Toinette

“ The little ones sat round the table with their eyes on the door, watching till Toinette should come in and be surprised.
"I wish she'd hurry," said Pierre, drumming on his bowl with a spoon.
"We all want Toinette, don't we?" said the mother, smiling as she poured the hot porridge. [83]
"It will be fun to see her stare," declared Marc. "Toinette is jolly when she stares. Her eyes look big and her cheeks grow pink. Andre Brugen thinks his sister Aline is prettiest, but I don't. Our Toinette is ever so pretty."
"She is ever so nice, too," said Pierre. ”

“ A prettier, happier lot of girls could hardly have been found, and none looked lovelier, or happier, than Toinette. Her dress, a soft, creamy white chiffon, admirably suited to her golden coloring, had been sent to her by her father, whose taste was unerring. No matter how many miles of this big globe divided them, he never forgot her needs, and, if unable to supply them himself, took good care that some one else should do so. So the dress had arrived the night before, and Miss Preston had been able to give her another pleasant surprise for the dance. ”

“ They were used to doing without Toinette and did not seem to miss her, except that now and then baby Jeanneton said: "Poor Toinette gone—not here—all gone."
"Well, what if she has?" said Marc at last looking up from the wooden cup he was carving for Marie's doll. "We can play all the better." [78]
Marc was a bold, outspoken boy, who always told his whole mind about things.
"If she were here," he went on, "she'd only scold and interfere. Toinette almost always scolds. I like to have her go away. It makes it pleasanter." ”

“ Each, in turn, kissed Toinette's hand, and said a little word of farewell. Thistle brushed his feathered cap over the door-post as he passed.
"Be lucky, house," he said, "for you have received and entertained the luck-bringers. And be lucky, Toinette. Good temper is good luck, and sweet words and kind looks and [258] peace in the heart are the fairest of fortunes. ”

“ I felt so dull beside his ready tongue that, in spite of my real liking for the fellow, his presence angered me. 'Tis strange we should ever envy in others what we do not ourselves possess, ignoring those traits of character we have which they no less desire. So to me then it seemed altogether useless to contend for the heart of a woman,—such a woman, at least, as this laughing Toinette,—against the practised wiles of so gay and debonair a cavalier. ”

“ Marc sits down
against the fireplace, whittling. Pierre
lies at full length before the fire.
Jeannette. Will you tell us a story, Toinette?
Marie [gently] . Sh, dear, Toinette's busy, but I-35- wish she would. She can tell such lovely fairy stories when she likes to. And this is Christmas Eve, Jeannette. Perhaps the fairies are out, looking for good children. Fairies are always helping St. Nicholas; Toinette says so. I wish she would get done sweeping.
Jeannette. When you get done, can't you tell just one story, Toinette?
Toinette. Oh, it's so hard to keep thinking up stories all the time. ”

“ Among the first was Toinette’s father. “Couldn’t wait till evening, you see,” he cried, as he met Toinette at the railway station. “Yes, it is all settled; I got them by a lucky chance at the very last moment.”
“Did you say anything to Mr. Burgess about it?” asked Toinette. 273
“No, I have not seen him; daresay he has had his hands full since the first. We’ll speak to Miss Preston first, and then call at the Burgess’ and tell them.”
“How perfectly splendid! Oh, daddy, you are a perfect wonder! How do you ever manage to fetch things about so successfully?” ”

“ Herself,—but not quite the same Toinette that she had been before. Nobody changes from bad to better in a minute. It takes time for that, time and effort, and a long struggle with evil habits and tempers. But there is sometimes a certain minute or day in which people begin to change, and thus it was with Toinette. The fairy lesson was not lost upon her. She began to fight with herself, to watch her faults and try to conquer them. ”

“ That is what I am afraid of, 'Toinette!"
Her hand slipped suddenly away from his. She stepped back from the gate.
"Tiens! You have fear, Monsieur Leclère! Truly? I had not thought of that. It is strange. For so strong a man it is a little stupid. Good-night. I hear my father calling me. Perhaps some one in the store who wants to be served. You must tell me again what you are going to do with the new quatre-roue. Good-night!"
She was laughing again. But it was a different laughter. Prosper, at the gate, did not think it sounded like the running of a brook over the stones. ”

“ They are created for it. They cannot help it. It is not a virtue, it is simply a quality. Their whole being depends upon their love. They hang upon it, as a wreath hangs from a nail in the wall. If it breaks they are broken. If it holds they are happy. Other things interest them and amuse them, of course, but there is only one thing that really counts—to love and to be loved.
Toinette was a woman of that rare race. To the outward view she was just a pretty French Canadian girl with an oval face, brown hair, and eyes [5] like a very dark topaz. ”

“ A woman who has tried to reform the lawless life of this section of Louisiana has died. Her body lies in the church. Toinette and Michel have both been cynically amused, in their reckless way, at her efforts, unavailing, to reform them. And she is dead! Father Bertrand visits Toinette, and tells her this. The peasant laughs. The priest gives her a crucifix that the woman left for her, and its influence—though the playwright is far too subtle even to suggest this—is the “moral” of the little play for those who want their i’s dotted and their t’s crossed.
The drama moves quickly. ”

“ Toinette, listen to me. If ever you make my husband angry again, I
will send you away. Come, give me his fur cloak and some pillows, that
I may make him comfortable in his arm-chair. You are all anyhow. Pull
your night-cap right down over your ears; there is nothing that gives
people such bad colds as letting in the air through the ears. ”

“ Toinette began presently, “and I can’t tell you how I feel. Maybe heaven will be better, but I don’t believe I shall ever feel any happier than I feel this minute. It seems as though I’d been living in a sort of prison, all shut up in the dark, and that now I am out in the sunshine and as free as the birds. But I must tell you something more: I can’t rest content unless I do. The letter I posted to-day wasn’t to papa, I sent it to Howard Elting, in Branton, and it isn’t the first I’ve written him, either. I didn’t lie about the other one, Miss Preston ”

“ Fairies—cloak of darkness—the child must have a fever. [Feels Toinette's forehead and takes her hand as if to count her pulse.]
Toinette. No, no! I'm not sick at all. But, Mother, don't you love me?
Mother [puts her arm about Toinette] . Love you, my child? Mother always loves you.
Toinette. But you said I didn't help you. Oh, I wish the fairy had never given me the cloak.
-42-
Mother. Fairies again! [Anxiously.] I must put the child to bed at once. Stay by the fire, Toinette. I will get your bed ready. [Rises, leaving Toinette seated on the floor by chair. Exit Mother.] ”

“ Carrington got out. He had my baby in his arms.
His wife was clinging to him, very white, but cold and proud-looking. "We have come to give you back the child," he said in that stern voice of his. He put up his hand imperiously. "Don't speak, please. My wife and I have made up our minds. My wife feels that knowing of Toinette's parents makes a great difference in her own feeling of possession—the thought of another living mother is unpleasant to her. And she is very tender-hearted." His voice broke a little; that the man loved his wife was plain to be seen! ”

“ Her digestion may be seriously impaired. It is quite unsafe to leave her alone to-night, for she may be seized with another attack at any moment. I shall spend the remainder of the night upon the couch in her room,” and away she went to take up her sentinel duty.
“It is quite unnecessary,” called Miss Preston after the retreating figure, but no heed was given to the words, and when Toinette waked in the morning what was her surprise to find Mrs. Stone bending over her asking, in the most solicitous of voices, if she were feeling quite well. ”

“ That night's last gloom is over.
"Poor Tom is thinking of Ida," said the Professor, in a whisper to Toney, as Tom turned aside and furtively wiped away a tear that stood in his eye.
"How can he help thinking of her?" said Toney.
"And Rosabel?" said the Professor.
"Do you suppose," said Toney, "that I ever forget her? I am mirthful, for it does not become a true man to be moody and melancholy. But I never forget."
"Nor does it become one of the Funny Philosophers to sport with such feelings," said the Professor, visibly affected. "I do not forget Dora." ”

“ Toney, I seldom vaticinate, but I now predict that those three little men will marry those three stupendous sisters."
"That would be against the rules of the Mystic Order of Seven Sweethearts, of which order Love, Dove, and Bliss are active and useful members."
"When a very little man," said the Professor, not heeding Toney's last observation, "comes in daily contact with a woman of gigantic proportions, a marriage is inevitable." ”

“ I THERE was no clumsier looking fellow in church that Sunday morning than Antoine Bocaze - the one they called Tonie. But Tonie did not really care if he were clumsy or not. He felt that he could speak intelligibly to no woman save his mother; but since he had no desire to inflame the hearts of any of the island maidens, what difference did it make?
He knew there was no better fisherman on the Chênière Caminada than himself, if his face was too long and bronzed, his limbs too unmanageable and his eyes too earnest - almost too honest. ”

“ Foremost among all the workers was Toney herself, dressed in a short serge dress covered with a big apron. She looked the picture of happiness, and even Aunt Dove's cold congratulations at breakfast had not been able to damp her spirits. Mrs. Faber was making "button-holes," whilst Toney was arranging flowers in vases with her deft magic touch to adorn the long tables. Men were putting up festoons among the dark rafters, and the brightest sunshine was pouring in at the door and windows. ”

“ Tonine was naturally quick-witted, but she did not know either how to read or to write. She was enchanted to see herself become rich (for she thought herself so) without a soul at Muran being able to breathe a word against her honour. I passed three weeks in the company of this delightful girl—weeks which I still reckon among the happiest of my life; and what embitters my old age is that, having a heart as warm as ever, I have no longer the strength necessary to secure a single day as blissful as those which I owed to this charming girl. ”

“ Toney crept in behind them, but was seen by her aunt.
"Toney, how dreadfully late you are! The musician—what's his name—has not come down yet. Tell Thomas to fetch him at once." Toney nodded.
"It's all right, Aunt Dove; I've done it. You know musical people are not like others."
Sir Evas knew he had to obey orders, and got hold of Jeanie. He held the list of the other pairs in his hand, but several gentlemen came up to talk to this vision of beauty. Maud kept close to Toney; she could not talk, she could hardly see. What would Jeanie do? and what would he do? Why had Toney done this? ”

“ Toni answered not one word, but he looked at Denise with his whole soul shining out of his lustrous black eyes, and Denise thought him the finest young soldier in the world.
It was a warm September afternoon, and their road lay through the beautiful valley of the Seine. ”

“ Denise loved to exhibit her muslin gowns, made with her own hands, by the side of her handsome corporal, in the cheap cafés and theaters which they patronized. They found acquaintances, as everybody does in Paris. The lodging-house keeper became their friend and invited them to her daughter’s birthday fête. They went out to Versailles on Sunday and saw the fountains plashing, studied the windows of the magnificent shops in the grand avenues, and were perfectly happy, except for the black care that sat upon Toni’s heart. Life could be so delightful, thought Toni, but his would end so soon. ”

“ Pate seems to be perfectly at home in the dance," said the Professor.
"And so does the Long Green Boy," said Toney.
"Old Grizzly is performing his part admirably," said Tom.
"He is peeping from behind a masked battery of black beard upon the charms of his agreeable partner," said Toney.
"The young lady should beware of his hug," said Tom.
"The pair forcibly remind one of the old story of Beauty and the Beast," said the Professor.
"Hercules and the damsel with whom he is dancing require an immense amount of sea-room," said Toney.
"Heads up!" exclaimed Tom. ”

“ On a certain afternoon Toney and Tom were walking in the direction of the Widow Wild's mansion, engaged in earnest conversation.
"But," said Toney, "Ida is entirely dependent on her eccentric uncle, and you have but little property."
"Ida is willing to wait until I have acquired sufficient——"
"To buy a cottage big enough to hold an angel and seven sweet little cherubs?" said Toney. "But a cottage is not all. Angels must eat, and cherubs must have bread and butter, and it takes money to obtain a constant supply of such articles. ”

“ In place of their gaiety and laughter a deep and solemn happiness possessed Toni as well as Denise, except for this terrible fear, black and threatening, which would not be thrust out of his happiest hours.
Paris in June for a pair of lovers on a honeymoon trip, with enough money to meet their modest wants, is an earthly Paradise. ”