The Argosy — page 47: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

Featherston’s Story. 35 the upper part, between the windows of the first and second floors, on which appeared in large letters ‘‘ A la Maison Rouge.” Whether this sort of advertisement drew the public, or whether it might have been the sterling respectability and devotion to business of M. Sauvage, he got on most successfully. The Marchand en détail became also Marchand en gros, and in course of time he added liqueurs to his wares. No citizen of Sainteville was morc highly esteemed than he, both as aman and a tradesman. Since his death the business had been carried on by his widow, aided by the two sons, Gustave and Emile. Latterly Madame Veuve Sauvage had given up all work to them; she was now in years, and had well earned her rest. They lived in the rooms over the shop, which were large and handsome. In former days when the energies of herself and her husband were chiefly devoted to acquiring and saving money, they had let these upper rooms for a good sum yearly. Old Mme. Sauvage might be seen any day now sitting at a front window, looking out upon the world between her embroidered white curtains. The door of this prosperous shop lay between the two windows. The one displayed a few bottles of wine, most of them in straw cases; in the other window were clear flacons of liqueurs ; chartreuse, green and yellow ; curacoa, warm and ruby; Eau de vie de Danzick, with its fluttering gold leaf, and many other sorts. However, it is not with the goods of Mme. Veuve Sauvage that we have to do, but with her premises. Standing in front of the shop, as if coveting a bottle of that choice wine for to-day’s dinner, or an immediate glass of delicious liqueur, you may see on your right hand, but to the left of the shop, the private door of the house. On the other side the shop is also a door which opens to a narrow entry. The entry looks dark, even in the mid-day sun, for it is pretty long, extending down a portion of the side of the Maison Rouge, which is a deep house, and terminating in a paved yard surrounded by high buildings. At the end of the yard is a small dwelling, with two modern windows, one above the other. Near the under window is the entrance door, painted oak colour, with a brass knob, a bell wire with a curious handle, and aknocker. This little house the late M. Sauvage had also caused to be converted into a red one, the same as the larger. In earlier days, when Jean Sauvage and his wife were putting their shoulders to the wheel, they had lived in the little house with their children ; the two sons and the daughter, Jeanne. Jeanne Sauvage married early and very well, an avocat. But since they had left it, the house in the yard seemed to have been, as the widow Sauvage her- self expressed it, unlucky. The first of the tenants had died there ; the second had disappeared, decamped im fact, to avoid paying rent and other debts ; the third had moved into a better house; and the fourth, an old widow lady, had also died, owing a year’s rent to Mme. Sauvage, and no money to pay it. conniclooolkks CO