The Minnesota pioneer. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn. Territory) 1849-1855, 1849-06-28
MISCELLANY.
From Peterson's Magazine.
1T is 1.
BY JAMES II. DANA.

The prettiest girl in the whole village, or
indeed for miles around was Nanet.e La
Croix She had a hundred lovers, Ill of
whom expressed themselves ready to die for
her; though she, cruel thing, would NOT give
more than a smile in return. Her heart
was free, she said, and hoped it ever would
'be-she bad no notion of making herself d
flave for life by marrying.
So spoke Nanette, just as hundreds have
spoken before her--and she really believed
for while all she said. No foot was light
er at the guinguette than hers-nO Jest was
merrier than that which fell from Nanette-
no maiden curied up more sauciiy when her
name was linked with that of any OF the
beaux. And yet all this while she was in
love with Pierre Latour, the handsomest,
bravest and blithest of the village lads
She found il out, too, but not until he was
levied in the CONSUMPTION, when the certain
ty Of his long absence, and the probability
that he might never return, revealed to her
the secret.
Poor Pierre loved her as his own life, and
now on the eve of leaving her, uncertain
whether she returned his love, he was near
ly beside himself with dispair. He rallied
courage, however, and resolved to tell his
tale-for diffidence hitherto had sealed his
tOnguc-though his eyes had long since
spoken his alteration in more eloquent lam
guage. He found Nanette in tears. TWAS
,sn nngnsrded moment for her, and Pierre
had no difficulty in winning an acknowledge
ment that she returned his affection.
"And will you be mine when return?--
promise me this, ;" said he, " and will strive
to become great-and will win, if bravery
can do it, the Cross of the legion of honor. -
Nanette promised-how could she help
it?-and the young soldier departed. The
secret was TO he kept between them--so the
villagers were none the wiser--and as Ma
nette seemed as gay as ever, no one sus-
pected that her heart was far away in Rus
STA, whittier the Imperial army had gone.
But this secrecy proved most unfortunate,
for the young men. ignorant Of her engage
ment, were rs attentive as ever--indeed
more so, for she grew prettier daily. Pier
re, even before the army reached the from
tier, heard from those who left the viIlas
later than himself, that this or that gallant
was always with Nanette, and that the Cos
sips said it would be match.
How could he help being little jealous !!
And when, later by six months, and just be-
fore the Russian Territory was invaded, he
met an old acquaintance from the village,
and heard thai the son Of a rich notary was
dying for her--was it strange that he began
10 fear that he would yet lose his beautiful
Nanette. He had heard so much of wo-
mans Inconsistency; especially when young
and wealthy sutton was the rival, that he
trembled for fidelity.
All know the horrors Of that campaign in
Russia. OF the half million who followed
Napoleon into the hostile territory, not a
tenth man came back alive. OF these, how
ever, Latour was one. Yet he almost wish
ed he had persisted in the fatal SHOWS, for he
had lost an arm, and that too without gam
ing the Cross Of the Legion of honor. Not
that he did not deserve it--but in that awful
retreat there was no time for the Emperor
to think of bestowing favors. Slowly, and
almost in rags, Latour begged his way back
10 his native village.
1t was bright morning in autumn-more
than year after LatOur's departure, when
one OF the village gossips stopped a minute
at the window of the little cottage where
Nanette and her mother dwelt.
"Who do you think has come back:" said
She" Latour himself. He arrived yester-
day afternoon
At the announcement Of her lovers return,
her heart leaped with joy-but when she
heard that he had been back so long without
coming to see her, her spirits sank For she
had continued to love the absent soldier, in
spite Of the notary's SON and her hundred
other admirers.
He has come back in very sorry
plight" continued the gossip" lame as
beggar, and without one arm. He is sick
at heart, too, and so ashamed that he will
not show himself; he says he only cares to
die; he is not fit to live with the young and
happy"
Poor Nanetten' Her heart was full of
pity for her lover. She turned aside to con-
ceal her tears Yet still she wondered why
he had not come to see her, and she felt al
most angry again when she thought Of it.
He tells me news, too, which | never
knew before-you are sly of it, Naneste.-
he says you are to marry the notary's son i.
do believe, from the way he spoke, he has
never got over his old love for you. When