The Washington herald., 1910-07-07

at Toni when they discovered his rela-
lions with Jacques But Toni was as IN
sensible 20 ridicule as TO reproof. The
when his mother had rheumatism and
her knees swelled. Then Toni would cry
as IL his heart would break, the big
tears running down his dirty face as he
sobbed and buried his fists in his hair
and would not be comforted. even though
his mother could sit In her chair by the
stove and stir the candy kettle. and
would give him the kettle 10 lick, after
she had poured the candy out But this
was never more than once or twice q
year, and the rest of the time Toni was
as happy and as free from care as the
birdlings in spring that sang under the
linden trees in the park.
Toni had already arranged a marriage
Of convenience for himself, which was of
the most advantageous description.
Across the street from Nine. Marcefs
shop was the baking establishment OF
Mile Duval. and Denise, the niece
and idol of Nine Duval. was just
two years younger than Toni and
as pretty as a pink and white bonbon
lin fact, she looked not unlike bon
bon. She had very pink cheeks, and
very blue eyes, and a long plat of yellow
hair, like the yellow candy Of melasse
which Nine Marcel made every Sat
urday morning.
Denise was as correct as Toni wes In
correct. She always said. "om Mon
sieur." and Non. Madame" in the
sweetest little voice imaginable. with
her eyes cast down and her plump hands
crossed before her.
Not hair of her blonde head was ever
out of place, and the blue-cheeked apron
which extended from her neck to her
heels. was as speekless as the white
muslin frock she wore in church on Sun
days She was the most obedient OF chill
dren. and Nine. Marcel. when she wept
and scolded Toni for his numerous mis-
deeds, often told him that she wished
/ he were only half as good as Denise Du-
val, who had never disobeyed her aunt in
/ her life. Toni smiled mysteriously when
! ever his mother said this, and chuckled
/ inwardly at something known only to
/ Jacques and himself. namely, that when
! ne grew TO be a man he meant to marry
! Denise What could be better than the
combination of candy shop and cook
shop and bakery?
And then there were other advantages
connected with the match. Many of the
| little girls that Toni knew had large and
dangerous-looking fathers, some of them
soldiers with fierce mustaches, and these
fathers sometimes kicked and cuffed idle
little boys who should have been, at
school or at homo instead Of lying in the
meadow or lettering upon the bench I'M
der the acacia tree by Mile. Duvals
shop, inhaling the delicious odors of the
bakery kitchen. Denise had a father
who was, indeed. large and dangerous
looking. and was a soldier. too; nay, a
sergeant, and had the fiercest mustaehe
Toni had ever seen, but he only came to
\ Bienville once H year for a few days on
his annual leave, and seemed to Toni a
most irrational and singular person. Fer
although he could, if he wished, have
eaten ell the cakes in his sisters shop.
Toni never saw him so much as look at
one of them.
On this annual temperance Of Sergt.
Duval. Toni kept carefully out of the
way. Once when he was hiding under
the counter Of the shop he had overheard
the sergeant asking Nine. Marcel why
she did not make that little rascal OF
hers go to school, and when Nine Mar
eel. a pretty, plump widow Of forty, tear
fully admitted that she could not OF
herself, manage Toni. the sergeant
/
thrashing as a favor TO Nine. Marcel
; This, Nine. Marcel, in a panic, declined
and then the sergeant made a proposition
still more shocking 10 Tonrs feelings.
Then. why. Madame" he said. gal.
lantly. twirling his mustache. do you
not marry again? II I were young and
handsome enough 7 should offeE myself
and then, ] warrant you, would make
} that young rogue of yours behave him
, self !"
Whether this were an offer or not
Nine, Marcel could not determine. Sh'
might have fancied the dashing, fierce
looking sergeant, with his five medals OF
his breast, but that proposition TO thrasl
! Toni robbed the proposal of all its charm
J And besides that, Nine MARCEL although
she praised Denise, felt a secret jealousy
of the little girls PROJECTIONS. Toni. as
{ rule. was less afraid Of soldiers than an,
other people, especially If they were cav
= alrymen, for Toni dearly loved horses
} and was not the least cowardly abou
) them, and felt a secret bond OF sympath,
between himself and all who had to d.
] with the cult of the horse
D Bienville had been a place of consld
: cradle military consequence, in the old
! far-off days. and still retained evidence
J OF having had ten thousand troops quar-
tered there in long rows Of tumble-dow
baTrack buildings. But not much re
NAMED Of this former consequence excep
: the old barracks, a hideous war monu
r ment in the public square. and a YER
7 grim old woman, the widow of a soldie
3 in the Napoleonic wars. Toni regarde
. the monument and old Marie in her mo
5 cap and spectaeles, sitting proud an
Q stern on a bench in the public square. a
r belonging to each other. All the soldiers
i and even the officers, saluted old Mari
= as they passed-tributes which were re
q ceived with proud composure
: Everything else in the town of Bien
vile was gay and cheerful. except tn
= monument and old Marie It was no,
8 garrisoned by one cavalry regiment only
+ and was a depot for horses and cavaIr
i recruits. There was a big riding schoC
= with a tan-bark floor, where the new re
r cruits were broken in and taught 10 rid,
e It was TOMS delight to crawl In by tn