Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1916-07-06

| And when she had finished and he
looked at the result of her work he
] said to her:
1T is excellent, but think you can
do better. Try again tomorrow"
When Mime. CastelleuX was told that
another sitting was to be granted the
girl the next day she took fright at
once for CASTOR told her that it was
he who had suggested this. But Gas.
| ton had always been accustomed to
having his own way, and, although his
mother saw plainly that her son was
falling in loye with a peasant girl, she
could do nothing to prevent it. She
began to regret that she had brought
about this III fated competition
At the next sitting Clochette did i'm.
prove on what she had done the day
before. Castor was much pleased with
the result of his suggestion and told
her that he wished her to try every
day until 1t became evident that she
could do no better. When he inform
ed his mother of this the poor woman
was in despair. She had seen her sons
beauty marred; now she saw him pass
ing into an infatuat1on for a peasant
girl Knowing his strong will. she felt
sure that second misfortune no less
to be dreaded than the first would be-
fall him and his family.
Clochette painted new eve every
day, and every eye was better than
the last. When Castor was as much
in love as 1t was possible for him to be
there was no improvement in the work.
and he told his mother that he was sat.
| isfed.
Then came the inspection of the
work by the experts CASTOR was re-
quired to hold the artificial eyes in
turn beside his real eye, beginning
With the first eye painted. AS he went
down the list tired expression APP
peared and increased until the ninth
eye was reached, which showed an ex-
preston of relief. None Of the ewes
was satisfactory for this reason and
one other. In Gaston's eye there was
no tired look to match that in the arti-
fetal eve. Indeed, not one Of the
painted eyes was satisfactory.
CASTOR, who regarded all this as pre-
l1minary to the remarkable work done
by Clochette, was impatient to show
the experts what she had accomplish
ed. Clochette was present ana as eager
as he for the exhibition Of the eve
which she and Castor had selected to
compete for the award CASTOR at last
was permitted to hold the eye next his
| own. A singular expression came over
the faces of those who looked at him.
| While the painted eye expressed the
quintessence of love, his real eye ex.
pressed triumph The audience began
| to laugh when Clochette, seeing what
| neither she nor Castor had seen be-
fore, attracted his attention to her.
self. Instantly the real eye as we'll as
the false one looked love.
| There Is no expression in the human
face that is more engaging than love-
For the time being at least Clochette's
| work was marvellous success. The
two eyes matched not only in color,
but in expression. The PEASANTS
work, therefore, was the best, and the
experts had no choice but to award
her the prize. What was the astonish-
ment of all when she declined to re-
ceive 1t, but expressed wish that it
should be given to one Of the COM
petitors, who was starving. When
Castor found that he could not per-
suadesh her to take it herself he respect
ed her wish, and the money was given
as she had indicated.
Then Clochette withdrew
CASTOR spent month of misery try.
ing to forget the peasant girl whom he
| loved, but whom it was not meet that
he should marry. At last he could
stand it no longer; he must at least
have one more sight Of her. He In
quired among the neighbors as to
where she lived, but none of them
could inform him. Mounting his horse,
he set out to look for her He did not
| find her.
| Now and again for weeks he went
in quest Of the girl he loved, always to
return disappointed One day he stop
ped at a chateau to ask for little re-
| freshment. A lady advanced to meet
him who filed him with establishment.
she was Clochette.
| And Clochette was as much surprised
| TO see GaStoil as he was to see her
They stood looking at each other for
a time; then the girls face broke into
| q smile.
81 had seen YOU, she explained after
the first greetings, "and, having taste
for art, when heard of the prize of
fered wished to compete for it, Not
wishing to do so as myself, adopted
the garb of a peasant"
"And why did you desire to help me:
You would not accept the prize after
you had won it.
A blush told the story far more eff
fectiyely than words.
When Castor returned to his home
and announced to his mother that the
peasant competitor for her prize was
lady and lived in chateau Nine Cas-