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Poor Roger

Poor Roger image
Parent Issue
Day
20
Month
February
Year
1880
Copyright
Public Domain
OCR Text

I.- TWO FRIENDK. Il was market-day n a gay old Breton tnwn, iull of quaintstone houi-es. Oue girl, last asleep in the church porch, with a basket'of butter beside her, wore a black skirt, nul a olo.sc white limn cap shaped like a -quare sugar bag ; hile in the market itseif a woman with a rusty black velvet liood, ending in a cape on her shoulders, was buying a baby's cap made of velvet und salid euitiroidered with gold thrcad ui.d briUiakc spangles. The woman in the liood wore noftocking.s ; her bare brown fcet wi re stuffed into rough wooden thies; but she was, f'or all that, a farmer' wifefrom afari .11' village, and .-he was buying a present tor her ürst graudchild. 8he heard the loud sound of a drum nbove ihc grunts, and the squealing of the pigs. Slu' hurried across the market, and soon í-aw a crowd oí' children at the entrance of the pig market, but she sawíomethingclse too, at which her eyes and tnouth opened widely. All the men and women seemed to have oollected in the crowd, quite as intent as the children on what was going on in the eindt inaikcil out within. A man in loc blouse and cap of a Frcnch peasaut, in marked contrast to the long jackets, baggy hrccclics, and broad black hals of the lireiun-i arnund him. was playing a lively air on the flute, and to this danced, with awkward, .-oli'inn steps, a huge brown bear balaneing a thick pole . lle was Mirh a comioal-faced bear. Ue had little slits of eyes, and he peeped ilyly out of them, ns uuch as to say "Aha! uiy fiue fellows, this is how we Frenchmen dance ; a peg above you, I fancy." Uut Madame Crozon did not laugb ; no, she looked around her with a face iull ef terror. " He ean't be a bear," she said ; " he is enchantcd ; and who knows, he may eat us all up. " She looked at the man. He left off playing when tbe bear stopped dancing, and patted his brown coat. ''Good Rqger," he said affeciionately, " you are tired, aren't you. my ohild - you sliall try now whethcr these good folltscare f'or your dancing." He 1 1 11 ik out of his pocket a little tin piale and put it in the bear's miuiih. Roger himself, and thcn, dropping the pole on the ground, and letting himself down on four paws, he bogan to walk rjui etly round the circle, pausing now and tlien witli tlia utill i.iiiiitv tin ïlütt' wn ii nis mui t'inpiy iin píate. The good people of Quimperle liad nevor seen such a sigbt before, and tbey drew back with one accord. It was om' thing to see a bear on his hind-k'gs occupied with dancing steps, but to see the huge browD monster close beside theui - ready, the women and childrcn thought, to eat tlicm up at a mouthful - this was more than thcy could bear. Thcy ran away as fast as they could, shriektng for help. Roger turned rouni and looked at his nia-ti r - he was doing his part all right, the poor beast thought. Generally the sous and centimes came rattliog into his little plate, and now it wasempty. Just at that moment it came into Madame Crozon's head that probably the bear had the power of casting evil-eyed glance?, and that it would be wise to propitiate hitn. " Who knows," she said "that he may not bewiteh our little Loto, andgive him crooked legs, and a man should never have crooked legs." She had not got so far off as the other women had - her cow had been in the way of liaste - to she turned back, went up to the bear, and bravely put a sou in the battered tin plate. " It is becaufe of Loto," she said, earnestly. '' You will not now wish him to have crooked legs." Roger made her a low bow ; but this only added to her alarm, and she retreated to a safe distance. Butherexample wasfollowtd ; sou after sou dropped into Roger' s plate as be went slowly round tbat part of the crowd wheie the men stood. A few of the richer class who were looking on gave him silver, and so did an artist who had stood there sketchiog the scène. Roger's eyes blioked still more as the tray grew heavier ; and at last he turned lïoui the crowd and laid the money at his ma6ter's feet. There was an uproarious shout from the crowd and the flute-player bent down and ki.iH'il him on the förehead. "Thanks, good Roger," hesaid, " these are for the little boy at home. Kh ? How glad he will be to see thee once more !" Roger's cyes blinked and he gave a low, contented growl; but the poor bear was very tired and footsore. He and his master had been traveling for dayp, and often part of' the nights as well, and since they had entered Brittany tbere had been weeks of heavy rain, and they had missed the comfort able barus and sheltering out-buildings ut the Norman farm houses. The bear's m aster, Joseph Lebas, had alwaysbeen hospitably welcomed ; but the farmers and cottagen had shrunk back at the aight of a gnuly brown bear. No one would adtnit poor lloger into the one stable where a cow and pigs, and often a horse as well, herded together under the fame roof as their owners ; so the poor bear had been forced to sleep on the black, oozy mud in front of the house itself, with seldom a bit of straw under him. And it was on this account that Joseph had traveled so rauch at night ; for he thought if his bear must lie on tbe damp ground it had better be in daylight when there was just a chance for ,-unshine. Joseph fastened a chain to the bear scol lar, and then ho begged one of the pigowners to give hitn a little straw ; but the man was churüíh - hc did not understand French, and Joseph could not speak Dn ; and although the flute-player's ge.turea plainly told hi mruiiiiu', the farmer shrugged Lis shoulders, and peaiing out of his narrow black eyes throngh the longhair that nearly reached his waist, he ave the bear such a piercing glanec of di.-like that poor Joseph turned away and went snirowfully back to the little path beside the river where he had restcd a little the niglit before. " My poor Roger ! " hc said ; " if these fboliah people only knew thee and thy good, kind temper, they would welcome thee at once, and give thee a seat beside thehearth in their rough dwellings. Never mind, old friend ! Our wanderings here will soon be done, and then we will go back to the good wife, and to Pierrot, and then'thou shalt liave plenty of.-traw aud dry fern to rest on." The bear moved his head ftom side to de, and again gave a luw, satisfied growl ; the name l'ierrot had evidently sotue Bpeeial c-harm lor him ; but his pace grew slower umi slower, and when bis masUT stopped beside the river, he lay down at ome quite exhausted. Thisjtrassy nook bande the river was -hut in by a long, low liedle, and a gate trom the high ruad. Joacph did not venture to leave his faiih ful friend while he slept, li .-t he should be teased or hrrilated by some of the barefontcd ehildren of Quimperle, m he leaned againt the gale and smokcd liis pipe. All at once Roger snorled, and then he coughed and aw.ke. Joseph had never heard hú bear cough before, and he leltalarmrd He went back to Hoger anl feit his nosc ; it was dry and burning, and his pooi wollen teel lelt hot as coals. Joseph went to the brink of the river, bordered here by ru.-hes and tall kint' l'enis wiih tullbrown ttrttli nTVVuTt. and tilline his tin-plate with water, lic knelt down and bathed poor Roger's feet. Hut the bear drew thenj away, and began to shiver violently. Joi-eph threw himsclf beside him and put both arni around the creature's neck. "Uome, old comrade," he cried, "do not fal! ill before we set out on mir home jouruey ; thiult huw much belt' r Lillino will nuise thee tlian leun, umi wKy Roger, l'ierrot will not forgive thee fcr reing siek away trom him." Anain the bear growlcd fofily ; it neetned as if a Miiile .showed in his blinking eyes at tbe name of' his little friend. II - A WEAKISiiMK. JUCRNEY. Weeks have gone by, but .Joseph and Rogerhave not yet reached the cottage beside the Isere - thepretty houie that Joseph dreatus about, with ita vine-covered bilis, and olive groves, and orchards, and th rver that washes the feet of castle -crowned rocks. Boger seemed to get betlcr, and so Joaepfa went on from town to town, plnying his flute, and showing off his hear'.s ronder ful anilOS. And now they wereeverywlieie welcumed. Rovrra' f ame liad preceded him, and the lin-plate waa heavily filled more than once a uay as they wandend on from town to villaje, BOnietlmea piving a dance before the windows of sorue retiied country house ; and heie little ehildrcn would come out nd pat Roger's grizzly idts in limid wonder. But wheu nighi came it was the old suny - no one would shelter a bear. iiwephdra not often Oeserl his friend, but still he was glad to get a night's lodging now and then. But tl.ey traveled slowly, fot Knger was so often fbotsore now. Sometimos master and bear would travel all through the short summer nivht, and when daylightcauie they would rest allday, somitimes on a wild heath strewn with granite rocks of all shapes and sizes, and sometimes on a pkasant grassy batik bexide some sparklirg river, where Joaeph would catch fish enough f'or two days' proveüder. One morning they rcaehed a charniing spot. They had been making a lont; round, and it seemed to Joseph that they eould not bc very farfrom Qimperle. A bright, dashing river was crossed by a bridge ; on one t-ide rose up dark hills covered with tress; on tlie other were pleasant grassed banks sloping up to a villagc of stone ote-storied houses, dottcd here and ilicre between the spreading f'an-like Dffcnehea of Sp;mi-li chestnut tiees. ïhe hun was burnwg hot, though it wa.s yct eariy, and the leafy i-hade which tlie huge trees flung in magses beneath them, rlecked here and thore wiih gold as sonie inquisitivo Stfnberrrrg ie ped down between the leaves, was delighil'iil 10 our tired travelers. There was a surft ited, sleepy air about tbe village, too, which :i in iUelf restf'ul. Woiuen stood nioning from a distan" undcr the round lowbrowed doorways, cocks and hens crowed and clueked as they picked up the grain in front of the house, where the day befbre corn had been threshed by hand. A little way up the tcattered Street of houses was an opening, and here stood a tall stone cross, and behind it, souie little ways down the sloping path, was the village chnrch. But the sight of Koger liad scared sonie of the leisure froni the peaceful scène. The little calico-capped children opened their large bright brown eyes wklely whcn they saw Joseph coming slowly alouj;, and suiiled at him. But all at once caiue a stranne sound, something between a groan anda growl. At this the children flod and bid their faces in tlu ir inotliers' skirts with shrill outeries of fear, whioh grew louder when, peeping out, they saw tliut the iuictlooking Frenchman was followed by a monstrous shaggy beat, shaking his sidos and coufihing as he walked, and glaring hungrily out of his red little eyee. The uiothers gave an outcry and backcd into their houses, keeping their children behind tlum, after the nianner of a hen with her cliiekens at sight of a hawk. Joseph sighed ; he was tired and thirsty. He had let Hoger drink at the river's bank, but he had hoped to get a drauphtuf butteruiilk at one of the cottages; but he knew it wa,8 uselesa now, to he turned aside by the cross and went slowly down toward the church. The cure renched thera, and he stopped when be saw Hoger. "Iask pardon, reverend sir ne said, "but will you of your charity teil ïuu what day of the month it is, and also what is the best medicine forthe cough of a bear '! Do not fear my Iloger, Monsieur le Curo" - lor the cure had shrunk back- "Koger is an excellent bcaet, who will harm no one- see how he suffere." At this moment the poor bear had so violent a fit of coughing that he sank down and lay panting on the ground. The cure looKed compassionate '¦ he had a mild, pink face, his hair was t-uow white, but his eyes wure blue and full ot tendernc.-s. "Poor beast"he had quite forgoiten his fear in Uis pity for Koger- " how he Huffnrsi This is pad for him, and also for you, my good friend, Are you far from nome" . ,, j t i .. t " Yes, ycp, nioiiMi-iir, MidJoeeph; 1 do not know how many leigues away. Our home is on tho banks of the Isere." The good priest lif'tci up bis liando in wonder. "And have you couic all that way itoot -in such hot weather, too?" 1 1 ¦ look "It his hat,and wipod his taoa with a large blue checked pocket handkercliief. "Ah, sir, we must travel Bloot, Nodnver would carry Hoger. 1 can get no shelter for him." And poor Jot-eph bad to wipo away bis tears with the sleeves of his I blouse; then, seeing that the cure was slill istcning, bc went. on. " But it is long ince we lelt our country, sir. I think it m íd March, tbr we fouud snow od the ;round as we came northward, though in mr country we had only seen it on tlie nountuin-tops. We havo wandercd in Vuvergne, and in Burgundy, and in Touritne and Normandy. Ah, ir, we fared letter everywhere than in this country, vhere it always rains. But for niy poor [loger's illness wc had begun our journey louie," The oíd cure thook his herd. " Vour joor bear cannot travel," hc said. " 1 f'ear lis journeys are over, poor fellow. Js it uissible that jou have been traveling on bot f'rom Mnrch till now ? Why, we aie n September, niy poor man, Huw home'ick you must bo ! " Joseph wiped his eyes again, for the ;ure's kind words called up vividly the iBemory of his wife, Liline, and his dear little boy l'ierrot. Ah ! would he ever seo tbem again, and huw could he go I a -k to them without Roger j He forgot the cure - cverylhing hut his dear duuib HuftVring friend - and flinging himself on the ground lioside Roger, he flung both arms around hini and sobbed aloud. Roger raised OM paw and laiil it genily on lus maaier, and llicti he ftchly Iflied l" lick the slceve ot his coat. The cure took out his handkerehie!' atain and vigorously b!ew his noe. "This is most untnrtunate," he said. And then, nodding to Joseph, he aW, " Wait here for me, uiy poor f'riend : " and then he hurried l'aek to the pres byfery as rat as his thin legs c uld carry lniii. Much again-t her will, he pi'rsiuided hi how-ekeeper to givo up a disuscd cowhoune to Jo-eph, and he set his gardeoM ir swtep it nut, and il ter down somr dl au straw in a corner for the sick bear. The old woman grumbled and shrugged her shoulders ; Lut though the cure was gentío, no one could be firnier than he when right required hini to assert himself ; and very 8oon he went back to Joseph, and helped hiiu to bring poor Roger up to his shelter, 'l'lirn tiic oite, who, üke inany aimthir country rlergyman, was n good doctor, brewed a huge pot of herb te, and when Koer had been got with some tronble to swallow this, he gave Joseph a thiek hor ecloth to wrap ar. und liim, Jowph ft on the ground beside his faith ful friend. He tried to be grateiul to the vood cure, but his grief choked his wordt ; lir m Lined turned tostone ; for he had ntver realized how sick Roger was till he saw him sink down in that terrible coughing fit ; and now, as he looked at hun and saw the tenible change, the glazing eyes and the stiffening limbs of his old coinrude, somethin wliispered ihat Roger was dying. Dying? Just when he had got for him the comforts he had so longed to give hitn ; just when he was taking home a suui - all Roger's earningp, too - whicli would have have saved the necd of going so far from home for uiany a month to come I " ( )h, my poor Roger ! " He chafed the clanimy paws betweeu his hands: but the pi TM-tcnt chili struck the truth into his heart. It was too late ; no earthly care, no lavishncss of human tenderness, could ever more help Roger. Hut the bear was uot stupefied by the chili numbness that was spreading over his body. From time to time Joseph moved, either to draw the wrappings more closely over his friend, or to moisten the swollen tongue with liquid, and then Roger's eyes followed hismaster as if he could not bear to lose sightof hira. He moaned frequently, and this was the ouly sound that brqke die silence. But now, when Joseph tried to raie the bcar's head, so as to mske his straw pillow softer, the poor swollen tongue licked his hands. Then Joseph Lebas fairly broke down. The cure and his housekeeper had both left them for the night, having put him a lamp and some suppcr, which the poor fellow left untasted. He laid his check against Roger's, and sobbed as if his heart was brcuking. jn, my irienu, uiy coniraue : ne cmu, " thou who bast taught me eo much, so niany lcssons, my prtcious Roger, of dutienoe and of huuiilitv ! me olí ftilow, tliat 1 liid not soom-r discover how serioua was thy nialady. Wlio knows - only God" - he said, reverently, " but ituiay be f we had come this way i-ooner, the tnuely iuocor iniitht have savcd tliee. Ah, my Roger, I had planned such a pleasant life lor thee - no more long journeys, do more long journcy8, no more absences f rom homo. There is nioney nuw enough to buy & bit of ground, and tools and woed too, and 1 can be a carpeDter the rest of my days, and grow heuip and corn, Hoger." The bear Dioantd and moved more restlessly than before. ;" Yes, yes ; I know thou saye.st what is that lo thee now thou art going to die; and if' there be a paradise l'orduuib beast., ihou wilt surely be crowned there, my Roger. Yes, yes ; as the good cure said ; but now my sorrow is selfi-h ; but I cannot help it, my fritad. What shall I say to l'ierrot, Roger? How can I comfort iiim for tho loss of hi.f kind Griend?" At the word Fierrot the fastclosing eyuu open widely, and Roger gives a growl of picasure - quite a different sound from the long drawn out moans which have shaken his poor body. For ati instant Joseph's lips part injoyf'ul surprise. Can it be that his dear triend will recover alter all? And theo tlien eyes close, the limbs are stretcbed out, and he knows that Roger will never wake again. III.- JOSEPIl'S COTTAGE. It wants a week to Christmas. Till now there has leen no snow ; the weather is min) and bracing in the north, and even beside the Isere it is far less mild than it been. On the sunny side of ihe lovely valley a little boy was standing at the door of a sniall cottage wreathed with anover-growth ol'brown viue branches; within a tunee a little cabbage garden was bordered white and red with tulips and narcissus; but the ground looked neglected ; it seeiued as if the flowers had come of themselves, so ir regular were they planted. Fitlds of growing corn and othcr product were evorywhere to be seen in the fertile valley, and above these rose dark woods and lofty Alpine cragp, high above the river. Inside the cottage, by the door, sat an ugly brown mongrel, giving impatient looks at its little master. " Mother " - the boy's face was turned to the cottage door, so that ono only caw a head of curly gold is the sun shone OB i' - " mother, will father ever come back? 1 have looked for him every day since Michaelmas." In.-ide thelowroofed cottage apalcyoung wiiinan, much wrapped in a shawl, t-at rocking a litlle eradle. " Yep, yes, l'icrrot; your father will come. You must kok for him every day. " The little fellow clapped his hands, and turned round such a rucrry face - short and broad, like hissturdy little body, with bright, laughing blue eyes, a pair of rognUo red lips, and a turn-up nose. It seeraed as f be liad stood in the sun to ripen, for he had a skin like a golden pipnin. " Mother "-he had been running a race with the ugly brown mongrel since his uiotber spoke- " how soon will baby run races with me ; he's not uiuch use now. He gave a discontented look toward the eradle. Then, as his mother did not iwer, lie chattered on : " Mother, why did ,'ou cali baby Roger? He will never be so lice as Hoger i". Roger is big and strong, ind carries n.c on hi.-. back, and lien down vhen I bid hiui. Mother, I want Roger. [ ara sad without him." Tlie mother's pale face flusbed. She bent over tbe eradle and kit-sed the little sleeper. She was verygood andgentle, but ihe was not clever, aitl Pierrot's words troubled her. " Roger is a good beast, Pierrot," she ?aid, " but he is only a bta.-t ; he can never be thy brother. Look jou, my darling, this little Roger will play witb yciu and love you, and lie will talk to yon, too, my Fierrot; ind," she added eagirly, as a new thought cauae, "you oan do more for the little Roger than you can for the big one. Believe me, my cbild, it in sweeler to love and care for otbers than to be loved one'u self." "Isit?" Pierrot lookeddoubtful. "Well, I shall mc about that. Now may I go to the end of the roud snd i-ee if faiher is coming? " He canii' back as he had come so ufeen, shaking his golden head ; but to-day bis eyes weie full of tcars. He so longed for bis lal her, and for the o!d friend who bad been his play tel low for tf long as he could remembtT. It is Christua-) Eve, and although Liline keeps a brave heart, and will never listen to har neighbors' doubts and suruiises, her heart sinks as she thinks of Christmas Day witbout Juseph. lic lef't hur just afier Kastcr, and she so longs to slmw him the new treasure that b:is come to her in bis absence - her beaulilnl baby. Shfl bas named it Roger; lor ba fliÍMH 'bat will phMe her hut-band, and Liliue never thinks about lier own ohoice in anything. Sha has not so inany household cares on to-mnrrnw's festival as an Knuli-li mother would hve. Christmas is to Iiline the birthday of the Lord, and therefore the special festival of all little eb i ld re o ; nnd her cliief care has been to sew a new coat for Pierrot, and to mak e htm a bright red flannel cup, which suils hisgolden curls rarely. She h tryinif tbis on, wbile Pierrot Gdgets under her tliin fiQgerfl. "'Motlier! mother! be uulok I" the stnrily rosy tcllow says, as he look. impatiently tbrouh tbe tangle of yeüow curls; tb8 is ju.-t wben I alwavs go up tbe road to wbere father .siid I was to look for I 1 i ii l ; nd suppoae he carne and did nut n'nd me? " They had both been too busy to look toward the door; but now a deep rM tbat bad a sob in it said, "And ho is cotue. " And there was Jo.-eph Iiebas, with tears in lus eyes and a radiant matte on bis lip.-. as be clasped wil'e and child together in liis anus. He did not see the eradle, and Liline'h palé face fílled him with dismay. But bestood there silent, holding her to bis heart. "And Roger, father, wbere have you put Roger?" Pierrot was tugging inipatiuntly at bis fatber's blouse. Tears swam in Joseph's eyes. He stooped and took bis little son in his arms. " Roger is dead," he said gravely ; and I nearly died too. Yes, my Liline, 1 never thought to isee thee again. But for that thou wouldst have seen me loDg aeo. Ah ! Well mayest thou weep!"for Liline had begun to cry, and Pierrot flung bimself on the floor, bowling at bis father's news. "It bas well nigh broken rny heart, dear wife, to lose my dear old comrade. " Liline looked at her husband, and when sbe saw the tears rolling down his cheeks .-iv, too, how worn and sad his face was - she wiped her eyes and smüed, as she bent down to tbe oradle. " Becomforted, dear husband." shestiid, as she put the soft roll of flannel into hie ai uis. ' ' God ha seut you anothcr Roger this Chiistnias-tide."