Evening star., 1914-01-25

when the tall girls and big boys grew unruly
the weeping mothers and irate fathers would
take them to Cerise. and she would sweetly
persuade them to behave themselves prop
erly.
At last, however. something happened.
One dav in December a commissary of police
appeared, and proceeded to take Cerise into
custody for a number and variety of crimes.
First, she taught school without license.
Then, one of the children had developed
chickenpox, and Cerise not knowing chick
enpox from smallpox, had not segregated
the child Again, she had called herself
Lestocq when there was reason to believe
that she was named Vignal. Altogether
she was dangerous person, and must ap-
pear before the Judge of the district and
give an account of her iniquities.
Cerise was torn from her moorings by the
wharf of Lethe and dragged back into the
vortex of the world She made no protest,
this Honeysweet, who could charm the birds
off the bushes, this Spitfire, who was not
afraid of anybody. Feeling sure that she
must go to prison, she put up lew neces-
saries in bag, and with them she put the
only relic she had on earth of the happy
past. the little white slippers.
The police officer gave her days grace,
having first warned her against any attempt
to escape. Cerise looked at him, her beauu-
full miserable eyes full of woe, and the
police officer turned away and wondered II
he had not been overzealous.
The news spread abroad in the nelghbor-
hood, and when the commissary called next
morning he found in the street a crowd of
weeping children and hysterical mothers
and indignant fathers, surrounding the
black -gowned Cerise. And-oh. most as
founding of all-the Paris newspapers had
got hold of the story, and with unusual ac-
curacv had published it, with picture OF
Cerise-the Honeysweet of the Hyacinth
Theater, eight years before.
THERE was sort of triumphal pro
cession for Cer1se to the MUNICIPAL
building, and within the courtroom great
crowd, with newspapers in their hands, to see
this woman dragged back from Lethe wharf.
And in the throng, with streaming eyes
and outstretched arms, were Marcel and his
wife and half dozen actors and actresses,
all boasting to the onlookers:
a acted with her eight years ago, and we
called her Honeysweet.'
And among them-there, like criminal,
stood Pierre He would have fallen on his
knees if Cerise had let him.
I'VE found the letter before you had been
gone an hour" he cried with tears. Il
searched every theater in Parls-what do
say?-every theater in France! And | saw
every woman who was taken dead out of the
river. Oh, Honeysweet, how could you
serve me so?"
This pale downcast woman suddenly be-
came rosy and smiling. All her old instincts
OF an actress rose within her: this was her
day How could you serve me SO, Pierce
she asked in her futelike voice. "But for
give YOU And l can tell you l made De
lorme sad and sorry, that you may belleve.'
The ushers then, preceding the judge, en-
tered, and last the Judge, looking so hand
some and stately in his black robe, with his
tricolored scarf across his breast. This
Judge was Fernand Delorme.
The case of Cerise was the first called.
The commissary gave very modified &c
count of her misdeeds. In fact, all had been
explained away, and the discharge of the
prisoner was asked.
During this two pairs of burning eyes
were fixed upon Fernand Delorme. Pierre's
look was murderous. Cerise, in the prison
ers' dock, smiled at Delorme like the Honey
sweet she was. Delorme, changing from
pale to red, pretended Indifference. 1t was
a mere matter of form to discharge Cerise,
and then Delorne with fine air of Glenn
ency. asked:
prisoner at the bar, have YOU anything
to saw for Yourself -