Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1907-03-14

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"Qu' est.ee." demanded Madame
Lanese.
~Dey say" Madame Spigolet's voice
lowered, "des' say he's been shoot dc
crap"
Madame Lanese swallowed the
shock grimly. Seems like Bete-noire
just love to do what he ought not"
Madame Spigoiet continued. When
my old man ask him about das. he
laugh and show him dollar, Call II
easy money My old man say he
learn dose words down TO Still, He
say all dose young woods-riders talk
like das. wish me das still catch fire
and burn up"
Madame Lanese was woman OF
few words and no apostrophes,
Dame she said tersely. IF Bette
noire going shoot de crap like one
negah. he amt going come see Made
line"
"Bete.noire." assented Madame Spig-
olet.
Eth bien. the thought of Henri al
ways did suggest his nickname, His
head was red. his skin like SKINNED
milk. his eyes like bits of brown fire,
but madame. his mother. had renamed
him before he was knee high. Such
a wilfull little plague he was. forever
doing the most unexpected things
'Bete-noire.'
And the bigger Henri grew the bet
ter the nickname suited him. A laugh
ter-loving. daredevil, honest and gen
erous. and wild as the wind. II 1t was
boat race, the boat he sailed would
win-if she did not go to the bottom
II IL was horse race. the horse he
rode would lead by neck-if 1t did
not break leg. But, yes. betting was
always interesting when Bete-noire
was in the running. No wonder the
Bayou loved him; no wonder 1t shook
the sorrowful head when he fell from
grace. And after that crap-shooting
fall from grace Bete-noire did as fiat
as ever angel fell. Even NJ. Laness
shook the head.
one negah. No. sir; das amt right.
he said to his wife. and Madame La
nese said briefly to Madeline, hel
daughter, that she would not speal
with Bete-noire any more.
Madeline made answer: Il been tolt
Bete-noire | make marry wit hin
when he build house."
you can't make marry wit boy das
do like one negah."
I'm going make marry wit Bette
noire when he gets house built"
"Ha! Das what you t'ink maybe
but me, say non, non, non!"
Madeline said nothing.
Madame Lanese sought her friend
Par Madonne!" calculated Madam,
Spigolet, when she had heard tn,
story. And Madeline, she say
yes?'
But me, l say non, non, non!" Ma
dame Lanese felt a little proud of he
volubility. She had never done i
before.
| And what she say DEM"
Noting" Madame relapsed int
brevity. Just go on peeling 'taters
Dam 'taters!" she declared, rather un
fairly, for the potatoes had not beef
that way at all. Madame Spigolet wa
concerned with the situation:
"Mais ciel! She can't make MARI.
If you say no.
| "She make her age in five year
and den"
"Bein! Das long time, five years, /
you young. Tell Bete-noire he can
come see Madeline till she make he
age"
Salt! But Bete-noire, notified tina
he should not invade M. Lanese'
front gallery, joyfully invaded NJ. La
neses cornfield, where Madeline wa
pulling fodder before sun-up, and Joy
fully took Madeline into his arms.
! Don't you bot'er, Bebe. I'm goin
build house for you tout-do-suite
Madeline said Yes contentedly
She had not doubt but what h
would Ell, bein! 1t is so comfortin
to feel that ones lover is the bigges
and bravest man on the Bayou
Under pressure of her faith in hin
Bete-noire resolved to do what n
other boy on the Bayou had eve
done-go away from home to max
his fortune. Ten miles from the B;
you, he learned, there was factor
that paid three dollars and twent
cents barrel for shrimp; and ths
ten barrels was not unusual day
catch. More money in that than /
dipping turpentine for 80 cents a ba
rel, or burning coal for $40 kiln. Ha
he would go to work for the factory.
When Bete-noire ran his boat alon
side the factory wharf they told hi
he must go to the notary and get
license, and he went, wondering rec
lessly what license might be. B,
when he saw the bit of paper and u
derstood that he would have to pa
some money for 1t, he perceived tn,
J 1t was much like the 'tifitate" o
! man Rene showed whenever he wan
ed to get out OF working the road
Ha! certificate is no bad thing
, have! Bete-noire put 1t In his peck
and sailed away. His dago assista,
sat down in the bow and said not