The Calhoun chronicle. [volume] (Grantsville, W. Va.) 1883-1984, 1907-12-10

Several OF us attempted 10 enact the
role of detectives. We scrutinized
that brass jacket button, and even in
terviewed clothing dealers and tailors
at the three villages nearest to us.
We also sent two of the older girls to
make secret inquiries over in Number
as to all the jackets worn by the
boys there
But we gained no clue. Newman
and Alfred kept quiet; and as no one
else knew anything about it, there was
nothing TO leak out.
The button was Alfred Battelow's.
but as he lived in another district and
at a distance, and did not wear that
jacket afterward, suspicion never fell
on him.
There were numbers of false clues.
We heard of several melodeons being
sold in other towns round about; but
on obtaining particulars, they all
proved different from ours. The con-
clusion finally settled on was that
some of the Number boys had taken
the melodeon out of spite, and buried
IT, burned 1t, or cut hole in the ice
of the lake and sunk it.
After a hilarious winter at the lum-
ber-camp, the melodeon migrated over
the border. In the latter part of
March, when their winters work was
done, and the Canadian loggers were
ready to return to their homes, a dis
cussion arose as to who should have
the instrument. For they had regard
ed 1T as a present to them. Six of
them at last packed 1t ON a hand-sled
and hauled it away to a title settle
ment, called Black Lake, in the Prov
ince of Quebec, thirty or forty miles
above the boundary.
At Black Lake, or else in the neigh
boring hamlet of Garthby, there was
public school, then recently estab-
-lished under the Dominion school sys-
tenn, where the children received in
struction in French. The school was
In charge of young lady from Sorel,
named Marie Ladoucier, who had
some proficiency in music.
Several Of the lumbermen were ad-
mirers Of Mademoiselle Ladoucier, and
it came about ere long that our lost
melodeon was installed at this little
French schoolhouse, where for three
months 1t gave unbounded satisfac-
ton, morning, noon and night, as well
as at evening meetings of the French
people. They knew nothing of its pre-
yious history, and had no idea but that
1t was honestly come by.
Not till August didSso much as lisp
reach us as to it's whereabouts
French-Canadians at this time had be-
gun to come down over the border, to
work not only at lumber-camps, but
on farms. In July that summer one Of
these same young men from Black
Lake called at our place, looking for a,
job during the haying season We
hired him, and he was with us four
weeks. His name was Benoit Leeh-
arme.
He could speak little English, and
as the melodeon was the subject of oc-
casional conversation, he heard of It,
1t was recalled afterward that he
asked great many questions about it
how it looked, where it was bought,
what makers name was on the front
of it, and so forth Probablyehe sur
missed that this was the nhelodeon that
had appeared at, tie l1mber-camp; and
been carried to Black Lake. !.
But if so, he was discreet, He said
nothing, and at last vent home. to
Canada without dropping hint Per-
haps he wished first TO make sure. be-
fore saying anything; perhaps he de-
sired to talk it over with Mademoisello.
Ladoucier.
One night about a fortnight after
Lecharme left us, as we were sitting
down to our five-oclock supper sud
den jingling and rafting out in the
yard came to us through the open win
dows; and glancing out, we espied the
oldest outfit ever seen in that place.
There were two little black, shaggy
horses with brass-mounted harness.
collar and names, attached to a queer
vehicle, half-cart, half-wagon. There
was box ian the back of it. on which
perched a black-haired boy wearing a
fur cap-although this was August!
On the seat in front, holding the reins.
was an older boy, dressed in much the
same way, and beside him sat a young
woman, apparently nineteen or twenty
years old, soberly dressed in black. ex-
cept for her hat. which was adorned
with bright red roses and profusion
of light green ribbon.
The entire rig" wore an aspect so
foreign to Maine that we all rose hast
lily from the table; and my cousin Ad-
olson went out at once TO see what
was wanted
For a moment or two not a word
was said. Our visitors seemed at
loss how to make known their bust
ness. It was the young lady who
spoke first. choosing her words care
fully. and attempting TO speak slowly
and very distinctly, as If she had al
ready rehearsed in her mind what she
meant to say.
Good afternoon" she said "Ees
thees the farm fere Meester Benoit
Lecharme did labor for to make the
hay four week ago?'
Yes; Lecharme worked here" Ad-
olson replied
"Eet was then here ct your school
that q seraphine was los las wcen-
ter?' The young lady went on slowly
to- ask
'Wcll yes We lost mclodeon.o
Addison explained; and We all pricked
up our ears although we had never
heard a melodeon called by that name
bofore