, but every
fix months, with the help of the corporal of
the guard who knew how to write, he had
sent scrap of news to his sweetheart.
Catissou drew from beneath the corsa &c
OF her costume frayed piece of par err
covered with struggling characters She
knew no more than Johann, but by dint of
having it read to her she had learned the
message by heart and knew the meaning
of the twisted letters Gs we'll a. if she could
decipher them. The letter ran:
DEAR Carlson; TIL, is to toll you that we
viii soon be happy, My tine will be up lhc
LIST OF June. ] can then hold YOU in my arms
ana express to YOU the sincerity OF my love
We will celebrate the summer festival to-
Eether For two months my Captain has
taken me FOR his orderly and that has enabled
lhe 10 lay aside little money for "A present Ia
0uer you upon my return. ! am We'll and
nope that you are the same Greet NV
friends for me. and believe me. dear tatissou,
your devoted JOuASS MI,IIrR
First Battalion. Second Company Of the
1t was now May S. If Johann's letter
spoke Truth there were only twenty
seven Guys more TO wait. As the young |,