FOREST, LAKE, AND RIVER 



" Las' week I go on de store, and ministaire and 

 school-mastaire come on de store and spik it wid 

 me. 



" * Brissette, we go for lunge to-morrer, and 

 we want your boat. You mus' come for row 

 in de boat, and we pay you une piastre l'argent 

 blanc' 



" I want one dollaire ver bad, me, and I say, 

 ' Brissette will go wit' de gentlemans.' Den dey 

 mak' it one big laf, and say, < Mercier, mercier, 

 Brissette, we come on your house to-morrer pooty 

 soon. We come on de boat place when de bell on 

 Ste. Damien say Angelus for noon.' 



" * Here, Brissette, here, Brissette,' say ministaire, 

 * feex my hook wid de bait you catch big mister 

 lunge wid.' I no lak dat, — I go for row on de 

 boat, me. 



"But I catch him jomp, jomp, — frog, you 

 call him, s'pose, and mak' him frien' wid de hook, 

 for mak' him acquaint wid de lunge, plobily," — 

 this with a sarcastic smile. 



" We go on feesh. I mak' boat go one side 

 reviere firs', den oder side, easy lak. Ministaire 

 he laf, school-mastaire he laf some more. Minis- 

 taire say, * Brissette, haf some lemonade wit' us.' 

 Bah gosh ! so good lemonade nevaire was ! Den 

 dey mak' it some more laf, and say, ' Brissette, 

 11 



