Ma luron lure!'

"Ver' good, bagosh! Norinne and Bargon they go out to the Souris, and
Bargon have a hunder' acre, and he put up a house and a shed not ver'
big, and he carry his head high and his shoulders like a wall; yes, yes.
First year it is pretty good time, and Norinne's cheeks--ah, like an
apple they. Bimeby a baby laugh up at Bargon from Norinne's lap. I am
on the Souris at a saw-mill then, and on Sunday sometime I go up to see
Bargon and Norinne. I t'ink that baby is so dam funny; I laugh and pinch
his nose. His name is Marie, and I say I marry him pretty quick some
day. We have plenty hot cake, and beans and pork, and a little how-you-
are from a jar behin' the door.

"Next year it is not so good. There is a bad crop and hard time, and
Bargon he owe two hunder' dollar, and he pay int'rest. Norinne, she do
all the work, and that little Marie, there is dam funny in him, and
Norinne, she keep go, go, all the time, early and late, and she get ver'
thin and quiet. So I go up from the mill more times, and I bring fol-
lols for that Marie, for you know I said I go to marry him some day. And
when I see how Bargon shoulders stoop and his eye get dull, and there is
nothing in the jar behin' the door, I fetch a horn with me, and my
fiddle, and, bagosh! there is happy sit-you-down. I make Bargon sing
'La Belle Francoise,' and then just before I go I make them laugh, for I
stand by the cradle and I sing to that Marie:

"'Adieu, belle Frangoise;
Allons gai!
Adieu, belle Francoise!
Moi, je to marierai,
Ma luron lurette! Moi,