The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1851-11-08
TIIE noArmAN on rmE LoIRE.

THE nOATMAN OF THE LOIRE
The greatest interest has been excited a
SHOaEst = cartAin GLASS Of personA hy tbs inyes,
tgnaion ofpAPSrs Of tho rich capitalist who
died lately 10 Paris, leaving behind him not
snly an immense fortune. the greater part OF
Ehish V TO be distributed in deeds Of charity,
bat Also reputation unstAined, a name hon.
ored aud blessed by the poor and needy, to
whom he was indeed friend aud benefactor.
hsppeArs (ai least thus goes the Paris gos-
sip,) that the said individual has kept very
curious memoirs OF his life, wherein are pre-
served the chronicles Of all his transactions
With ths high nobleness ofthe country. The
nunslserls oecasions whereiu the bearers Of
ths great names amongst the aristocracy' were
fAin 70 have recourse 90 his assistance 20 ex-
trieafe, them from peeuniary embarrassment
the correspondence which from time 10 time
hAs been going~ou with every member of tie
exilcd family Of Bourb6ns, all tending 20 the
ono soul absorbing subject Of our ePoch, tho
raising of money, are all SGT forth ia these
memoirs, which win bo Of the most extraor-
dinary interest should the family persist IN
having them published. This man, with the
soul OF philosopher, the heart Of prince,
was The son Of poor boatman who worked
the ferry At Ancenis, on the Lo're--a true
vendcan,A Chouan to the very soul-and yet
BIZ dint of prudence and eircumspection, man
aged to earnA living without suspicion ON the
past cf the sRns-eulottes all through the Nen-'
dean war. With the steady courage OF his
race he would ply the oar the whole day long
upon his usual heat, conveying horses, men,
and baggage for the service of the republic,
beiying his principles, not for the sake of
gain. but for the opportunity which the oceu-
patton hcsto1ed for serving bis friends, the
royalist ehiefs aud az night would start forth
upder,eover Of the darkness TO convey arms
@nd proxisions from one bank 10 the other in
order 20 assist the Vcndeans to carry on the
war. One night the boatnan was lying as
usual Whiting amongst the reeds which line
the shore just above the passage at Ancenis
his oars were mufficd, and himself.onSelopad
from head TO foot, for he had received init
nation during the day that family of royal
iAia of great Importance WOULD crnss the rixer
~ midnight. in order to join their party then
sasut up in Laval. whore they were bent on
making their last stand. 1t was dark and
dreary night, just fitted to favor the escape Of
Ihe f1gitiVes, and tho honest boatman was
forced TO trust to his ear alone for the an
houncemept of their approach. The night
was FAR advanced ere the well-known kissing
soand imitasive OF the Sereech owl, thP rally
z s,.re A. h,.nl fhn afil
ness Of the night; in a moment the little black
craft, had cut through the water with the
suiftness Of an arrow towards the spot whence
the sound proceeded, and without saying
word--for both speed and silence were neces-
sary in those days--Jean Landrean proceed
ed TO assist the fuqitives on board. The party
eonsisted of a gentleman and lady with two
infant children. The gentleman was stand
ing holding ono oftbe children in his arms,
while the lady was seated on small chest
with the other infant on her knee. The rum
bling sound Of the pdtoehe which had brought
them TO the spot was distinctly heard in the
distance. The passengers soon we're seated
In the boai,and the boatman proceeded to lift
&he chest, but all his efforts were in vain. The
weight ofits contents and the imprudence of
ssha. LADY xhn had saated herself with her child
npSn it while waiting for the boat, had caus-
ed it to sink so deep into the mud as almost
10 disappear amongst the high, dense
reeds, ~and it became evident at once that
St wduid be impossible to recover it without
assistance. In the midst of this dilemma the
heavy galop of horses and the clapking of the
swords Of the horse patrol who in these troub-
aops times we're ordered to pace the shore the
Ashole night long, were heard approaching.-
r In a hurried whisper the gentleman babe
Jc4n LAndrean push of. "The chest con-
Aasts my fortunej" said he, ''ths hopes and Se-
y4sits Of our inpst righteous cause, but the
zMfesy Sof my wife and little ones is of more
Importance let us row them across, and we
viii return and fetch the chest when we have
%een ehem safely lAndsd on the opposite shore.
ksAn Isnarean did a. he was bid he rowed
ssse parry across the river and landed them all
tA lAfeess by this TING the patrol had APP
1apnaachsA Close to The spot they had just quit
ksd, and the sound OF thsir vuircs could be
Gsissincsly heard. They passed on, however,
~itficnt observing any trace Of the strangers
hut ths iacidsntshHd caused the lady TO feel
surh usrvou5 tcrrer for her husbands sake,