The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1913-01-11

beard the color of the highway, part
ly yellow, partly white, blown about
by the wind and snarled up by the
rain.
What do you want?" she asked.
Shelter for the night?"
The mans only answer was a nod
of his head.
She thought she had seen him be-
fore. Far removed from any town or
village as they were at La Renardiere,
they often had to be hospitable to trav-
elers or tramps.
Go right into the barn and sleep on
the loose straw. My man will bring
you some soup in little while. l
hear him coming" she said.
She only heard her heart throbs
saying, Come home! Come home!"
and then felt quiet. She thought of
her baby and after the beggar had
withdrawn, she began once more to
Groom her peaceful ditty.
Her face was a little worn, though
still young, and under the brown
waves of her hair, almost entirely COW
cred by her sunbonnet, shone her dark
eyes, to which tears rose easily, which
had often frightened look and sell
dom sparkled with a smile, A ma
ternal and primitive type still I'M
spoiled by her lonely life in the coun-
try.
When Julienne expressed a wish,
her husband, a little cruder and
rougher than she, had almost invari-
ably to yield. He felt deeply and OBJ
scurely what safe shelter he would
find in this house which the quiet and
energetic woman kept we'll ordered;
after days spent on the shore or in a
gale at the sea, he always came home
with broad smile showing his white
teeth.
The hand that was rocking the baby
moved slower and slower. The sway
ing became imperceptible and finally
the creak of the willow cradle ceased
altogether
The winds means about the house
grew louder and louder and now the
mother was only poor, lonely woman
on the watch with anguish in her
heart. In order not to think of her
fears she rose and busted herself with
tidying up the room. Half an hour
passed; night was falling.
"Here we are" her husbands voice
rang out II am hungry Miserable
catch today"
He entered the room, half farmer,
half fisherman, in blue overalls and a
yellow oilcloth hat. His deep set eyes
peered into the dusk to find the
mother, who was crouched before the
fireplace, skimming the soup. The
woman looked round, nodded to the
man and smiled at her son, who,
standing in the Background, was try.
ing to see over his fathers shoulder
Good evening, mai" cried the lad.
She rose and kissed the tall boy,
who turned his cheek all damp with
brine and fog, and she lit the the
candle which she had saved until then.
The flame revealed a deep hamper
in which three fishes with scaly skin
the color of mud were dying, and two
brownish crabs, their claws folded UNI
der them, looking like two huge peb-
bles.
"That's for tomorrow's SOUP" the
man said. "The sea was too heavy;
let's eat"
They were taking their seats at the
table and the son was going to lock
up when the door was pushed open
from the outside.
Can l come in?" some one called
out.
Where can fellow sleep here?"
another voice asked.
I'm the ditch" the man answered,
roughly. "The way those tramps are
talking. Where can fellow sleep
here? Am I keeping lodging house?''
Two shadows, showing black
against the half darkness of late sun
set, drew back into the dusk and fog
framed by the door, the farmer walked
toward them. The wanderers found
him too big and too muscular; they
lowered their voices.
"You wouldn't shut us out in such
weather." one Of them asked.
II would, you loafers You are go
ing by gangs along roads where there
is no work to be found and l have got
to work to keep you fed, have I?
You go and sleep in the sands. The
fishes won't bother you"
81 have already put one in the
barn." Julienne said coolly. tits big
enough for three, | am sure"
Her man turned round displeased
sat down and began to eat his dinner
silently. The wind was blowing a
gale; one could hear the long capes OF
the tramps fluttering against the wall
BE kind to them," Julienne' in.
sisted.
house every night, let them sleep in
straw which the cattle do not want af
terward, give them soup? No, that
happens too frequently
He said this without interrupting
his meal, but there was in his voice a
sort of regretful and yielding expires
sion and Julienne called out:
'All right, men. You follow the
house to the end of the yard, you pass
the stable and go into the barn and
dry yourselves! I'll bring you some
thing to eat"
When the door closed again and the
farmer, his wife, and his son were left
alone once more, with the three chill
/ = -.