The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1909-01-07
GRISETTES
NINTH LIFE
A Little Tale Of Normandy and
aHard-Hearted Artist

!
ging her wizened little shoulders un.
der the faded calico blouse Talk
not to me, messieurs. | tell you Girls
cite must be killed entirely. Oh but
yes. entirely. Already | have given
her away no less than six times.
Thrice to the forestes's wife, a careless
one, she, who lets her come back al
ways to me again. Thrice to Maitre
Perrin up in the village yonder. All,
the miser, One could not blame
Grisette for not stopping longer in a
| house where there was no meat, not
even on feast day. And once | lost
her, pardieu. 1t was in the hills the
| time when | went to make the little
| visit with my daughter. Grisette
awaited me on the doorstep when
| returned. La, la, she sat there lick
| ing her paws with the air of one who
was always welcome. Once again she
| lost herself. All but attended,, mes
sieurs, she really found hersvf again
| or that you may be sure 1t is i'm
| possible really to lose Grisette, she
who eats more of my food than a man.
who expects always the BONES bouch.
es Of my table. Oui, oui. messieurs.
| this time 1t is impossible that Grisette
! comes back. | will no longer furnish
her with comforts. If she we're a dog
| now-but a beast of a cat, non. it is
| impossible"
Jack Tilton and ! had run across
Mere Barbizon on one of our painting
trips through Normandy in early NAV.
and now II was late June, and we still
fingered under her clean. but other
wise uninviting roof held to the place
by the fascination that this particular
part OF Normandy always has and al.
ways VIII have for painter folk.
Nor were We partial to Grisette. the
huge gray cat, that had-so she
| aVerred-become the hane of Mere
BarbiZon's existence. Once she had
Whisked her tail across study of
coast, which | thought particularly
fine, and which | had some idea of
sending to the salon, and once she had
played havoc with jacks brushes. No.
we would have no reason to regret
GriSette, but We wanted to see fair
play. Your French peasant has a
heart of flint al times, and Mere Bar.
blzon was no exception, as we had
found out on more than one occasion.
Jack, who was lazily cleaning his
brushes, looked over his shoulder at
this point, and said between the teeth
that held his pipe: See here. Mere
Barbizon. I'll get rid of that fat ras.
cal for you, This very night. after
dark, Ell? And ii shant cost you a
SOU"
ITEMS, Monsieur reelton, what
would you do with the cat, eh?" asked
the old woman, anxiously
ooh, I'd drown her" answered lack
carelessly. "A good big bag, a little
coaXing, and We'll have her fast
enough. Then we'll row out TO the
nets, You and |, and drop her over
board, Adieu, Grisette, See?"
"Bien.' muttered Mere Barbizon.
II go at once to find the bag"
1t was growing dark when Jack.
carefully carrying the bag over his
shoulder and followed by Mere Bar
bzon and myself, an amused onlook.
er, marched down to the beach and
manned a little skiff with his motley
crew. Sit there he called to Mere
Barbzon, where you can watch TO
see that Grisette plays no more tricks
ON you"
Silently We pulled out upon the ST.
lent water, gray now as a doves wing
and growing srayer with the advanc.
ing dark. Now and then sigh broke
from Mere Barbizon. but whether. at
the beauty of the night or as prelimi,
nary to the sad rite abOu. to BE- per.
formed, it was impossible 10 tell Her
wrnkled chin was huddled in her
hands, her eyes We're fixed on the
bag at her feet. If she had not been
ashamed to show emotion over crea.
ture that she herself had condemned
to death | think she would have given
poor Grisette AT least farewell pat
Presently Jack stopped rowing and
pulled in his oars. The time and
the place" he said, solcmnly uncover
Ing. IF you have words TO say to the
o-be-dcparted, Mere Barbizon,
say them now
ITEMS, What have TO say?" muir.
INJURED Mere Barbizon Has she not
always had the best? | have no re.
proaches J. for one who has eaten
the very roof from my head. the floor
from my feet Mechante' Let her go,
messieurs | shall not weep" But
her voice broke nevertheless. for at
the last words Jack was standing up
with the bag in his hands lie
dropped IT heavily over the boats side
ana it slid from sight In moment.
1t was quite dark when we bcached
the boat and turned up the narrow lit
tie paved way that hd to the cottage:
but not too dark to see even a darker
shadow rise from the step, stretch
to the very tip OF its tnky tail and
walk majestically down TO meet us
Mere de Dieu," cried the old WON
an, crossing herself We have
a -