The Ohio union. [volume] (Ashland, Ohio) 1849-1854, 1853-11-23

the foot of The building! Masters, work
men, neighbors, all are there assembled in
haste and lumult. A workman has fallen
Hilaire presses forward, TO see Abel lie
bleeding on the ground. The poor child
dies, murmurng," Master, have not beer
able to finish the work, 10 the name o
my poor mother, for one day wanting, dc
not replace my father!" The place wa,
preserved for Hilaire his wages even
were donbled-loo late. One morning
trouble closed his eyelids; and the good
father, stiff in death, went to take another
place-in the tomb by the side Of his son
The incident is in tselfso touching, ant
part Of The poem is so beautifully written
that we cannot find ii in our heart to say
how Jasmin wept and sobbed, both ia
French and Gascon ; how be buried bis
face in his hands, and look,a peculiar i'll
tonation atexactly the same place in eact
rendering; how the same smile and tht
same agony became wonderful faiher thar
inspiriling, when repeated SO faithfully
and how much more like the most elabo
rate acting than like nature it appeared.
There were some men who wept, and
many women who cried. "CharRaHi
tout fait cbarmant F." bui without weep
ing; and the lady of the house was very
grateful, and the eccesaslics smooth and
patronizing. And Jasmin sat like an en-.
lhroned denIigod, and quafed his nectar
and shifted his ambrosia, smiling benignly.
1t was all very amusing to proud, stiff
reserved " Brilisher" like myself; for
how grayheaded men With stars and rib.
bons could cry at Jasmin's reading, and
how Jasmin, himself a man, could sob,
and wipe his eyes, and weep so violently,
and display such excessive emotion, sur.
passed my understanding, probably cloud.
ed by the chill atmosphere Of the fogs in
which every Frenchman believes we live.
They were like number of children sci
free from school playing at human life.
But | saw they all thonght me as cold as
sIono and as hard as iron; they looked it.
For did not cry like the rest /; and,
though | was more attentive to the poet
than many Of them were, yet I knew il
was a critical rather than responsive at.
tention, and, as such, would naturally be
expressed in my counleDance.
The third poem which the cOiGeur, now
calmed and smiling, read, was Ma Bigno
My Vine. This is an exceedingly
graceful poem, perhaps as graceful and
perfect as anything Jasmin has DONE
Lacking true simplicity, while 10 all ap-
Pearance the very soul Of it-in reality
totally destitute Of such simplicity as is
expressed by unconscioasness, but fresh
and hearty, and with certain youthful
ness OF feeling that gives, ,sta great charm
"a charm lost when Jasmin reads for
then the strained smile, The exceeding self.
satisfaction. the consciousness of naiuett
and simplicity, spoil the whole thing, and
give it the sane false sir as the paint and
tinSel of theatre give 10 young child
one feels want Of harmony somewhere,
and one chafes at the nature which parades
itself boaslingly, and calls to all the world ;
See how charming am I"
The subject of My Vine is very simple.
1t is an episile to Madame Louis Veil al
Paris, setting forth the pleasures of a
small piece Of ground which Jasmin has
bought at Agen; piece Of ground long
desired, and now bought with the money
gained by his poems, and chrislened a
PGpiROto! His description Of his fruit
trees, his birds, his flowers, his vines, all
warm with sun, sparkling, bright and lus.
cious, is about the bes, specimen Of this
kind of writing we have seen anywhere.
ltis a living picture; you see the fruI
glowing in The sun, the fruit which Ma
dame Louis Veil is "to pluck from the
branch" after taking of her shining
gloves" and plant in it her white teeth. u
Like us you will almost drink ii The
peach without taking off its fine skin, fol
from the skin to the almond il melIs in the
mOulh-it is honey!"
The poem ends with confession on lht
part of the poe, Of sundrv robberies com
mited in this same place when a lad, o
apple'trees broken, hedges forced, ant
vineladders scaled, winding up with thes,
words: " Madame, you see turn towards
The past without blush; will you Wha
| have robbed return, and return il will
usury. have no door for my vine iw,
lhorns bar its threshold when by the hol
| see the nose of marauders, instead o
arming myself with a cane, | turn away
and go, so that they may return. He whit
robbed when young, in his-old age allow
himself 10 be robbed" An amiable senti
menl, sure TO be popular among the risinl
generation of Agen!
This was the last thing the poe, read
and then his social ovation began, La1ie
surrounded him, and men admired him
ring was presented, and pretty speecl
spoken by a pretty mouth accompanied
the presentation and the man Of The peo
pie was faltered out Of ali proportion BY
The brave, naughty old nObIesse. TO dc
Jasmin justice, although naturally enough
spoiled by the absurd amount Of adulalior
be has met with, he has not been made
cOld-hearted or worldly. He is vain, vair
as a petted child, but true and loyal TO hi'
caste. He is still the man Of the people
content 10 be 50, and not seeking to dis
gulse or belle his profession. In fact, he
always dwels on his pas, more or less
and never misses an opportunity 10 remint
his audience that he is but plebian aflsl
all lie wears a white apron, and lrizze:
hair to This day when at Agen and, chew
alier of the Legion Of Honor, member o
| acndemies and lnslilnles without number