A Little Girl in Old Detroit

shing noise of a whirlwind. She had stolen out of the room once or twice and had not been called to an account for it. Then one day she saw a bo

children made their clum

it?" asked th

the Dorien boy for ru

parents send them to school. They do a mean, dishonest thing and

If you had promised a holiday and not given it to us we should have felt that you we

deep wrinkles in his forehead to do it. His eyes w

ord!" he e

to go on with her confession. Only she should

ittle trouble in the world if the people could see it. It is the good on my side,

ace into smiling lines he would ha

ore my eyes and such a ringing in my ears! So I ran out of doors, clear out to the woods and stayed there up in a high tree where the birds sang to me and the w

e was trying to think wh

hings that are not down in the prayers and counting beads. Pani said it

en. I should have been glad i

out of his eye, and there was a curl in hi

e. She should never b

e was ano

many

u like to tell Monsieur St. Armand

going up to the tangle of rings on her

t. Armand?"

nted me to study. It is hard and sometimes foolishness, but

ian woman up by the barracks? It is Monsieur Lois

to know what a protégée

a child, in whom yo

y flamed up in her face. She was Monsieur

h the boys were as brave. I hate l

ny cowardly people-do you not t

ave several emphatic nods at

you will not ru

r, because-i

must ex

wanted you to know. Now

tty courtesy a

ing about your Monsieur St. Armand, that is, if y

ni will

strong incentive. But she had a desire for knowledge beside that. So many of the children were stupid and hated

, M'sieu," she said with anoth

he intimacy now. She had not much opinion of the school; the sisters and the priests could teac

water and sun, his thick brown hair rather long, though he had been clean shaven the evening before. He wore his best deerskin breeches, his gray sort of blouse with a red belt,

fied himself that he woul

dle and wasteful. I cannot stand such work. I wish your daughter was two or three y

me is a thrifty and excellent housekeeper. Then we all mend of youth. You will have a strong, he

" and the suitor gave a short chu

with the children. She knew she should ac

a one who would jump at the chance. Then we shall not have to give Marie much dowry be

ked of the impending changes in the town, the coming of the Americans, the stir in business

r to the younger ones. She has not been spending her time in fooling around idly and dancing and being out on the river, like so many girls. Rose

g. There will be all day Sunday when I am at liberty. But you see there is the house going to wrack, the servant spending my mone

young and kept rather close, not having any admi

d like it to be by Christmas. It will be a little dull with me no doubt, and toward spring it is all hurry and drive, Antoine here and Antoine there. New boats an

Pentecost. And there was the great procession. Dear! dear! It i

and comfort in one's old age if they do well. And thine are being well brought up. Mar

ood wife," returned

ay it if there had been. But she could not help comparing him with Martin Lavosse, and some of the young men who greeted her at church. If his face were not quite so red, and his figure so clumsy! His ha

He is a good, steady, well-to-do man with a nice home to take thee to. He does not carouse nor spend his money foolishly, but will always stay at home with thee, and make thee happy. Many a girl will envy th

r when they went to bed. There were little pitchers i

ot so old!" w

d dance! But wi

her heart. "And I have just begun to think of things th

ure to love one's hus

But how does one begin? I am

to sleep. The night will be none

mfort to her when she was going to church the next Sunday a

I was down to the dock on Friday, and he was very cordial and sent a boy over the river with m

first she half wished he had chosen Hortense, then a bit of

n a procession behind. Pierre guarded his sisters. Jeanne was on the other side of the street with Pani, b

t Anne's street, "that Marie De Ber is going to be betroth

record, and she will do w

not be easy to love

talk about love. It is the pa

make me marry anyone, Pani. And

id! but I mi

be a sister. It won't be hard to wear a black gown then. But I shall wait

nds what is best

n Monsieur St. Armand might come. Pani, is Monsieur Bellestre

thinking of men so often. Th

as butterflies with a mother or married sister to guard them from too great familiarity. But there was much dec

Puritan strictness. They did their duty by the morning mass and service, and the rest of the da

nderful pictures,-small prairies or levels that suggested lakes and then a sort of avenue stretching out until another was visible, undulating surfaces, groves of pine, burr oak, and great stalwart hickories, then another woody ridge, and so on and on through interminable ta

ugh for smiles and smirks or an interest in fine clothes.

he asked as they

g woods,"

rom France; roses, too, whose ancestors had blossomed for kings and queens. Here and there was an oak turned ruddy, a hickory hanging out slender yellow leaves, or a maple flaun

pidly and seemed loose jointed, but he had a kindly

out of breath. The day was very warm for Septemb

myself. Let us sit down so

ring inside and the soft mosses. If you drew the branches of the tree

-the Indians!

it down here. Then lean back against this tree. And now you may take a good l

eet as a brace. The soft air had made he

nds there are beyond the clouds. And over there, far, farther than one can think, is a big ocean no one has ever

go up to Michilimackinac, and there is the great Lake Huron. That i

bigger! And it takes more than a month

" pulling the leaves off a br

le so different? Apples and pears and ears of corn generally grew one like the other. And pigs-she smiled to herself. And the few sh

something wonder

know it! Mari

appointed. "W

sieur Beeson walking home with yo

she is no longer afraid. They are going to be be

Marie is-

nce, for you see she can really have no dowry, there are so ma

" She looked

has to die, you know. And then

n a vague sort of fashion, and

use and a good business. I lik

ly. "But Marie i

ghed immoderately. "Why a

king wouldn'

m fast enough. And it will be gay to have

to the cottages and the wigwams, and sp

'm only a little past sixteen, and in five years I shall be t

anne broke int

ne-" turni

in a mirthful fashion and

mind waitin

a deeper scarlet and she made a little pause-"if you mean

y me? You have k

and tend babies. I want to go and come as I like. I hated school at first, but now I like learning

nd while you are there I shall be

fore not to talk of this-the day we were all out in the boat,

ry often, perhaps, but I thought if you were one of

s not like me any more. She never asks me to come in to tea. She thinks the school wicked. And y

Marsac will come back

e face gloomed over with cruelty. "And then I sh

hate you, Pierre De Be

issed the hem of her frock, fo

e. I'm glad to ha

all kick you," s

ad forgotten, or changed somehow. You have been so pleasant. A

another word-"

e not grown up yet, but sometimes people a

und, going down the little decline. Then she remember

talk about this to me again I shall tell your father. I am not fo

ann

n imperative mot

ad thing and ran through the woods at the t

riage has set him crazy. But I could never

ani and sat down by her s

e," she thought remorsefully.

her beautiful thoughts were gone and her mind was shadowed by som

have not gathered a flower-" looking at the

dragging you everywhere?" Her

mes I feel old. I've li

w m

sted now. Shall we walk about a little a

ie is to be betrothed to M'sieu Bee

hangs on, it is bad for the rest. Rose will be much prettier, and no doubt have lovers in plenty. But i

e counted in," the

ttle one-"

o to the heretic school. And-I do no

need," inte

o not mean to

man were ready to quarrel over her. D

t thou wilt change presently when the

ome for any m

nly a sayi

the hut of Wenonah, the mistress insisted upon their coming in to supper and Jeanne cons

mother's watchful eye nipped them in the bud. One Friday af

hesitated. "There have been many guests

and your mother does not approve.

ool a bad thing. An

one of them," Je

nvite whom I choose. Mother thinks I do not know anything and have no mind, but, Jeanne, I love you, and I am not

" The child's h

shall tell M'sieu Beeson how lo

him?" he

be gay at Christmastide, and my own home will be much to me. Yes, we will wait

very

luck! good luck!" But all the same she felt Marie was go