Year: 1877

her, smooth as velvet, and to heal
ber purr, one would say, what a gen
tie cat is Mousse. Ah, but she is a
cat after all


The cat sat still, her black velve,
like coat, glistening in the sunshine.
Evidently she did not understand re-
proof. At Annik's words she purred
more complacently than ever, without
even look at her pretty young mis-
tress. Her green eyes were fixed in
tently on two large blue-bot,le file.
lowering about the exquisltely rosy
flowers OF great oleander that stood
in It's green box outside the cottage
door.


AnEik shook her head at the cat
and then she crossed one leg over
the other, pulled off her shoe and
stocking, and began to examine ber
foot 1t was small weli-shaped
foot, aud looked very pretty, just
peeping from beneath her petticoat
but, spite Ct the thickness of her
leather shoe, the girl felt that a thurn
b, d pierced it, and she gave little
cry of relief as she saw one end OF
the thorn still projecting from the
skin. The wings of her snowy cap
spread as she bent forward, and
showed glossy dark bair rolled close.
ly away from ser face; her eyes too
were dark, with long black lashes
resting on cheeks almost as rosy a.
the oleander blossoms under which
she sat.


Annik was as pretty little Breton
maiden as could be seen 10 Finistere
and her costume was deliciuusly
quaint. Her greenish blue home
spun apron hid the front Of her skirt
of darker blue, and reached quite to
the bottom of it; her charming wing
ed white cap made exquisite light
and shade on the sweet young face !;
the bodice of her gown was black, as
was also the inner body, which had
long sleeves: both were trimmed
With black velvet, embroidered in
lines of fame colored silk, and the
square opening in iron was filed with
a futed chemisette, ending in a frill
of homemade lace round the. slender
throat: below the chemisette her
bodice was laced across with pale blue
silk cord.


Something in the girls appearance
seemed out of keeping with the small,
one storied cottage, with its overhang.
ing oaken beams, in front of which
she sat, from one of which beams
over the doorway hung bunch Of
mistletoe, signifying that cider was TO
be bad within Beyond the cottage
the road went up bill, and soon the
sunshine instead of shedding down
a full stream of light, like that in which
the black sat cat purring, asserted
itself only in aecks and chequers of
irregular design. Far overhead
stretching across the road from the
high bank on either side, as if to ex-
change greetings, were huge spread
ing chestnut boughs with fans of ex-
quisit green leaves. A little higher
up the bank ended on the same side
asthe cottage, and group of chest
nuts stood on q wide opening of still
rising ground. Here the light was
vet more brilliant; the dull yellow of
the ground between the tree trunks
seemed paved here and there with
tessera of gold, where corn had been
thresbed in front of the great stone
farm house that stood back among the
trees. Opposite, on the right, was a
lal gray calvary, aud the road slop-
ing downward from this, led to the
church


Annik took out the thorn, and just
a. she b-gsn to draw her stocking
over her pretty foot, a man appeared
al lie Top of the road coming from
beyond the farmhouse. There had
been 20 rain for several days, and bis
tread was not heard at that distance
on the dusty ground. He came along
with lowering expression of discon-
tent, swinging his arms, which held
bis heavy cudgel; his large, black,
low crowned hat pulled over BIS eyes.
All at once be saw Annik- He stop
ped. thrust his empty hand into his
ppcbe ct, and gszed earnestly forward.
His wide mouth, open with surprise,
show ed a range of cleaning, wolflike
teeth. lie repressed the exclamation
on his tongue, leas; be should dis
turb the picture below him, and stood
still gazing


Annik bad left off talking to the
cat: she sat leisurely putting on her
shoe, Grooming meanwhile wailing
cradle ditty, as if the little foot were
q baby. and she were lulling it to
sleep.


The mah's face meantime had
changed strangely. As be came IN
sight, you would have said that love
and Joy could have found no power sf
expression 10 bis features now, as he
stood gazing, pleasure at least shone
out of his eyes. mingled With delight
fol admiration.


He had been too much absorbed to
heed any sound. but footsteps had
been for some minutes toiling up the
stony road from the church, and now
the tall, bent figure Of priest, with
his breviary under bis arm. and .
small big in one hand, came behind
the vazer The nriest who Was no