The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1913-03-18

! Copyright, 1918. by the Mcclure
Newspaper Syndicate.)
| No" said Cosette. stormiiy, II
| don't care about love--I want TO be
rich"
That's your French blood" said
! the old grandmother. calmly. " our
grandfather came from grand
| family but was made poor by the
/ revolution. He was never contented.
But | was born poor. and lived In
the Maine woods. On Sundays we
had chicken, but the rest of the week
we lived on salt meat
Cosette drummed on the window
/ pane. II hate the woods
ut isn't well to hate anything. I'll
bake griddle cakes for supper. and
you can have them with butter and
sugar"
"oh. do you never think of any
thing but eating2" the girls face
was afiame as she turned away from
the window Il want something be-
sides food want lovely gowns and
roses and orchids. and pears for my
ears, and rings on my fingers"
/ You want the impossible" said
the old grandmother. ono man that
you will meet can give you rings for
your fingers and pearls for your
ears"
1
| The grandmother went on with
! her cooking, but when there came
| a knock at the door. she said, ITS
John Mead, ] know his step. He
can have some of my cakes"
1 But Cosette few up the stairs. 81
/ can't see him in this old dress she
cried.
The grandmother smiled wisely
and welcomed John. The child's
upstairs Sit down and I'll bake some
cakes for you"
( Let me bake them" John insisted.
while you rest"
! You belong to the woods" said
| the old woman, as she watched him,
where the wind sings you to sleep
/ at night and the trees keep time to
the tune. Your strength is wasted
here"
He faced her wildly. I'm going
to get away from it. My grandfathers
were pioneer settlers. And ] meas
ure cloth across a counter"
/ The child will have to get away
from it, said the grandmother. lit is
killing her"
The young man set the plate of
/ steaming cakes on the table, and his
voice was hoarse as ne spoke, You
( mean. she isn't weil?'
| II mean that she is learning things
from the other girls--to long for rings
on her fingers and pearls in her ears"
>. He defended Cosette. Girls love
pretty things"
But when they love pretty things
more than they love love" said the
wise old woman, then they need the
woods
IF she would only marry me" said
the young man, we would all so
together"
The old woman shook her head.
she will not" she said. until the
woods have taught her to forget the
| things which do not count"
| Cosette came down.
we were talking about the woods"
said the grandmother. John thinks
II would be wise for us to go back.
There's my little house, and I could
cook for the lumbermen, and you
could grow strong and we'll"
Cosette laughed. 81 won't CO." she
said
But If you would marry me ]
would go there to take care of you'll
beg YOU to marry me, Cosette," was
the mans apepal.
said, II won't be poor"
| do you love me ?"
Her eyes fell before the fame in
his.
IF you were rich she faltered
! face was very white. land / shall
4 never ask you again to marry me until
you come TO me and say, I love you"
/ II shall never say it."
I A week later. in spite OF the girls
rebellion, the little grandmother had
| her way. The city is not the place
/ for. pretty girl like Cosette," she
/ insisted.
Yet 1t was in the woods that CO.
settle met the man who wanted to give
her rings for her fingers and pearls
for her ears, He was little man.
\ and fat and he owned hunting
lodge near the lumber camp and he
| owned. too. country house and city
home, and yacht and four motor cars.
that he saw Cosette. IF you Will
marry me you shall be wrapped in
-