Evening star., 1922-06-25

ultation. Soon Aristide formeGA col
lection OF his tricks. ard doings
wh1rewith he would entertain the
chance acqusintances Of his vasa-
bondage. To permanent companion
he would have grown insuferable.
He invented him a career from the
day OF his birth, chronicled the COM
ing of the hrst tooth. wept over the
demise Of the fictitious mother. and
In his imaginative way, convinced
himself of his fatherhood. And every
day the child crept deeper into the
mans sunny heart
Together they had many wanderings
and many adventures. The wheezy.
crazy mechanism Of the car went to
bits In unexpected places. They to-
bogganed down hills without a brake
at the imminent peril Of their lives
They suffered the indignity Of being
towed by wine wagons. They spent
hours by the wayside while Aristide
took her to pieces and, sometimes.
with the help Of a passing motorist.
put her together again. Sometimes.
too. an inn boasted no landlady. only
dishevefed and over-driven cham
bermaid. who refused to wash Jean.
Aristide washed and powdered Jean
himself, the landlord lounging by,
pipe in mouth, administering sugges-
tions. Once Jean grew Ill, and Aris-
tide In terror summoned the doctor.
who told him that he had filled the
o1,J IN
point. Yet, in spite Of Heterogeneous
nursing and exposure to sun and rain
and piercing mistral. Jean throve ex-
ceedingly, and, to Aristide's delight.
began to cut another tooth. The vain
man began to regard himself as an
expert in horticulture.
X +
A T the end Of fairly-wide circuit,
Aristide. with empty store boxes
and pleasantly full pockets, arrived
at the little town Of fAix-en-Provence
He had arrived there not without diff
ficulty. On the outskirts the car.
which had been coaxed reluctantly
along for many weary kilometers. had
groaned, ratified, whirred. given a
couple Of convulsive leaps and stood
stock-stiIl. This was one Of her pref
ty ways. He was used to them, and
hitherto he had been able to wheedle
her into resumed motion. But this
time, with all his cunning and per-
spiration, he could not induce another
throb in the tired engines. A friend
ly motorist towed them to the Hotel
de Paris in the Cours Mirabeau. Hav-
ing arranged for his room and given
Jean in charge Of the landlady. he
procured some helping hands and
pushed the car TO the nearest garage.
There he gave orders for the car to be
put into running condition for the fol-
lowing morning and returned to the
hotel.
He found Jean in the vestibule.
sprawling sultanesausly on the land
lady's lap. the center Of an admiring
circle, which consisted of two little
girls in pigtails. an ancient peasant
woman and two English ladies Of OBJ
vious but graceful spinsterhood.
Here is the father" said the land
lady.
He had already explained Jean to
the startled woman-landladiss were
always startled At Jeans uneonven-
tfonal advent. Madame" he had
said, according to rigid formula,
this is my son. am taking him
from his mother, who is dead. to an
aunt who is an invalid. SO he is alone
on my hands I teseech you to let
some kind woman attend to his nee
essitiea"
There was no need for further
explanation. Aristide, thus introduc-
ed, bowed politely, removed his Cru
soc cap and smiled luminously at the
assembled women. They resumed
their antiphonal chorus Of worship.
something Of Aristide's personal
charm. He had a bubble and goo"
for every one. Aristide looked on in
great delight. Jean was q son to be
proud Of
"Ah! quill est fort-fort CONNIE un
Turc"
"RegardeZ ses dents"
"The darling thing"'
I'll est-oh, dear!-il est ravis-
sante'-witk a disastrous plunge into
gender.
"Tiens! il rit. cest moi vi le fails
rire"
ITO think" said the younger Eng
lishwoman to her sister, ''of this wee
mite travelling about in an open
motor!"
Hes having the time OF his life.
He enjoys it as much as I do." said
Aristide, in his excellent English.
THE lady started. She was = we'll
bred. good-humored woman in
the early thirties, stout, with red
dish hair, and irregular though come
ly features. Her sister was thin,
faded. sandy and kind-looking.
II thought you were French" she
said apologetically.
so I am," replied Aristide. PRO
vencal Of Provence. Meridional OF the
Midi, Marseillais Of Marseilles."
But you talk English perfectly"
i've lived in your beautiful coun-
try" said Aristide.
"You have the bonniest boy" said
the elder lady How old is her
Mine months. three weeks and .
day." said Aristide promptly.
The younger lady bent over the
miraculous infant
Can take him? Est-ce que 5e
| puis-oh, dear" She turned q whim-
sical face to Aristide.
He translated. The landlady sur