Manyebook

The Goodness of St. Rocque; And Other Stories

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1899 edition. Excerpt: ... see Mr. Baptiste trudging up the street with his quaint one-sided walk, bearing his dilapidated basket on one shoulder, a nondescript head-cover pulled over his eyes, whistling cheerily. Then he would slip in at the back door of one of his clients with a brisk, — "Ah, bonjour, madame. Now here ees jus' a 111" bit fruit, some bananas. Perhaps madame would cook some for Mr. Baptiste?" And madame, who understood and knew his ways, would fry him some of the bananas, and set it before him, a tempting dish, with a bit of madame's bread and meat and coffee thrown in for lagniappe; and Mr. Baptiste would depart, filled and contented, leaving the load of fruit behind as madame's pay. Thus did he eat, and his clients were many, and never too tired or too cross to cook his meals and get their pay in baskets of fruit One day he slipped in at Madame Garcia's kitchen door with such a woebegone air, and slid a small sack of nearly ripe plantains on the table with such a misery-laden sigh, that madame, who was fat and excitable, threw up both hands and cried out: "Mon Dieu, Mistare Baptiste, fo' w'y you look lak dat? What ees de mattare?" For answer, Mr. Baptiste shook his head gloomily and sighed again. Madame Garcia moved heavily about the kitchen, putting the plantains in a cool spot and punctuating her footsteps with sundry "Mon Dieux" and — Miseres." "Dose cotton!" ejaculated Mr. Baptiste, at last. "Ah, mon Dieu!" groaned Madame Garcia, rolling her eyes heavenwards. "Hit will drive de fruit away!" he continued. "Misere! " said Madame Garcia. "Hit will." "Oui, oui," said Madame Garcia. She had carefully inspected the plantains, and seeing that they were good and wholesome, was inclined to agree with anything Mr. Baptiste said. He grew excited. "Yaas, ...

  • Format
  • paperback
  • Pages
  • 62
  • Language
  • english
  • ISBN
  • 9781151714985
  • Genres
  • fiction
  • Release date
  • 2012