Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1909-01-21
L OST AND
WON

greatest dlfnCulty tney succeeded In
getting him, their master, Chaguy, out
of the steel claws of the machine. The
wounded man groaned for moment,
then he swort like a trooper. His
right arm was one bloody pulp.
He was carried to the mouse, and
as the men We're carrying him across
the yard the servant girl, Jeannine,
at the door, She had been
scared by the sudden stopping of the
thresher
What is the matter?"
ut is the master who got his arm
crushed in the thresher.'
She looked at the bloody stump and
began to sob aloud
ut seems to hurt you lot more
than it hurts me-, the wounded man
said, systematically.
They wanted TO put him to bed,
and he refused.
put me in the armchair near
the window"
He was placed in the large, clumsy,
uncomfortable armchair. Jeannine
brought linen rags and wanted to put
a bandage on.
"They won't do any good, Jeannine,
Just tie something around what is
left and then tell Jean to hitch UP and
go for the doctor. Let him tell the
doctor he must be here before sun
down and cut off my arm Patchwork
won't do here
Then he said to the others: Now
you just so back TO work It's no use
to stop everything because | have lost
an arm. The thresher costs enough
money to hire, anyway"
When Jeannine and the others had
gone, Chaguy began to think He was
a strong, powerful man, who cared
nothing for the pain. The accident
was unfortunate, but the results still
more serious. BY working from dawn
to dark he had been able to do with
out hired hand except during the
harvest time, even though he had 100
acres. The two mares that We're now
resting in the stable had been as
tireless as he, but in the future he
would not be able to pillow. He would
have to get hired man and that
would cost him at least 500 francs a
year How was he to make that
money?
When he had reached this point he
was filed with remorse for not having
kept a promise given a dying person.
1t was his wife who would not die I'M
til she was satisfied she had arranged
everything SO that her death would
mean the smallest possible loss. Dur
i11Cr how 4 y
worried her. Her fear did not arise
from the thought that the heritage
should be scattered, for she had no
children, but from love of the soil to
which she had devoted the work of
her life
At last she found way out, and
said to her husband: "Chaguy, | have
thought it all over. You are only 80,
and not fit to remain widower, first,
because you are too young, and next.
| because a farm without housewife
does not amount to anything. You
must marry Jeannine. She has been
| with us ten years and never given any
| cause for complaint. She is young and
strong and willing and that makes up
| for the fact that she can bring no dow
ry. Promise me to marry her and I
| can die in peace.
] Chaguy had promised but he had
always put off the matter. Not that
| he was blind 10 her robust beauty or
| her quick hands, but he was always
thinking of what improvements he
| coould make if he We're to marry a
widow or girl with money. And thus
three years had passed and he was
still widower.
His blood was boiling now when he
thought of himself with one arm, fit
only to weed turnips. Who would
marry him now? Nobody--not even
Jeannine. He would have to have d
stranger cultivate his FARM his income
| would go down, the value of his farni
| would deteriorate and his savings
would disappear. That arm would cost
him pile of money. If he had OMIT
| kept his promise-then he woul,.
have had Jeannine; but of course she
would leave him now too.
He turned a little in his chair, bu}
almost howled with pain He looked
through the window across the field
and here he was sitting doing moth
ing.
Suddenly he heard voice in the,
stable-it was Jeannine: Hello, Gray,
get up noW-come on now, Charlotte."
What did that mean. Did Jeannine
intend to plow? That would never
work, although she had tried often
enough in fun. Gathering all his
strength he succeeded in raising him
self, and as he looked through the
window, he saw Jeannine making the
first furrow.
Chaguy stared at her as if be-
witched, then the tears came into his
eyes as he exclaimed in despair, oh,
my God!'
When she came back near the house
!. Chaguy, with the almost superhuman
effort, raised the window and called
out: "Oh, Jeannine!"
Yes, master. Don't know how TO