The Greenville journal. [volume] (Greenville, Ohio) 1850-1918, 1914-03-12

very little," he said simply. "A large
fire of logs makes me think Of that"
Tell me about it," she begged with
quick interest. will you? Was there
always a fire at your house?"
But no, Observation-Disclosures, of
course, in the summer. 1t was of the
winter time thought, when the neigh
bors came, in the evening, and we sat
about the hearth, sometimes twenty
people, each at his different duty, and
my brothers and sisters were there,
and the dear grandmere, was there
and" he stopped. Does Mademoi-
selle really wish to hear how it was
in that old farmhouse of ours, in the
shadow of the Jura Mountains?"
Indeed, Mademoiselle wishes it,"
she assured him. 1T will be a trip
to Europe l am sure l shall speak
better French for going to France for
ten minutes, and being among the
French people, your friends. Wait
now, till l am comfortable" She
turned deep chair so that it faced
him, and dropped into it. Put foot
stool for me-" she ordered, as south
ern women order the men they care
for-and the men they do not. And
she settled back with her little feet
on it and smiled at him. For mo-
ment the mans brilliant gaze rested
on her and the girl saw it, and thrilled
to it. Now, Monsieur, racontez-moi
une historic" she spoke softly.
Francois Beaupre's look turned from
her to the fire, and the air of gazing
at something far away came again.
1T is a picture I see as l think of
that time of my childhood" he began,
as if speaking to himself. "A picture
many times painted in homelike col
ors on my brain. Many night in the
winter | have sat, little boy, by the
side of my grandmother, at that great
hearth, and have looked and have seen
all the faces, have heard all the voices
and the fire cracking, and the spin
ning-wheel whirring, even as l see
them and hear them tonight.
"And from time to time one of the
men, as he talked, rose up and strode
4 across the room to the great oak table
where lay always on wooden plate
a long loaf of black bread, with 9
knife, and always a glass and bottle
of eau-de-vie-brandy. And / remem
d Der how manly it looked to me, watch
j ing. when / saw him take the loa
under his arm and hold it, and slice
4 off boldly a great piece Of the fresE
rye bread, and pour out glass o.
! brandy and toss it off as he ate the
/ bread, The stories seemed to grow
\ better after the teller had done that
"And always l waited, even through
{ the tale of the ghost and the fire
, breathing hound, till the talk shoulC
/ swing round, as it did ever towarc
the end, to the stories of Napoleon
that were fresh in mems minds IL
those days. 1t was as IL / sat OF
needles before my bedtime came, ye
did not dare to be restless and NOV
about for fear that my mother nigh
send me suddenly to bed. But !, Away
gave sigh of content and always tn
grand-mere patted my head softly II
hear it, when my father cleared hi
| throat and began"
"'There is small thing that haT
pened when the Emperor was march
ing'--and then he was launched o.
his tale" wy
A great hickory log fell, rolled ou
} toward the hearth. The carved nymph
and shepherds seemed to frown /
! disapproval at this irregularity, an
I the girl in the deep chair smiled. bu
; the man sprsng up and put the 10
back in place with quick efficienc!
I He stood silent by the tall mante
t piece, deep yet in his reverie, as tn
T flames caught the wood again an
> sparlxled and spluttered.
did any OF them ever see Maps
{ leon those men who talked aboy
) him?" the girl asked. N