The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1913-06-26
PONPON'S STOLEN KISS
BY ROB M'cHEYNE.

tario were lightly yelled in the mists
of Indian summer. In the air was that
dangerous warmth that steals into
the veins and lulls the brain to dreams
and Renaissance. The giant cataract
could be heard family, drowsy, dis
tant hum of monotony-a sound that
seemed to pervade everything and
reach the bewildered brain, strangely
associated with the heavy odor Of
grapes, full ripe; the rich clusters
hanging everywhere.
It is only by some such psychologist
Cal analysis, whether scientific or not
that an explanation can be found fol-
the startling fact that Fanchette, go:
ing home from the days picking. al
lowed Ponpon the jester, the clown,
the great laughing registering Ponponi
to imprint upon her pretty. upturned
scralet lips. kiss, thinking all the
while it was Antoine.
:: And such kiss! A group of gay
young girls turned at the sound, only
to see the demure Fanchette, blushina
to be sure, but smiling in serene UNI
consciousness of the fact that it wal
Ponpon who had slipped up behind hei
and tipped her chin back, as Antoine
sometimes did, when he was not toe
serious.
$50, that is the way when Antoine
is not here!" And she turned bach
to wait for Antoine.
When he came up Ponpon was hang
Ing over him, casting all manner o,
jibes at him.
you have excellent taste, Antoine
swear her little chin is as soft al
re breast of lie perdrix." He burst
into loud guffaw. Here is La Orig
non"-he had given the dark-eyed gir
this nickname because she was tall al
q maypole, and it had stuck because
she was pretty as one-"she will tel
you; she saw Fanchette kiss me-"
Eyes, and I think it is outrageous
of her"
Ponpon was not prepared for this
as he had no idea anyone had seer
him, and had called La Grignon into
it only to tease Antoine. So he quick
ly ran off to join another group. But
Antoine was silent and his companion
had no chance to poison his mind
against her rival.
Fanchette entered the vine-covered
cottage and kissed her mother with
the happiest of faces.
"Ah, my little Mignon, I see you
have made up your quarrel of last
night with Antoine"
Eyes, mamma, he slipped up behind
me as was walking home-O, mann
ma, it was so good of him. I know
I was in the wrong last night and !
shall tell him so when he comes to-
night"
But Antoine did not come. The
next day Fanchette noticed differ
ence in the way the girls treated her.
Day after day of the balmy Indian
summer passed away and Fanchette,
no longer in doubt of the worlds in
Justice went about her work with sad
little heart What had she done? Poor
Fanchette! She knew nothing of the
world as yet. She could not under
stand.
One day, late in October, she was
sitting on the stone wall, her eyes off
across the valley and her thoughts in
far-off Gascony, when Ponpon came
upon her.
"Poor Fanchette!" he said banter
ingly, "she is re last of her illustrious
race and it makes her to mourn.
Come, let me kiss away that sad look"
81 hate you! I hate you! hate
everybody" she burst forth.
"Fanchette! Dear little Fanchette.
This is serious. Tell Ponpon.'
Fanchette only shook her head and
winked the tears back. For long
time the good hearted fellow who had
worked all the mischief regarded her
In silence, then, unwilling to leave
without word said:
"You will save Ponpon dance to-
night?"
The girl shook her head.
"Fanchette! Do not be so Il-tem-
pered."
"Tm-Im not going" sobbed poor
Fanchette.
mot going? Not going to the beeg
party that the boss gives us. Why.
there will be dances, and games, and
jack'o-lapterns. Not going to the hal
lowe'en party? Fanchette! Fanchette!
If you do not hold the water in your
mouth you can never get married"
But the girl wouldn't smile and poor
Ponpon went away sad Of heart. "But
she shall co." he said, and with the
aid of Fanchette's mother he finally
persuaded her to go at the last min
ute. =-\
OF course her appearance, and with
Ponpon, set the busy tongues wag-
ging; and her tall rival hit upon q
merry plan that all the girls applaud
ed. They would send poor timid Fan
Ghetto into the great empty barn
where where they had fixed up the
big swing like a ghost swaying back
and forth in the darkness, and when
she screamed they would all have a
good laugh.
The crowd gathered about the low
er door, as the girl slowly mounted
the ladder As she removed the band
age and saw the grinntng pumpkins
and the great ghost she could not sup
press little gasp.
"Fanchette," exclaimed a voice.
"Antoine!" She ran toward the
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