Eastern times. [volume] (Bath, Me.) 1846-1857, 1852-09-09
A Tale of Mid

oeu o'1h' duu. burning with lever, watched
anxlously for the return of his son, Jehan, who
was gone 10 fetch a physician At length a
horses tread was heard, and soon afterwards
the doctor entered. He examined the pa,iep,
closely, felt his pulse, looked at his tongue
and then said, pat,ing the old mans cheek
1t will be nothing, my friend-nothinp y but
he made sign to the three lads, who, OPEN
monthed and anxious, stood grouped around
the bed. All four withdrew 10 a distant cor.
ner; the doctor shook his head, thrns, out his
lower lip, and said-'Sirs, serious attack
very serious-of fever He is now in the
height the fit, and as soon as it abates. he
must have sulphate of quinine.'
What is that, doctorl'
'Quinine, my friend, is a very expensive
medicine, but which You may procure at Sal
lanches. Between the two fits, your father
must take at least three francs worth. Twill
write the prescription You can read. GULL.
aume1 .
Yes, DOCTOR
And you will see that he takes itp
Certainly
When the physician was gone, Guillaume.
Pierre, and Jehan looked at each other in 81.
lent perplexity. Their whole stock of money
consisted of franc and half, and vet the
medicine must be procured Immediately.
Listen.' said Pierre, 4 know method of
getting from the mountain before night three
or four five-franc pieces
From the mountainl
have discovered an eagles nest in cleft
of a frightful precipice. There is gentle
man at Sallanches, who would gladly purchase
the eaglets; and nothing made me hesitate but
the terrible risk of taking them but that's
nothing when fathers life is concerned. We
may have them now in two hours
Il will rob the nest, says Guillaume.
No, no, let me, said Jehan, 4 am the
youngest and lightest.'
Il have the best right to venture said
Pierre, 'as it was who discovered it,
Come, said Pierre. let us decide by draw
ing lots. Write three numbers, Guilluame,
put them into my hat, and whoever draws
number one will try the venture
Guillaume blackened the end of wooden
splinter in the fire. tore an old card into three
pieces; wrote on them one, two, three, and
threw them into the hat
How the three hearts beat Old Bernard
lay shlvering in the cold fit, and each of his
sons lon2ed 10 risk his own life TO save that of
their father.
The lot fell on Pierre, who had discovered
the nest he embraced The sick man.
We shall not be long absent, he said, 'and
it is needful for us TO 60 together
What are you going to dog
I'VE will tell you as soon as we come back
Gullaume took down from the wall an old
sabre, which had belonged to Bernard when
he served as soldier; Jehan' sought thick
cord which the mountaineers use when cutting
down trees and Pierre went towards an old
wooden cross, reared near the cottage, and
knelt before 1t for some few moments in fer
vent prayer.
They set out together, and soon reached the
brink of the precipice. The danger consisted
not only in the possibility Of falling several
hundred feet, but still more in The probable ap
gresslohs of the birds of prey, inhabiting the
wild abyss.
Pierre who was TO brave the perils, was
fine athletic young man of twenty-five. Hav-
ing measured with his eye the distance he
would have 10 descend, his brothers fastened
the cord around his waist, and began TO let him
down. Holding the sabre in his hand, he
safely reached the nook that contained the nest.
In it were four eagleis of light yeilowish
brown color, and his heart beat with joy at the
sight of them. He grasped The nest firmly in
his left hand, and shouted joyfnlly 10 his broth
ers-'I have them. Draw me upn
Already the first upward pull was given to
the cord, when Pierre felt himself attacked by
two enormous eagles, whose furious cries
proved them to be the parents of the nestlings.
Courage, brother defend ,hyself! don't
fear7
Pierre pressed the nest to his bosom, and
with his right hand made the sabre play around
his head.
Then began terrible combat. The eagles
shrieked, the little ones cried shrilly, the
shouted and brardished his sabre.
He slashed the birds with his blade, which
flashed like lightning, and only rendered them
still more enraged. He struck the rock, and
sent forth shower of sparks.
Suddenly he felt jerk given to the cord
that sustained him. Looking up he perceived
that, in his evolutions, he had cut it with his
sabre, and that half the strands were severed
Perres eyes dlIaied wildly, remaining for
a moment immovane, and then closed with
terror. A cold shudder passed through his
veins, and he thought of letting go both nest
and sabre.
At that moment one of the eagles pounced
On his head, and tried to tear his face. The
Savoyard made last effort, and defended him
self bravely. He thought OF his old father,
and took courage.
Upwards, still upwards, mounted the cord
friendly voices eagerly uttered words of en-
couragement and triumph; but Pierre could
not reply 10 them. When he reached the
brink of the precpice, still clasping fast The
nest, his hair, which an hour before was as