Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1842-03-03

let's were disposed to adopt the latter sup
position, while those less good nalured,
declared their conviction that the deceas-
ed. driven To madness by jealousy, had
thrown himself into the cbasm, where his
mui,lated remains were found IA belief
IN which they were strengthened by the
frantic seli-accusalions OF the wreiched
Annette, whose piercing cries declared
herself to be The cause of all. Fearful
was the picture presented at the two
chalets 50 ately the scene Of peace and
content. The poor old mother Of Mich
ael Bauvais, rendered nearly insane by
this last terrible affllclion, sat by the
corpse Of her son and, gazing fondly on
the pale face, murmured, from time TO
time, "Yes, there he lies as his father
did before him, twenty years ago. Gone
from me, without parting word-a a sin.
gle embrace. These cold lips, that ne
yer uttered a word of unkindness to me,
cannot return the kiss that imprint on
them. All, my son never before did
they receive the touch OF mine without
returning the pressure. How often in
my dreams have | seen you as YOU now
lie, cold, speechless, without life, and !
have awoke in agony To bless God that
II was bu, dream But now, oh my
son who will close the eyes of your
wretched mo,heri Who will lay her III
the grave The wicked spirits of these
dreary mountains first envied me the pos
session of my poor Claude, and snalched d
him from me, and now they have torn
away my son ! Often have | seen u
light too bright for mortal ken, shine in
to his room, when be slept, az ifthe moon
itself had entered his easement, aud cast
all its beams around his head, Just as II
used to do around his poor father, ought
to have known il boded no good, but
dared not think that my child would be
taken from me. have heard such 81 lbs
aud whispers, too, in the night, when the
wind has shook The chalet, and the snow
has been driited against the windows
with violence that has dashed them Ia
pieces. All ought to have known
that even then the evil spirit that haunls
these wild mountains were planning his
destruction ~
So raved the poor woman, in all the
incoherence ot a grief that unsettled her
reason, until some OF the inhabitants OF
The nearest hamlet came to remove the
corpse fnr inierment, when, uliering a
piercing shrek, aud clasplng II To her
arms, she fell senseless on the coffin, ano
when rai.ed, was found to be dead. An
m. h,1 I,,. all ,I tl,n
misery around her, in u brain fever =,
which kept her lowering between life
and death during many days. When
health once more began TO tlnge her pale
cheek, II was discovered with sorrow by
Durand, who had watched over her with
unceasing soiictude and unwearying
care, that reason re-. assumed not its EN-
pire in her brain. Perfectly harmless
and gentle, she did all that she was told
to do, wi'h the docility of the most obe-
dent child, but was utterly incapable Of
the least reflection Of government.
I Durand, considering that he was the
cause, though the innocent one Of the
Affections that had beialen these poor
families, insisted on becoming .heir sup.
port for the future. lie prevailed on he
helpless old Martin Vignollrs, :oaccon-
pany him with his two dau. .hlers to Paris,
where, having established them in his
home, he LETT nothing undone to promote
their comfort. Fortune too, favored the
worthy young man who so relelously I'M
posed duties, for his pictures, justly ad.
mircd, produced such prices, that after a
few years, he secured handsome com
pctencc and became the happy husband
of the petty Fanchon, the sister Of poor
Annette, to HON he had given an edu-
cation that rendered her in every way
suitable to be the companion of person
who had II cultivated mind. Old Mai,in
NignoIes lived to see the marriage of his
Fanchon, and died blessing his children.
And poor Annette still survives, innocent,
gentle and iondly beloved by her sister
aud Duiand, with those little children she
delights 10 play, Offering subjects for his
pencil, the representation Of which often
draws crowds Of admirers round them in
the gallery OF the Louvre.