Aunt Jo's scrap bag, Volume 1 : $b My boys, etc.Alcott, Louisa May
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Aunt Jo's scrap bag, Volume 1 : $b My boys, etc.
Alcott, Louisa May
Children's stories
We took care that little Saint Marie was not forgotten, but quite well,
and all ready for her confirmation when the day came. This is a pretty
sight, and for her sake we went to the old church of St. Sauveur to see
it. It was a bright spring day, and the gardens were full of early
flowers, the quaint streets gay with proud fathers and mothers in
holiday dress, and flocks of strangers pausing to see the long
procession of little girls with white caps and veils, gloves and gowns,
prayer-books and rosaries, winding through the sunny square into the
shadowy church with chanting and candles, garlands and crosses.
The old priest was too ill to perform the service, but the young one who
took his place announced, after it was over, that if they would pass the
house the good old man would bless them from his balcony. That was the
best of all, and a sweet sight, as the feeble fatherly old priest leaned
from his easy-chair to stretch his trembling hands over the little flock
so like a bed of snowdrops, while the bright eyes and rosy faces looked
reverently up at him, and the fresh voices chanted the responses as the
curly heads under the long veils bowed and passed by.
We learned afterwards that our Marie had been called in and praised for
her secret charity--a great honour, because the good priest was much
beloved by all his flock, and took a most paternal interest in the
little ones.
That was almost the last we saw of our little friend, for we left Dinan
soon after, bidding the Lehon family good-bye, and leaving certain warm
souvenirs for winter-time. Marie cried and clung to us at parting, then
smiled like an April day, and waved her hand as we went away, never
expecting to see her any more.
But the next morning, just as we were stepping on board the steamer to
go down the Rance to St. Malo, we saw a little white cap come bobbing
through the market-place, down the steep street, and presently Marie
appeared with two great bunches of pale yellow primroses and wild blue
hyacinths in one hand, while the other held her sabots, that she might
run the faster. Rosy and smiling and breathless with haste she came
racing up to us, crying,--
'Behold my souvenir for the dear ladies. I do not cry now. No; I am glad
the day is so fine. _Bon voyage! bon voyage!_'
We thanked and kissed and left her on the shore, bravely trying not to
cry, as she waved her wooden shoes and kissed her hand till we were out
of sight, and had nothing but the soft colours and sweet breath of our
nosegays to remind us of Little Marie of Lehon.
_MY MAY-DAY AMONG CURIOUS BIRDS AND BEASTS._
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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