The new age., 1906-12-22

l
AA his blooming bride to the River
v Pachot, he was young ant
strong, fresh from the lumber
camps of Lake st. John. He had beer
appointed wharf foreman in his new
home, and had grown old and gray al
time went on. until a small farm anC
dwelling, bought with the fruits OF hl'
toll, provided shelter for his declining
| years.
Two sons had been born to the Ma
deaus, who, as they grew to manhood
went naturally to the lumber camps. AT
ter time, however, attracted by promises
of higher wages and cash payment in lieu
of store trade, they sought the growing
West. When they left their home they
were clad in provincial fashion; when
they returned, on visit only, they were
clad in store clothes and radiant neck
wear, and they used strange English, such
as made the Pere Nadeau sick at heart
Finally, after unbridled depreciation OF
the surroundings in which they were born
and bred, they departed by schooner and
melting finally into the Orient were seen
no more.
But their daughter Angeline remained
to them, brown of hair and eyes, the trim
ness of her supple form manifest despite
the fashion of dress considered at that
early period becoming to the daughters of
old France. The long, loose blouse, and
short homespun flannel kirtle, relics of a
| Norman peasantry, which on other women
made them to appear squat, failed TO hide
her well rounded proportions and maiden
ly grace.
She had a sharp tongue, had this daugh-
ter of the Nadeaus, and when she was
merry her laughter rang out like sleigh
bells in winters frost Sunday after
noon, when vespers were over, was the
time when she would exercise her sharp
wit when, with the other maids of the
hamlet she sought the lumber wharf to
swap words of badinage with the lighter
men, deal handlers and trimmers gathered
there.
There were no frivoIities on week days,
however, when Angeine MIXED the cows,
and made tasty butter for the Nadeau
table. This done she would seat herself
at the loom. which would ring out its
rapid click-cack to the push of her Wig
orous foot, as it turned out its webs of
linen. flannel or catelonne for village con-
sumption. She was as quick with her
little hands and feet as with that biting,
scornful tongue of hers.
Every year. as the big ship Margaret
Pollock anchored off the shore for cargo,
Captain Locke would pay her visit the
moment he set foot on land. Clean
shaven, but for fringe OF fierce red whis-
kers, his face was vast and lurid as the
setting sun. He wore broadcloth on such
occasions, with beaver hat as high as an
ordinary chimney; his shirt-front rivaling
in expanse his main t'gallant sail
He always brought her a present, some
trife picked up in a foreign port, which
he would donate in an offhand manner.
Sometimes the girl would kiss his gnarled
cheek. and he would clap her on the shOul-
der softly with hand which, clenched,
could fell an OK.
One day the schooner NOtre Dame des
Anges came in, to load farmers stuff, hav-
! ing been chartered for this purpose by a
| black -browed man of thirty-fve about,
who gave his name as BOisvert. lie
staggered to a certain extent, and was
clad in garments supposed to be of fash
| ionable cut and texture. The women
thought him handsome, but his eyes were
set rather close together for beauty, and
his nose, bent, and with scar in the
concave section, gave to his face a sinister
expression. During the intervals of load
ing he sat much in the house of lie pere
Nadeau. depreciating their surroundings.
! His constant disparagements at length
took root in the girls mind, and her en-
/ nd hol
he talked. He aSSaled the feminine fash
| ions of the port, too; so that when a
modiste drifted to the village from St.
Michel, with steel engraved fashion plates
not three years of age. Angeline became
her first customer. One Sunday she went
to church in a new gown. of bright color,
with a hat decked with red paper flowers.
and a ribbon ar her neck of poppy hue.
NJ Boisvert was filed with admiration.
How the boys would east soft eyes at
you in St Roch." he assured her with
melting look.
Go away. NJ. Boisvert." was her re-
tort. but it was accompanied with an af-
fected toss of her pretty head. which the
old Nadeau and his wife diSliked. though
they could not just say why. SO did
Clapha Ouellet. lie had been a log job
ber and having been successful in his
contracts, he had invested his capital in
snug farm in St. Angelo. where his old
mother kept his house clean until such
time as Angeline would consent to be-
come the mistress. Alas for his hopes
the girl had of late become contemptuous
of the prospect.
| Its bad enough here by the sea, but
st. Angelo, with nothing but the big
woods to see-bah y
ITS all that Boisvert," said Claphas
angrily. Octave Lavoie, the navigator.
says he has a wife and FIVE children in
Lorette."
Its false" snapped Angeline with
fla ShinU