A Lover in Homespun | Page 2

Vital, in every way, was different from his tall younger brother. He was

slimly built, scarcely the average height, and not prone to many words.
He was given to day-dreams, too, and often did such absent-minded
things as to cause his father much mental perturbation, and at times to
wish that he had not given him so much schooling, but had trained him
for a farmer instead of a school-teacher. Still he was immensely proud
of his two sons, and as he saw them standing together, he decided that
they looked far superior to the other farmers' sons, who had been given
little or no education.
The wanderer Zotique was only twenty-two years of age, while Vital
had turned thirty.
As the minutes stole by, and the babel of tongues increased, it might
have been noticed that both the brothers stole anxious glances at the
door. Every time it opened they invariably turned to see who the arrival
was. There must have been some weighty reasons for the frequent
disappointed looks which stole across their faces.
At last the guests had nearly all arrived, and farmer Charest, his
good-natured face all aglow, intimated by much hammering on the
table that it was time they sat down to supper. There being no
dissenting voice to this popular proposition, a general move was made
to the benches ranged on both sides of the table. By a strange
coincidence, Zotique and Vital, instead of going to the table with the
others, gravitated toward the door.
"Just thought I would have a look out; it is such a fine night," said
Zotique, as he took a long breath of fresh air.
Vital looked at his robust brother in a queer, constrained manner, and
said that it was indeed a beautiful evening. Now, instead of looking up
at the queen of the night, as one would naturally have expected after
such flattering comments, they both, as though by common consent,
treated her with the most marked disrespect, not once looking toward
her, but bestowing all their attention on a certain little whitewashed
cottage down the road, from a window of which streamed a light.
"I think we had better go in," said Zotique, presently, in a slightly

disappointed tone.
"Yes, yes, Zotique, what you say is right; there never was a finer
night," answered Vital, dreamily, his eyes still fixed thoughtfully on the
cottage. He was in one of his absent moods, and had not heard what his
brother had said.
Zotique turned, looked sharply at him, and then broke into a hearty
laugh. "You are as absent-minded as ever, Vital," he said jestingly, as
he seized him by the arm and marched him into the room.
The guests were seated, but there was still room for four or five more.
After jeering them both for being moon-gazers, farmer Charest called
Zotique to come and sit by his side. Vital, thus being left alone,
wandered off to the foot of the table, and sat down by the side of an old
farmer, where there was plenty of room. What made him go so far for a
seat when there were others nearer, though not so roomy, will presently
be seen. Hardly had he seated himself when he did an unaccountable
thing. Sitting as close as he could get to the farmer on his right, he
stealthily ran his hand along the bench till it reached his neighbor on
his left. The intervening space evidently was satisfactory, for a look of
content came over his face, and he turned and looked once more
expectantly at the door.
Scarcely had the repast begun when the door was quickly opened, and a
young woman, clad in a bewitching white dress, burst into the room.
She was out of breath, and had evidently been running.
"Do you know, Madame Charest," she said laughingly, as she advanced,
"the reason I am late is--because--well, because"--the color rushed into
her face as she hesitated for a few moments--"because it took me so
long to dress. There, now, I have told you! Father said he would tell
you all when he came just what did keep me, although I coaxed him not
to. Now I have spoiled the joke he was going to have on me, and we
can laugh at him."
This audacious thwarting of parental plans caused much laughter,
during which Zotique sprang to his feet, and going over to where she

was standing, and laughing merrily, held out his hand and said, "Have
you no word of welcome for me, Katie White?"
She put her hand into the outstretched one, and looking up into his face
with her bright blue eyes, told him that she was very much pleased to
see him.
Vital, who had seen her the very moment the door opened,