The Sauk Centre herald., 1909-08-26
TATOU
(By Octave NIirbeau.)

One day Nine. Bellard, whom had
asked toeget ME girl to look after
my cattle, brought to me a frightened
looking, silent young girl. scarcely
more than a child.
"The poor child has already been
through much" she said, "but you
may trust her anywhere"
l took pity on the poor thing and
took her into my house, where she
had no other duty than to look pretty
and be happy. Hardly ever she spoke
to me, but her big dark ewes told bet
ter than words how thankful she felt.
Her name was Tatou, and that was
all she knew about herself She did
not remember from where she had
come, but had faint resemblance of
kept locked, and which from the i'm
preston they had made upon her
must have been prisons or almshouses
These houses were full of little sickly
beings like herself, who had come
from all corners of human misery and
poverty. Most of them died. Daily
she had seen little cofIns carried
away, followed by sisters holding wax
tapers. From the little white beds
souls arose to heaven every day, and
others came to take their places, other
waits with little hands and great dark
eyes. The beds were never empty,
any more than were the coffins.
After much questioning | found out
from Tatou that after she had left this
big house she had been a girl of all
work in several families, where she
had had to do work much too hard
for her frail body. She had been as
saulted by men and beaten by women,
but her soul was still as pure as that
of small child.
When she had been with me a little
over year l saw that she began to
feel very melancholy. Often I found
her in tears.
"Wh.s do you cry?' l asked her.
Because I feel sad"
"And why are you sad?"
81 do not know"
Because you do lot love me any
more, little Tatou?"
ooh, yes, do! l do love you, but
I also love my home"
"Your home? How can you love
your home when you never had one?"
Maybe that is why l cry"
One day she said to me:
Last night I dreamed CT my home.
sunny, and where the air is full of
heavenly music Please let me go
go there"
But how would you find it?"
ri would keep on going east until
I came to it."
'T tried to turn her mind to other
things. l gave her ribbons and dress
es and a white goat with long, silky
hair, but she touched none of the
ribbons or dresses and the goat she.
lost in the woods.
Tatou grew thinner. Her honey
eyes were bright from fever. had to
put her to bed.
l was in despair.
One night as 1 was sitting at her
bedside, she took my hand and said
with a faint, dying voice:
How good you are that you let me
go away now. Now I have been walk
ing toward my home for two months"
The fever had disappeared from her
eyes. Her movements were once more
full of childlike grace. But l knew
that she was dying.
do not talk, Tatou," said, 1T is
not good for you. Sleep, my child"
But she did not obey and again be-
gan to speak with voice that grew
fainter every moment.
"You are so good, and I love you
so much I had feared that l should
never reach home-I was so tired!
Imagine, have walked day and night
for two months-toward my home!
And yesterday l saw it, my beautiful
home! 1t is so bright and you cannot
see the end of it. How happy I shall
be there!"
MY heart was breaking.
"Tatou! Tatou!" cried, 'do not
speak that way"
at is so heavenly light-at last l
am there-P'-
Her head sank back on the pillow.
She had left me quietly and without a
pain. Only her hand, which rested in
mine, trembled a little. Death had
passed by and touched her lightly
with his wings.