MOTHER ETIENNE'S FORTUNE
When she woke up the good woman thought of her small fortune. She
gave it for safe keeping into the hands of her lawyer, M. La
Plume, while she was making up her mind how she should dispose of
it. She wanted plenty of time to think it over. She had already
decided to give Germaine a dowry, for the whole thing was largely
owing to her. She knew that she and Petit-Jacques were in love.
"They will make a fine couple," she thought, "and later on how
pleased I shall be to have a nice family around me--with dear
children who will love and care for me."
Then she thought of Père Gusson--the good old man could have no
idea of all that had happened at the farm. He was going his
rounds, selling his wares as best he could. It was three months
since he had appeared, he would be back again before long--he had
already been away longer than usual.
And, sure enough, two days later Neddy announced his entrance into
the courtyard with a loud bray. If his master was glad to see
Mother Etienne who always received him so cordially, and who
bought so much from him, the donkey fully appreciated the hours of
rest and the good food he found in the paddock with the cows.
Mother Etienne went forward to meet the old man and gaily told him
the whole story.
He, utterly astounded, could not at first believe it. He made her
repeat the wonder over and over again. It certainly was a very
curious thing. He had always known his ointment was effective,
but--as to making hair grow on a hen--that was quite another
thing. He was just petrified by it.
Mother Etienne told Germaine to serve some good cider, and all
three drank to one another's healths.
"That is not all," said Mother Etienne, "I want you to have a
share in my good fortune. That's only fair. You have worked all
your life, you must think of taking a rest. You have certainly
earned it. Here is a check for $2,000 which my lawyer, M. La
Plume, will cash for you. This sum, together with what you have
saved, will be enough to buy a little house and garden and to keep
you from want. If one is wise and knows how to manage, one can
live here for very little."
Father Gusson, quite upset and touched, could not find words to
thank dear, kind Mother Etienne. It was as though he had
unexpectedly won the big prize in the lottery. He could hardly
believe his eyes and ears.
Soon he pulled himself together and began to calculate.
"I have a few savings, it is true, but I think it would be wise to
take advantage of the fame of the ointment and double my small
fortune. I hope that, thanks to the already widespread fame of
Yollande, if (with your kind permission) I were to call my
ointment, 'Ointment of the Curly-Haired Hen' I should have
considerable success."
"Not only am I quite willing, but I thoroughly approve of your
idea and strongly advise you to carry it out," replied Mother
Etienne warmly.
No sooner said than done.
Father Gusson withdrew from the notary the sum, so fairly
But generously given him, and spent his time henceforth in
manufacturing (according to the recipe of his ancestors) the
wonderful ointment. He filled a great quantity of jars of all
sizes, and like the good business man he was, having adorned them
with magnificent labels he doubled the price of the ointment and
put on a trade mark so as to prohibit imitations. Then he bought a
cart like Mother Etienne's and harnessed Neddy to it. On the hood
of the cart was a huge picture of a Curly-Haired Hen, and under it
was the inscription, "Ointment of the Curly-Haired Hen." Now the
peddler could go his rounds, selling only this specialty, without
need of further advertisement. The effect was magic. Doors,
hitherto too often closed against him, opened wide at his coming
and there was not a soul who did not buy quite a lot of it.
In a month and without effort, Father Gusson took in ten times
more money than he had earned in all his long and hardworking life
before.