In the Village of Viger

MP3 Audio CD. IN THE VILLAGE OF VIGER




THE LITTLE MILLINER.

IT was too true that the city was growing rapidly. As yet its arms
were not long enough to embrace the little village of Viger, but before
long they would be, and it was not a time that the inhabitants looked
forward to with any pleasure. It was not to be wondered at, for few
places were more pleasant to live in. The houses, half-hidden amid the
trees, clustered around the slim steeple of St. Joseph’s, which flashed
like a naked poniard in the sun. They were old, and the village was
sleepy, almost dozing, since the mill, behind the rise of land, on the
Blanche had shut down. The miller had died; and who would trouble to
grind what little grist came to the mill, when flour was so cheap? But
while the beech-groves lasted, and the Blanche continued to run, it
seemed impossible that any change could come. The change was coming,
however, rapidly enough. Even now, on still nights, above the noise of
the frogs in the pools, you could hear the rumble of the street-cars and
the faint tinkle of their bells, and when the air was moist the whole
southern sky was luminous with the reflection of thousands of gas-lamps.