"X' " .'-''v ' ; ' 'V jv5- rTTTCHT,,.!,-?...... THE LANCASTER DAILY INTELLIGENCE!, SATUtAY, MAY 18, 1889. - I TV -CT-.' 5 BEBEE; TWO LimE WOODEN SHOES ByJttnDA w us rnrew tDe leaves away, irritably, and tcld her te leave, oft her spinning. "Some day I shall paint you with that wheel as I painted the Broedhub. Will you let me, Bcbee f" "Yes." She answered him aa she would bave an swered if he had told her te go en pilgrimage from ene end of the Lew Countries te the ether. "What wcre you going te de today !" "I am gelns into the market with the Cow ers; I go every day." "Hew much will you maUeP "Twe or three francs, if I am lucky." "And de you never have a holiday I" "Oh, yes; hut net often, you knew, bocause it Li en the fete days that the pcople went the most flowers." "But in the wlntcrl" "Then 1 work nt the lace." "De jeu never go into I he weeds!" "I have been, ouce or twice; but it loses a whele day." "Yeu ure nfrald of net earning!" "Yes. Because I am afraid of owing peo pee peo ple anything." "Well, ghe up this oue day, and we will make holiday. The peeple nre out; they will net knew. Ceine into the forest, and we will dlne at a cufe In the weeds; and we will bens poetic a3 you like, and I ill tell you a tale of ene called Rosalind, who pranked herself In boys' attire, all for love, In the Ardennes country yonder. Come, It is the very day for the forest; it will r.ial.e me n lad again at Icuden, when the lilaca were in bloom. Peer Paris I Come." "De you mean ltf The color was bright in her face, her heart was dancing, her little fret felt themselves already en the fresh green turf. She hud no thought that there could be any harm in it. She would have genu w lth Jean Jean net or old Baa "Of course 1 mean It Come. I was going te Mnjcnce te see the Magi and Van Dyck's Christ. We will go te Eelgnles Instead, and study green leaves. I will paiut your fnce by sunlight It Is the best way te jalut you. Yeu In-long te the open air. Be bheuld Grct chen, or hew elbe Bheuld she hat e the blue sky in her eycsl" "But 1 hnvoenly wooden sbecal" Her face was scarlet as the gtanceil at her feet; he who had w tinted togive her the bilk stockings hew would be llke te be F-cn walk ing abroad with thou) two clumsy, clattering, werk-n-dny, little sabots! "Ne er mind. My dear, in my tlme 1 have had enough of satin shoes and of sbvr gilt heels; they click-clack as loud as yours, and cost much inore te these who walk with tbcm, net te mention that they will seldom deign te walk nt nU. Your wooden shoes are pictur esque, Taganlnl made a violin out of a -redea tbee. Who knows whnt musie may lurk la yours, only you have never heard it, Ferbaps I have. It was Bac who gave ou the red shoes, that was the barbarian, net L Come." "Yeu really mean it!" "Come," "But they will miss me nt market." "They will think you nre geno en the pil grimage; you need never tell them you have net." - "Uutlttbey ask me!" "Dees It never happen that you say any ether thing than the truth I" "Any ether thing than the truth I Of course net. People teke for grnntcd that ene U1U truth; It would l very hase te cheat them. De you really mean that I may coine In the forest nnd you will tell me stories llke thoe you give me te read!" "1 will tell you n butter story. Leck jour hut, Keliee, and come," "And te think you are net ashamed!" "Ashamed!" "Yes, Iwcnuse of my wooden shoe" Was it ellilcl Jlebce thought, as she ran out into the garden and locked the deer be bind her, and pushed the key under the water butt as usual, being quite content with that prudent precaution against robbers which had served Antolne all his days. Was It jkm jkm sible, this wonderful Joyl Her cheeks wcre like her roses, her eyes had a brilliance llke the sun, the natural grace and mirth of the chiM blossomed hi a thousand wujs und ges tures. Asshe wentby thoshrlne In the wall sua" bent her knoe n moment and mmle the sign of the cress; then she gathered a little mess rese Unit nodded eleaj under the border of the pnlisade and turned nud gave It te him. "Loek, she scuds you this. She is net an gry, you see, and it is much mere pleasure w ben she Is pleased de j ou net knew !" He shrunk a little, as her lingers touched him. "What a pity you had no mother, Bobeol" husatd, eniin ImpuLaOef emotion, of which in Paris he would have been mero ashamed than of any guilt eiiAiTnrt xiv. In the deserted lane by the swans' water, under the willows, the horses waited te take him te Mechlin; little, cpilck, rough horses, with round brass Mis, In the Flemish fash ion, mid gay harness, and a low clmr-a-U'inc, hi which a wolf skin and red rugs, and all n painter's many necessities, were tossed to gether. He lifted her in, and the little horses flew fa through the green country, ringing chillies at each sk , till they plunged Inte the deep glades of the weeds of Cambre and Selgnles. . Seiguies Is only a ricmlsh forest In a plain, threw ing its shadow e er corn fields and cat tle past urcj, with no panorama be.) eud It and no wonders In its depth. But It Is afresb, bold, beautiful forest for nil that Te Bebco it was as an enchanted land, and every play of light and simile, evcry hare speeding across the paths, overy thrush sing ing In the leaves, every little deg rese or harebell that blossomed in the thickets, was te her u treasure, a pictui e, a poem, a do de light He had seen girls thus hi the weeds of VI11 cenucs and of Versailles In the studcut days of his youth, little work girls fresh from chale ts of the Jul n or from vine hung huts of the Leire, w he had brought their peer little charms te. peiish in Paris, and who dwelt uu der tbe het tiles and amidst the gilded shop signs till they wtre ns paleund thiuns their own starved Uilsams, ami who, when they saw the green weeds, laughed and cried n little, nud thought of the bread sun swept fit Ids, and w Uheil that they were back again behind their drtne of cows, or weudlug among the green grapes. But thou) little work girls had been mere homely daisies, and daisies already with the duit of the pniemcnt and of the dancing ganlens U)ou them. Bcbee was as pure and fresh as these dew wet deg roses that she found in the thickcta of thorn. He had meant te treat her as he had used todiitheso work girls a little wine, a little wooing, n Uttb felly und passion, tdle as a but tertlj an 1 brief as n rainbow ene mid sumTncr day" and night then a handful of geld, a caress, a geed morrow, and forgetful fergetful lusu ever of tcrw ards tliat was what he had meant when be bad brought her out te the forest of Seigules. B Jt ths was different, this child. He made the great sketch of her for his Gretchen, sitting ou a mess ground trunk, with marguerites lq.r hand; he fern) .for aeu (masMMi tar BJte tas woeos, ana saw her set ber pearly teet Inte early peaches and costly sweetsaeate; he wandered with her hither and thither, and told her tales cart of the poets and talked te her In tbe dreamy, cynical, poetical manner that was character istic of him. being half artificial and half sorrowful, a his temper waa But Bebee oil unconscious, intoxicated with happiness and yet touched by It Inte that vgu sadness which the summer ran bring with It even te young things, if tbey have soul In them Bebco Mid te him what the work (drk of Pari never had done. Beautiful things; things fantastic, Igno rant, absurd, very simple, very unreasonable oftentimes, but thing beautiful always, and sometimes even very wise by a wisdom net of the world; by a certain light dl vine that does shine new and then as through an ala baster lamp, through rdlnda that have no Crossness te obscure them. Ilcr words were net equal te tbe burden of her thoughts at times, but he knew hew te take the pearl of the thought from tbe broken shell and tangled sea weed of her simple un tutored rpeech. "If there be n Ged anywhere," he thought te himself, "this little Fleming b very near him." bbe waa se near that although he had no belief In any Ged, he could net deal with her as he bad used te de with the work girls In the ptimrcse paths of old Vlncennca. CHAPTER XV. "Te be Gretchen, you must count the, leaves of your daisies," he said te her, as he painted painted her Just ns she was, with her two little whlte feet In the wooden shoes, and the thick green leaves behind the simplest picture possible, the dresa of gray only cool dark gray with whlte linen bodice, and no color anywhere except in the green of the feliage; but where he meant tbe wonder and the charm of It te He waa In the upraised, serious, child llke face, and the gaxe of the grave, smiling eyes. It was Gretchen, spinning, out In tbe open air among ibe flowers; Gretchen with the tall deg daisies growing up about her feet, among the thyme and the roses, before she had had need te gather ene te ask her future of its pal ted leaves. The Gretchen of Bchcffcr tells no tale; she Is a fair haired, hard working, simple, minded peasant, with whom neither angels nor devils have anything te de, nnd whose eyes never can open te either bell or heaven. But lha Gretchen of Flamcn said much mero than this; looking at it, men would sigh from thame and women wccfren orrew, "Count the daisies!" echoed Bebco. "Oh, I knew what you mean. A little much passionately until death net at nil What the girls say when tbey want te see If any one loves them I Is that It !" Slw looked at him without any conscious ness except ns she loved the flowers. "De you think the daisies knew!" she went en, seriously, parting their petals with her fingers. "Flowers de knew many things that U certain." "Ask them for yourself." "Ask them what!" "Hew much any ene loves you!" "Oh, but every ene loves me; there ts no ene that is bad. Antolne used te sny te me, 'Nevcr think of yourself, Bcbee; always think of ether peeple, se every ene will love you.' And I always try te de that, and every ene does." "But that Is net tbe leve tbe daisy tells of te your sex." "Nef "Ne; the girls that you sea count the flow flew ersthey are thinking, net of all the village, but of some, ene unllke all the rest, whose shadow falls across theirs in tbe moonlight! Yeu knew that!" "Ah, yes and they marry afterwards yes." She said It softly, musingly, with noemlwir neemlwir rassment; It was an unreal, remote thing te her, and yet It stirred her heart n llltle with a vague treuble that was Inllnltcly sweet There is little talk of leve in the lives of the peer ; they hnve no space for It; leve te them means mero mouths te feed, mere wooden shoes te buy, mero hands te dlve Inte the meager bag of "coppers. New and then n girl of thocemmuiio had been married, nnd hail geno out just the sumo the uext day te her plowing hi the fields or te her luce wav ing In the city Belice had thought littloeflt "They marry or they de uet marry That is as it may be," said Flamcn, with a smile, "Bebee, I must paint you ns Gretchen be be bo fero shomnde a lovedlal of thedalsles. What Is the story! Ob, I have told you stories enough. Grctchcn's you would net under stand Just jet" "But whnt did the daisies say te her!" "My dear, the daisies always sny the same thing, Iwcaiive daisies always tell thu truth and knew men. The daisies always say 'a little;' it is the glrl'B car that tricks her and makes her hear 'till death, a felly nnd false falso falso hoed of which the daisy Is net guilty." "But who says It If the ilaUy de net!" "Ah, the devil, perhaps who knows! He has se much te de In these things." But Belxe did net smile, she had a leek of horror In her blue ejes, she belonged te a peasantry who liolleved In eierclslng the lleiid by the aid of the cress, nud who net se very many generations before had driven him out of human bodied by rack and flame, SI 10 looked with a little wlstfuLfear en the w hite, golden eyed 111:11 gucrites that lay en her lap. "De you think the fiend In these!" she wbtspera.1, with nwe In her voice. Flamcn smiled. "When you count them he w ill l there, no doubt." Beboe threw them with a shudder en the grass. "Ilnve I spoiled your holiday, dearf he said, with n certain self reproach. She was silent 11 minute, then she gathered up the daisies agnhi, aud stroked them and put them te her lips. "It is uet that they de wrong. Yeu say the girls' ears decclve them. It Is theglrli who wnnta lieand will net belicvotbe truth becnuse It bumbles tbcm; It Is the girls that nre te blame, net the daisies. As for me, I w ill net ask the daisies anything ever, se the (lend will net enter Inte them." "Ner Inte you. Peer little Beliee." "Why, you pity me for that!" "Yes. Because, If women nevcr soe the serpent's face, neither de they ever sccut tbe smell of the parndUe roses; nndlt will be hard for you te die without nslngle rese d'omeur in your pretty breast, (oer little Bebco." "I de net understand. But you frighten uien little," He row and left his easel nnd threw him self nt her feet en the grass; he took the little w euleu shoes in his hands ns reverently ns he would hnve taken the breldered shoes of a duchess; he looked up at her with tender, smiling eyes. lie threw himttlf at her feet en (as grast. "Peer little Bobeol" he said again. "Did I frighten you, Indeed! Nay, that was very base, of me. We will net spoil our summer heliilay There Is no such thing as a fiend, my dear. There ere only men such as 1 am. Say tne daisy tell ever for me, Bcbee, Soe If I de net leve you a little, Just as you leve your flowers." She smiled, and tbe happy laughter came again ever her face, "Ob, I am sure you care for me a little," she said softly, "or you would net 1 se geed and get me loeb and give me pleasure; and I de net want Ibe daisies te tell me that, bocause you say It yeurvlf, which Is better." "Much betUT," heuiisucred her dreamily, and by there lu thu grass, holding the little wooden shoes hi his bauds. IIj ica net In leve with her. He was lu ue haste. He prcfirred te play with her softly, slowly, as one separates the leavui of a rese te see the deep resu of its heart Ilcr own ignorance of what she felt bad a Mm iuaia ler mm. tie rami te rat Dm TMt from her eye by gcntle degree, watching each new pulw beat, each frcah instinct tmnble Inte life. It was an old, old story te him; be knew each chapter nnd verse te weariness, though there still was no ether terr that ha still read as often. But te her it waa e new. Te him It waan long beaten track; he knew every turn of it: he recegnised erery way way fetde blossom; he had passed ever a thousand limes each tremulous bridge; he knew se well beforehand where cadi shadow would fall, and where each fresh bud would blossom, and where each tiarvet would be reaped. But te her It was se new. Bhe followed hhn aa a blind child a man that guides her through a, garden and reads Der a wonder tale. He was geed te her, that was nil tbe knew. When be touched her ever se lightly she felt a happiness te perfect, and yet se unintelli gible, that (be could bave wished te die In it And in ber humility nnd her Ignorance she wondered always hew be se great, se wise, se beautiful could bave thought It ever worth bis whlle te leave the rnradlse of Rubes' land te wait with her under her little rush thatched reef, and bring hcrliere te vc the green leaves and the Uvlng things of the forest. As they went a man was going under th trees with n lead of weed upon his back. Bo Be Bo bee gave a little cry of recognition. "Ob, leek, that is Jeannetl Hew be will wonder te see me here I" Flamcn drew ber a little downward, se that the forester passed onward without per ceiving them. "Why de you de that!" said Bebee, "Shall I net speak te him!" "Why! Te have nil your neighbors chat ter of your feast In the forest I It Is net worth while," "Ah, but I always tell them everything," said tlebec, whose Imagination bad been al ready busy with the wonders that she would unfold te Mere Krcbs and tbe Varnhart chil dren. "Then you will see but little of me, my dear. Icnni te be silent, Bcbee. It Is a woman's first duty, though her hardest" "Is itr She did net speak for soma time, She could net Imaglne a state of things In which she would net imrrnte the little daily mira cles of her life te the geed old garrulous women nnd the little open mouthed romps. And yet he lifted her eyes te his. "I am glad you have told met lint," she said. "Though Indeed, I de net see why ene should net say what ene does, yet somehow I de net llke te talk about you. It is llke the pic tures In the gnllerlcs, and the music In tbe cathedral, and the great still erenhtgs, when the flelils nre all silent, and it Is as if Christ walked abroad In them; 1 de net knew hew te talk of thewe things te the ethers only te you and I cle net llke te talk about you te them de you net knew!" "Yes, I knew. But what affinity have I, Bebee, te your thoughts of your Ged walking In his corn fields!" Bebees eyes glanced down through the green nlsle of the forest, with the musing seriousness In them that was llke the child angels of Botticelli's dreams. "1 cannot tell you very well. But when I am In the fields at evening nnd think of Christ, I feel se happy, and of such geed will te all the rest, and I seem te sea heaven qulte plain through the beautiful gray air where the stars are and se I feel when I am with yeu-tbat Is nlL Only" "Only what!" "Only In these ovenlngs, when I was all alone, heaven seemed up there, where the stars nre, and I longed for wings; but new, It Is here nnd 1 would only shut my wings If I had them, and net stir." He looked at her, nnd took her hands and kissed them but revcrcntly as a believer may kiss n shrine. In that moment te Flamcn she wes sacred; In that moment he could no mere hnve hurt her with passion than he could have hurt ber with n blew. It was an emotion with him, and did net endure. But whlle It lasted it was true. CHAPTER XVL Then he took her te dlne at ene of the wooden cafes under the trees. There was a little sheet of water lu front of it, nnd a gay garden around. There was a balcony nnd a wooden stairway; there were long trelllsed arbors, and little white tables, and great rese bushes, llke her own at home, They had an arlier all te themselves; a cool sweet smelling bower of green, with a gllmpse of scarlet from the flowers of seme twisting beans. They had n meal, the like of which she had nevcr seen; such a lingo melon hi the center of It, aud curious wines, and ceffee or cream lu silver pets, or what looked like silver te her "just like the altar vases In tbe church," she said te herself. "If only the Vnrnnmrt children wcre here!" she cried; but he did net echo the wish. It was just sunset There was a golden glow en the little bit of water. On the ether side of the garden seme ene was playing n guitar. Under alime tree someglrU were swinging, crying Hlghcrl higher! at each tea. In n longer nveuue of trclliscd grecn, at a long table, there was n noisy party of students and girls of the city; their laughter wa3 mel lowed by dlstance aslt camoevci the breadth of the garden, and they snug, with fresh, shrill Flemish voices, songs from an opera boufTe of La Mennnla. It was nil pretty, nnd gay, and pleasant There was everywhere about an air of light hearted enjoyment Bcbee sat with a won dering leek In her wlde opened eyes, nnd all the natural Instincts of her youth, that were llke curled up fruit buds In ber, unclosed softly te the light of Jey. "Is life always llke this In your nubes' land J" she asked him; that vague, far nw ay country of which she nevcr asked him any thing mero definite, and which yet was se clear before her fancy. "Yes," he made answer te her. "Only instead of theso leaves, flowers and pome granates; and lu lieu of thnt tinkling guitar, atolcewboso notes are esteemed llke king's jeu els; and In plnce of theso little green arbors, great. whlte palaces, cool aud still, with Ilex weeds and orunge groves und sap phire seas beyond them. Would you like te ceme there, Bebeef nnd wenr laces such ns jeu weave, and hear singing and laugbkr nil night long, and nevcr work any mere In the meld of the garden, or rpln any mere at that tlresome wheel, or go nny mero out In tbe wind, and the ruin, and the winter mud te the market" Bcbee listened, lean lug her round elbows en the table, nnd her wui 111 checks ou her bautlx, as a child gravely listens ten fairy story. But tbe sumptuous picture, nud the seusueui phrase he had chosen, passed by her." It Is of 110 ue te tempt (he little chaflmch of the weeds with n luliy instead of a cherry. The bird Is made te feed 011 the brew n ben ics, en thu morning dews, en thu scarlet hips of roses und the blobcems of the wind teiwl lenr boughs; the gem, though Itboamon Itbeamon Itboamen mch'v, will only etril.0 hard nnd tasteless en Its iuk. "1 would llke te see It nil," raid Bebee, musingly, trying te fellow out her thoughts. "But ns for thu garden work nnd the spinning that I de net want te leave, because I have done Hall my life; and I de net think I should core te wear lace It would tear very soen: ene would te afraid te run; and de you see I knew hew it Is made all that laca. I knew hew blind the eyeu get ever It, and hew the hearts ocbe; I knew hew thu old women starve, and the little children cry; I knew that there is net a sprig of It that is net stitched with pain; the great ladies de net think, I dare say, becnuse they have never worked at It or wntched the ethers; but I have. And se, )ou see, I think If I were it I should feel tad, and If a nail caught en It I should fee) us If It wcre tearing the flesh of my friends. PerhaiM I lay it badly but that is what I feel." "Yeu de net Fay It badly you rpenk well, for you speak from the heart," he answered her, and felt a tlugu of ihiimu that ht bed tempted htY with the geld uud purploef a baser world than uuy that thu knew. "Ami yet you want te ecu new lands!" he pursued. "What is It jeu want toseetberet" "Ah, qulte ether things than them," cried Bebee, still leaning her cheeks en her bauds. "That dancing nnd singing is very pretty nnd merry, but It Is Just ns geed when old Claude fiddles nnd the children skip. Tills w Ine, j ou tell me, Is something very gnat but fresh milk Is much ulcer, I think. It Is net these kind of things I want 1 went te knew all about the pouple who lived before us; Ivwant te knew what the stars are and what the wind U, I wunt te knew where the lark guc4 w hen you Icm him out of sight against the cuu, 1 want te knew hew thu old artists get te see Ged, thnt they could paint him aud all his ant'cls as thev hava ilcua. 1 vzat te Ime hew the voices get Inte tne bells, and hew they can make one's heart beat, banging up there as they de, all among the Jackdaws, 1 want te knew what It b when I walk la the fields In the morning, and It Is all gray and soft and still, and the rem rrake erles In the wheat, anil the little mice run home te their helm, that makes me ki glad ami JTt se ter rewful, as If 1 were 10 very near Ued, and yet se all alone, aud nich a little thing; lie causa you see tbe mouse she has her bole, and the crake tier own people, but I" Iter voice faltered a little and stepped; she had never before thought out Inte wenls her own loneltness; from the long green arter tbe voices of the girls and the students sang! "Ah I k deux son d'un bslwr tredreP Flamcn was silent The poet In htm ami In an artist there Is always mero or less of the poet kept him back from ridicule, nny, moved him te pity and respivL Tbey were absurdly simple, words no doubt, had Utile wisdom lu them, nnd wcre qulte childish In tbelr utterance, and yet they moved hhn curiously as a man very bose and callous may at times be moved by the leek In a dying deer's eyes, or by the sound of a song thnt seme lest leve once sang. I le rese nnd drew her hands awny, nnd took her small fnce between his own hands In steaiL t "Peer little Bebeer he said gentlj-, look leek Ing down en her with a breath that was nl mast a sigh. "Peer little Bcbeul te envy the corn crake nnd the inousel" She was a little startled; her cheeks grew very warm under his touch, but her eyes looked still into bis without fear. He steeped mid touched her forehead with tils liw, gently nnd without tmssieu, almost reverently; she grew rese hunt ns the bright bean flowers, up te the light geld ripple of her hnlr; she trembled a little nnd drew I Kick, but she was net alarmed nor j-ct ashamed; sliewns tee slmple of heart te feel the fear that Is lern of mlen and of conscleusiicw. It wns ns J can net kissed his sister Marie, who was IS years old and sold milk for the Krebs peeple In the village with n little green cai t and a yellow deg no mera And j'ct the sunny arbor leaves and the gllmpse of the blue sky swam nreund her In distinctly, nnd the sounds of the guitar grew dull upon ber ear, and were loot ns In a rush ing hiss of wnler, because of the great sud den, ifnlntclllglhle happtneen that seemed te bi-nr her little life awny ou It nsasenwava Item's a j"Oung child off Its feet "Yeu de net feel alone new, Bebeer' he whlsjicred te her. "Ne I" she answered hhn softly under her breath, and sat still, while nU her body quiv ered like n leaf. Ne; hew could she ever bonlenouow that this sweet, soft, unutterable touch would al ways be In memery upon her; hew could she wish ever ngnlu new te be the corn crake In the summer cei 11 or the gray meuse In the bodgeof hawthorn I At that moment a student went by past the entiance of the arbor; he had a sash round his loins nnd a paper feather In his cap; be was playing a 11 te and dancing; be glanced in as he went. "It is tlme te go home, Bebee," said Fla mcn. CHAPTER XVII. Se It came le pass that Bebee's day In the big forest came nud went as simply almost as any day that she hail plnj-ed away with the Varnbart children uudcr the beech shadows of Cambre weeds. And when he took her te her hut at sunset before the pilgrims had returned there was a great bewlldcred tumult of happiness In ber neat t, but there wns no memory with her thnt prevented her from looking nt the slirlne In tbe wall as she passed It, and saying with a quick gesture of the cress en brew and bosem: "Ah, dear Hely Mether hew geed you hnve lieenl and I Am back again, you see, and I will work harder than ever tiecause of all this Jey that you bave given me," And she took another mess rese and changed it for that of the morning, which was faded, and said te Flamcn 1 "Loek she sends you this. New de you knew whnt I mean! Oue is mero content when she Is content I" He did net answer, but he held ber bands against Mm a moment as they fastened hi the rosebud. "Net a word te the pilgrims, Bebco you remember I" "Yes, I will remember. I de net tell Ihcm evcry tlme I pray It will be llke being si lent about that It will be no mera wrong than that" But there was a touch of anxiety lu tbe words; she was net qulte certain; she wanted te be reassured. Instinct moved her uet te Eieak of hlra; but habit made It seem wrong te her te hnve any secret from the people w he hail been about her from her birth. IIe did net reassure her; her anxiety was pretty te wnlch, nnd he left the treuble In her heart, llke a bee In the challce of a lily. Besides, the little wicket gate wai between ihcm; he wa3musiiig whether he would push It ejicn ence mera. Her fate was In Ibe balance, though she did net dream It; he had dealt with her ten derlj, honestly, sneredly all thnt day- al most ns much se us ttupld Jcannet could have done. Hu had lieen touched by lur trust In him, mid by the unconscious beauty of her fancies, Inte a mood Hint wns unlike all his life and habits. But after all, he sold te himself After all! Where he steed In the golden evening be saw the rosy curled mouth, tbe soft troubled eyes, the little brown hands that still tried te fasten the rosebud, tbe young eacb like skin where the w hid stirred the bodice, she was only a little Flemish iwasnnt, this oer little Belice, a little thing of thu Ileitis and the st recta, for all the dreams of Ged that obedo with ber. After all wen or Inte the end would be always tbu same. What matter 1 She would weep a little te-morrow, and she would net kneel any mere at the slirlnu in thu garden wall; and then and then she would stay here and ufiirry the geed beer Jcuunet, Just the same after awhlle; or drift away after hhn te Paris, and Jcave her two little wooden shoes, and her visions of Christ lu tbe fields utuvenlng, behind ber forever forever mere, and de as all tbu ethers did, and take net only silken stockings but the Cinderella slipper that Is called Geld, which brings all ether geed things In Its traiu; what matter! He hed meant this from tbe first, bocause she was se pretty, aud theso little wooden tabets ran se dltbcly ever the stones; though he was net lu leve with her, but only Idly stretched bis baud for her as a child by In stinct stretches te a fruit that Jiangs In the sun 11 little rosier and a little nearer thou the rest What matter he said te himself she loved him, peer little soul, though she did net knew It nnd there would always be Jcannet glad enough of a hand ul of bright French gehL IIe pushed the gnte gently against her; her hands fastened the rosebud and drew open the latch themselves. "Will jeu ceme lu a littler' she said, with the happy light lu her fuce. "Yeu must net stay long, because the flowers must be watered, and then there nre Anncmle's pat tern they must Ijo dena or she will hnve no money nnd se no feed but If you would ,., I., f... lltflr.1 A...1 1.. lrrn.il.ull ' I .-I..1M.I . t. ..il..l I.I..II liuuuiu 1 wui e-iiuw juu iuv ium uui. I Bimu cut to-meriow thu first thing, and tukedewn te St. Gulde te Our Lady's altar in thank offering for teiiay I should lik j-eu te cheese them you j'eurself nud If you would Just touch them I should feel ns If you gave them te ber tee. Will j-eul" She siioke with the pretty outspoken frank new of her habitual speech, Just temjiered nnd broken with the hippy, timid hoJtntlen, the curious sense nt ence of closer nearness and of grr nU-r distance, that had ceme en her shim h hail kissed her among tbe bright bean flew ers. IIe turned from her quickly, "Ne, dear no. (lather j-eur resea alone, BUe If 1 touch them their leates will fall." Then, with a hurriedly backward glance down the dusky lane te seu that 110110 were looking, h lient his head and kUil her again quickly and with u sort of shame, nud swung the gate liehlnd hhn and went away through the boughs and tbe shadows. ClUITKR XVIIL On a sudden impulM) Flamcn, going through the woodland shadows te therlty, paused and turned back, all his Impulses were quick, and swayed him uew hither, new thither, lu many contrary ways. He knew that thu hour wns come that he must hut e her uud spare her, as te hhnself he phrased it, or teach her the love words that the daUics n hisecr te women. And why net! any way she would marry Jcannet He, half way te the town, walked back again and paused a moment at tbe gate; an emotion, half pitiful, half cynical, stirred In him. Anyway, he would lenve her in a few days; Paris bad again opened her arms te him; his old llfenwalted him; women, who claimed htm by Imperious, amorous demands, re proached hhn; nnd, after all, this day he bed get the Gretchen of bis Ideal, a great picture for the future of bis fame. As be would leave Iter any way se seen, he would leave her unscathed peer little Held flower be could never take It with him te blossom or wither in Pat is. Hu world wetdd Ictigh tee utterly If be made for himself a mistress out of n little Fleming In two wooden shoes. Besides Besides, something, that was half weak nnd half nnble, moved him net te lead this child, In her trust and her Ignorance, Inte ways that, when she awakened from her trance, would seem te ber shameful and full of sorrow. Fer he knew tliat Bebco waa net as ethers are. He turned back nnd knocked at the hut deer nnd opened It Belice wns Just beginning te undress herself ; she had taken off her whlte kerchief nud her wooden shoes; her pretty shoulders mid her little neck shone whlte In the moon; her feet wcre Imre en the mud fleer. She stat ted with a cry mid threw the hand kerchief again ou her shoulders, but there was 110 fear of him; only the unconscious in stinct of her gh Ihued. He thought for 1. moment thnt he would net go nway until the morrow "Did you want mel" said Bcbee softly, with happy eyoief surprlmend j-etn little startled, fearing seme evil might have bnp pencd te htm thnt be should have returned, thus. "Ne I did net want you, dear," he said gently; no he did net want her, peer little soul; she wanted him, but be there wcre se many of these things In fats life, and he liked her tee well te leve her. "Ne, dear, I did net want you," said Fla mcn, drawing her arms about him, and feel ing her flutter llke a little bird, whlle the moonlight came In through the green leaven nud fell In fnnctful patterns en the fleer. "Hut I enme te say yen hnve had ene happy day, wholly happy, have you net, peer little Bebco." "Ah, j-esl" she sighed rather than said the answer lu her wondrous glndncHs; drawn thore clese te him, with the softness of his IIh upon her. Could he have ceme back euly te ask that! "Well, Hint Is somethlng. Yeu will re member It nl ways, Bebee I" he murmured hi his unconscious cruelty. "I did net wish te sjiell j-eur cloudless pleasure, dear for you care for 1110 a little, de j-eu uetl e I came back te tell you only uew that I go away for a little whlle te-morrow." "aeawnyl" She trembled In his arms aud turned cold as Ice; a great terror mid darkness fell upeu her; she had neve.r thought that he would ever go awny. IIe caressed ber, and played with her as n boy may with a bird before he wrings its neck. "Yeu will ceme backl" He kissed her "Surely." "Te-morrow I" "Nay net se seen." "In a week!" "Hardly." "In a month, then!" "Perhaps." "Before winter, nny way !" IIe looked nslde from the beseeching, tear ful, candid cj-es, nnd kissed her hair and her threat, and said, "Yes, dear beyond a deubt'1 She clung te him, crying silently he wished that women would net weep. "Come, Bebee, listen," he said, ceaxlngly, thinking te break the bitterness te her. "This Is net wlse and it gives me atn. Thore Is se much for j-eu te de. Yeu knew se lit tle, There ts se much te learn. 1 will lenve you many books, nnd you must grew qulte learned In my absence. The Virgin Is nil very well In her way, but she cannot teach us much, (wer lady, for her kingdom Is called Ignorance, Yeu must teach yourself. 1 lenve jeu that te da The days will go by quickly if you are laborious and patient De you leve me, little onel" Fer mi answer she kissed his hand. "Yeu nre a buxy little llvhoe always," lis said, with bis lips rarcslng her soft, brown arms that were round Ills neck. "But you must be busier than ever whlle I am geno. He you will forget Ne, no, I de net menu that; I mean se the tlme will ieki quickest And I shall finish your picture, Bclxv, and all Paris will soe you, and the grent ladles will envy the little girl with her two wooden sheuH. Ah I flint deus net plense you you caiufornnne of thou vaultliwl Ne. Pour little Bebee, why did Ged mnke jeu, or Chance brealhe life Inte jeu I Yeu are se far awny from us all It was cruel. What harm tins your peer, little soul ever denu that, pure as a flower, It should have been tent te the hull of this world I" Bhe clung te hhn. sobbing without sound. "Yeu will ceme back! Yeu will ceme back!" the menm-d, clasping hhn closer aud closer. Flameti'sewn eyes grew dim. But he Hed te hen "I will I premise," It was se much easier te say se, and It would break her sorrow. Be he thought Fur the moment again he was tempted te take her with him but he resisted It hu would tire, and she would cling te him for ever. There was a long silence, The bleating of tbe lille kid In thu shed without wns the only sound; the gray lavender blew te nnd fro. Her arms wcre clese about his threat; he kissed than again, and kissed her eyes, her check, her mouth; then put .her from Idin quickly and went out Bliu ran te him and threw herself en tbe damp ground and held hhn there, and leaned ber foreland en his feet But though be VjeVsi. Rt hr vJxb wwt sjus, be did net yield, and hesttllHsldi "1 will ceme liack seen very seen be quiet, dear, let me go." Then he klud her ence mero many times and put her gently within the deer and closed It A low, sharp, sudden cry reached him, wunt te his heart, but he did net turn; ha wuut ou through the wet, green little garden, aud the curling leaves, where he liad found peace and had left devolution, CIIAPTKR XIX. "1 Vlll let her alene uud she will marry Jcannet," (bought Klnmcu,und ha belluved himself a geed man for ence In hi life, nnd pitied hlmsulf for having bucotne a sonthnen senthnen tallsti She would marry Jcannet and bear many children, as liiose peeple always did; aud ruddy little iicusaiit would cling about theso pretty, soft, little breasts of hers; and she would leve tbcm after thu maimer of such women and be very content clattering ever tbu stones In her wooden shoes, and growing brown and stout and mere careful after money, and censing te dream of unknown things, and net seeing Ged at all In the flelils, but looking low and behulding euly the earn of the gleaming wheat and the fee t of the tottering children, und se gaining her bread nnd losing her soul, und steeping nearer and nearer te tarth till she drepimd Inte It llke oue of lier own wind blown wall flowers when the U-e has sucked out all Its sweetness and the heats have scorched up all Its bloom; y, of course, she would marry Jcannet and end sol Mennwhlle he had bU Gretchen, and that was the ene great matter. Se he left the street of Mary of Burgundy, and went en hit way out of thu chiming city as It matin tIU were rung, nnd took with him a certain regret and thu only Innocent airectlen thut bad ever uwakenud In hhn; and thought of his self negation with half admiration and half ilcrNen; and se drifted uway into the whirlel of I1I3 amorous, cyni cal, changeful, puiciennte, callous, many col cel col erul life, and said te himself, as hu saw the last line of thu low green plnlns shluu agninst the sun: "She will marry Jennnut of course thu will marry Jcuunet. And my Gretchen Is greater thau SchcfTcr's." What elwj mattered very much, after all, except what they would say lu Paris of Gretchcnl CHAITBR XX. Tbe w beat was reaped lu the fields, and the brown earth turned afresh. Thu white mid purple chrysanthemums bloomed against tbe GewtrlcM ruse bushes, aud the little gray Michaelmas daisy flourished where the dead carnations bad eureaiLtbeir claries. Lnavex began te fall, and rhltly winds te sigh among the willows; the squirrels began te store away tbclr nuts, and the peer te pick up the broken, bare boughs. "He said he would ceme before winter," thought Bebco every day, when she rose and felt each morning cooler and grayer than the ene befere lt( winter was near. tier little feet already were cold lu their woellen shoes; and the robin already sang In the twigs of the sear sweet briar; but she had the brnvc, sweet faith whleh nothing kills, and she did net doubt eh I no, she did net doubt, she was only tired. Tired of the strange, sleepless, feverish nights; tired of the long, dull, empty days; tired of watching down the barren, leafless lnne; tired of hearkening breathless te each ttep en the rustling dead leaves; tired of looking always, always, always, hite the ruddy autumn evenings nnd the cold autumn starlight, and never hearing what she listened for, never seeing what she sought; tired as n child may be, lest in a weed, and wearily wearing its small strength and breaking Its young heart In search of Ibe track forever missed, of the home forever beyond thoberl- EOll. Still she dM her work and kept her courage. Be she tolled hard aud learned much, nnd grew taller nnd very thin, nnd get a leek hi her ej-cs llke a lest deg's, and j'ct never lest heart or wandered In the task that he hud set her, or In her faith In his return. "Burn the books, Beboe," whispered the children ngaln and ngaln, clinging te her skirts. "Burn the wicked, silent things. 8I1100 jeu linve had them you nevcr slug, or rump, or laugh, and you leek se whlte se white," Belice kissed them, but kept te her books. Jcannet going by from the forest night after night saw the light twinkling in the hut window, and sometimes crept softly up and looked through the chinks of the wooden shutter, and saw her leaning ever some big old vntumu with her pretty brews drawn to gether, nnd 1st mouth shut clese In earnest elTert, mid he would curse the man who had changed her se, and go nway with rnge In his breast nnd tears hi his eyes, net daring te say anything, but knowing that Lever would IktbtsV little brown hand lle In leve within his own.. Ner even In friendship, for he had rashly spoken rough wenls against the stranger from Rubes' land, nud Bebco ever since then had visscd him by with n grave simple greeting, and when ha had brought her hi timid gifts n barrow lead of fagots, had thanked htm. but had bidden blni take the weed home te Ills mother. "Yeu think evil things of me,' Bebco I" geed Jcannet had pleaded, with n sob In his volce; nud she had answered gently 1 "Ne; hut da uet speak te me, that Is alL" Then he had cursed ber absent lever, and Belice geno within and closed her deer Shu had no Idea that the peeple thought 111 of her. They were cold te ber, and such cold celd uuss made her heart ocbe a little mere. Rut the oue 'great leve In her possessed her se strongly that all ether things were half un real Bhe did her dally heuse work from sheer habit, and she studied because he had told her te de It and bocause, with the sweet, 'Stub 'Stub bem, credulous faith of her youth, she never doubted that he would return, Otbcrwlse there was no perception of real life hi her; she dreamed and prayed, and prnyed nnd dreamed, aud nevcr ceased te de ilthcroneor the ether, even when she waa scattering potato jeel te the fowls, or shak ing cnmits loose of the soil, or sweeping the snow from her hut deer, or going out lu tbe raw, dark dawn as the stngle little sad bell of Bt Gulde tolled through tbe stillness for the first mass. Fer though even Father Francis looked angered nt her bocause be thought the wai stubborn nud hid seme truth and seme sbama from him at confession, yet she went reso lutely and uftcner than ever te kneel In th dusty, dusky, crumbling old church, fur II was nil thu could de for him who wni ulncnt se slie thought and she did net feel qulU se far away from htm when she was beseech lug Christ te have care of his soul and of hit body. All ber pretty dreams wcre dead. She never heard euy story In tbe rebln'i suug or suw any premise In tbe sunset cleudi or funded thst angels came about ber In the night nevcr uew. The fields wcre gray and sad; the birds were little brown things; the Rtars wcre cold and far off; the -wjplu she had used te take care for were llke mere shadows that went by her meaningless und without Interest, and nil she thought of was the one step thnt never came; all she wanted was the ene touch situ nevcr felt "Yeu hnve doue wrong, liebee, and you will net own H," said the few neighbors who eier spolie te her. Beheo looked at them with wistful, uncom prehending eyes. "I hnve done ue wrong," she said gently, but no ene hcliuvcd her. A girl did net shut herself up and wane palu ami thin for nothing, se they reasoned. HI10 might have sinned us she hail liked If she hail been sensible after It, and married Jcannet, But te fret mutely, and shut her lips, and senm as though she had dene nothing tliat was guilt Indeed. Fer ber village, In Its small way, thought ds the big world thinks. CHAPTER XXL Full winter rama. The snow was deep, aud the winds drove the xep!u with whlpsef Ice along tbe dreary country read and the steep streets of the city Thu bells of th dogs and tbe mutes sounded sadly through the whlte misty sllence of the Flemish plains, and the weary hoc-Mii slipped nnd fell en the frozen ruts and en tbe ragged stones In the little frost shut Flemish towns. Still the Flemish folk were gay enough In many places. In the little village above St Gulde, B B Ijve's neighbors were merry tee, In their sim ple way, The women'werked away wearily at their lace In tbe dim winter light, aud made a wretched living by it, but all the same they get penny playthings for their babies, and a bit of cuke for their Sunday hearth. They drew together in homely and cordial friend ship, and of an afternoon when dusk fell wevu their loco In company In Mere Krebs' mlllhouse kitchen, with the children and tbe dogs at their feet en the bricks, se that ene big flre might serve for all, aud all be lighted with ene big rush candle, and all be liegullcd by chit-chat and songs, stories of spirits, aud whlsjicrs of ghosts, and uew and then when the wind howled at Its worst, a paternoster or tne wild In common for the men telling in thu Uirges or drifting up thu Scheldt In these gatherings Bebee's face was missed, nud thu blithe soft sound of her volce, like a young thrush singing, wns never heard. Tim puople looked In nnd saw her sitting our (igrente'x'ii book often her hearth had 110 fire. Then the children grew tired of asking her te piny, nnd their elders liegan te shake thetr heniU; she iviu se iialu und se quiet there must bu seme evil lu It se they began te think. Little by little ople dropped away from her. Who knew, the ges.sls laid, what shame or sin thu child might net have 011 ber tick little soul! True, Beliee worked hard just the same, and Just the mme was steu trudging te and fro In the dusk of dnnns and afternoons In her two little wooden shoes She was gentle and laborious, uud gave thu children htr goat's inUk, nud the old women the brambles of her garden. But they grew nfratdef her afraid of that sad, changeless, far awny leek hi her eyes, and of the mute weariness that wiuen her mid Mug peiplcxid wcre sure, likuull Igno rant ereatuicH.th.it what wus secret must be also vile. Se they hung nloef and lit her nleue, and by und by scarcely nodded as they ussud her, but Mild te Jouimett "Yeu were spared u bad thing, hul; the child was that grand painter's Usbt-'o-levu, Hint is plain te see. The mischief all comes of the stuff old Antolne tilled her bend with a stray little by blew of chick weed that he ceckered up like a rare carnation. Olil de net ily In 11 rage, Jcannet; the child b no geed, and would have made uu honest mnn rue. Take heart of gvuce, nud prulse thesaiuts, and m.ury Kutte's Mmi" But Jennuet would ii'ivsr luten te th sluuderers, uud wr-ild inner leek at IJsa, even though tbu dwi vf thJ Ultlehutwcu tiiwars cieswl against turn, ami whenever M met Bebco en tbe highway she never seemed te sre him mero than she shw the snow thai her sabots wcre treading. Oue night In the midwinter time old Aa Aa hemle died. Beliee found her In the twilight with her head against the garret window, and her lefl side nil shriveled nnd useless. Blw liad little sctihe left, and n few fleeting breaths te draw BaaaVscJBaBsaaB&saVTsylfisisaaaaaaaVs llcbee found her in the twilight, tcilh htr head ugainit Iht garret window. "lioek for the brig," she muttered. "Toe fwlll net see the flag at the masthead for the fog te-night; but his socks are dry and Ills plpe Is ready. Keep looking keep looking (he will be in pert te-night" But her dead sailor nevcr came Inte pert j ihe went te him. The peer, weakened, fallks fill old body of her was laid In the graveyard of the peer, and the ships came and went under the empty garret window, and Bebee was all alone, She had no mere anything te work for, or any bend with the lives of ethers. She could ltve en tbe roots of her gnrdcu nnd thosate et her liens' eggs, and she could change the turnips and carrots that grew In n little strip of her ground for the quantity of bread that she needed. 80 she gave herself up te the books, and drew hersclf mero and mero within from the outer world. She did net knew that the neighbors thought very evll of ber; she bad euly oue Idea In her mind te be mero worthy of him against he should return. The winter passed away somehow; she did net knew hew. It was n long, cold, whlte blank of frexen sllence; that was alL Bhe studied hard, and had get a quaint, strauge, deep, scattered kiiowlcdge out of her old books; her face bed lest all Its roundness and color, but Instead Iho forehead bad gained breadth and the eyes had the dim flre of a student's. Eveiy night when the shut her volumes she thought! "I nmn little nearer him. I knew a little mere." Just se every morning, when she bathed her bands In the chilly water, she thought te herself 1 "I will make my skin as soft ns I can for him, that It may In like the ladles' be has leval" Love te le perfect must be a religion as well ns a imulen. Bebee's was se. Like Geerge Herbert's serving maiden, she swept no secks of dirt away from a fleer without doing It te thu service of her lord. Only Belwe's lord wns a king of earth, mmle of earth's dust and vnnlllea. But what did she knew of that! (CbiifiNNrit next b'ttttmlity) ,. MEN WHO HAVE CLIMBCD. Railroad Manager Who Stnsteit as llraks men, Telegraphers, Hedmen. Special Correspondence.) New YenK, Mny 10. Coining Inte Jersey City tlie ether day en the Erie) read, my attention was attracted te a nervous, wiry man of forty, or thcv nlxmts, who wit a little way in front of me. Frem the cer window iMjdeseljr; Inspected each station house, lridgeVuU" vert nnd plece of rolling stock, ns we moved along. "Knew him?" asked the gr-nllcmuti who shared tlie scat with me. "Ills nnme Is Vf, J. Murphy, and twenty years age lie wns a telegraph orator at n small fetatien buck en tlie Susquehanna division of the Eric. New hu is general superintendent of the read, and draws a salary of 10,000 n year." This Is only ene in&tnnce in many. Among the elllcers of nearly evcry rail road in the country nre te be found men who have risen fiein the very lowest round, A. M. Tucker, who is ft division superintendent en the Krie under Mur phy, started in ns 11 track lubercr and Ms first promotion wns te the position of rednfan in the engineer corps. Jehn N. Abltt, of tlie Western Slates Passenger association, used te Imj ti freight clerk en the Krie. C. W, Hmdley, funeral super intendent of the West riherc, used te i" n hrakcmnn nnd conductor en the Banie read. Qcncral Superintendent Bancroft, of the Denver nnd Rie Grande, learned the Merse alphabet in ene of the small stations en the Krie and counted himself lucky when ha obtained n jwitlen as telegraph operator en the West Sherp, President Oildwell, of the Nickel Plate, wns ence n clerk en the Pennsylvania. F. K. Hull), general manager of the New Yerk elevated "reads, begnn his career in hisseventccntb year ns a machinist's upprentice en the Philadelphia and Reading read ut I'otta I'etta I'otta ville. Tlie elllcers of the great Pennsylvania system, from the president down, have all ceme tip from the liottem. President Roberts entered the 6er ice of tlie read In 1853 in rediuan in the engineer cerjis. Later he had charge of thu construction of small branch lines, mid dually was made assistant te the president in 1602. IIe lias been president of the read fet eight j-ears. A. J. Cassitt, formerly vice president of tlie company, also be gan as u rediuan. Second Vice President Thomsen used te be a machinist iu th shops nt Alloena. IIe invented the block signal interlocking switch. General Man ager Pugh commenced us bmkemau, and General Passenger Agent Carpenter wai ence messenger Iiey in the Philadelphia ofllce of the company. General Agent Oeer used te le receiving clerk In tin freight department. James McCren, general manager el the Pennsylvania lines west of Pittsburg, like President lteleits, liegnn ns redman nt 10 a month. IIe new draws u salary of ?15,000 n year, und is btill under 40. Itebert Pitcairn, superintendent of th Pittsburg division of the JVnnsyininia and general iigent ter the company, wa ence a messenger boy in tlie old Atlantic and Ohie telegraph olllce in Pittsburg. Among the ether messengers employed at that time was Ansen Stager, after wards general superintendent of the. Western Union Telegraph company; W. O. Ilugliart, new president of the Grand Rapids nnd Indiana Railroad company; Andrew Carnegle, who a few jears later laid thu foundations of his wonderfully successful career as prlvate secretary te Cel. Tem Scott, and l)a id McCarge, new general superintendent of the Allegheny Valley railroad. Rest's R. A,'IL30.V. ItraJu's Kealitm. Toward the end of his lire, it is said, Charles Reade waa accustomed te dictate Ids compositions te a secretary whlle he paced the loom, suiting ids actions te his words. In "Love nnd Meney" Iho re mark occurs In the dialogue, "There's a smut en j-ourneso." The dramatist gave the original exclamation with such per fect intonation aud gesture that Id secre tary was for ence deceit ed. Horescand went te the mil rer, Imndkvivhli'f iu hand, only le be laughed nt by lustmplejer. True Flag. 4 - v M Si Si J's. te 1 .TLS '! M m " sl.l m & m M- te' rt,-'' jj&vziif,&- -Lafe.JLtf &, nkl.4- tit. . r.wti- ... . .!. '!?. . tel xtfLfiik -. -jji" -t-Wliii'if-tlfti.f'-iMi-. ,s..ifa'i. . f