After considerable solicitation and stimulating applause, farmer
Charest rose to deliver the first speech. "As dare are," he began in
broken English, "a few farmer here who not spick de French lanwige, I
will try for spick a few words in Anglish. I know I not spick de
lanwige vary much, but my son Zotique, who just come from de States,
he spick Anglish just so well as de Anglish, and so he mak you spich
better dan I mak."

He turned and laid his hand affectionately on Zotique's head. Zotique
colored at the unexpected compliment, and looking down into Miss Katie
White's bright blue eyes, smiled, and shook his head deprecatingly.
She looked up, smiled, and nodded her compact little head, as though
she thought the compliment was fully deserved.

Vital, who had eyes for only one person in the room, saw the look
Zotique gave her, and her apparent appreciation of it, and longed to
be out in the little garden at the back of the house.

"I not mak some vary long spich," went on the orator, "as I know dat
you all rather have de dance. Den I see, too, dat my friend Magloire
Meloche, down dare, he look many time at de fiddle he brought and hang
on de wall." This bantering allusion to the veteran fiddle-player of
the district caused a hearty outburst of laughter and applause.

"All I want for say," continued the speaker, rubbing his hands briskly
with gratified pride, "is dat me and my _femme_ we both glad dat my
son Zotique he come from de States to pay us de visit. My son he do
well in de States, where dare is vary much place for work. When he
write to say dat he pay us de visit, my _femme_, she say she mak dis