The Union and eastern journal. [volume] (Biddeford [Me.]) 1854-1858, 1854-07-14
yrom ns ". y. Journal Of comnsres.
TOBACCO AND MOONLIGHT.
NAY 1ah.

In the evening, aiter the days trout.hsh.
ing, which described IN my last letter, we
were sitting in ths room Of tho country inn
Willing away the comfortable hours of amer
dinner, with pleasan, talk. A capital din
per IL was too, that we had eaien. There
was every luxury Of the country, and we
needed nothing from the city. And we had
the trout the first one. and long succession
Of the same sort. aud we ale and ale, anu,
ON INV word, I believe we should have cal.
en- ,ill morning IL We had not been stopped
bv The reflection that we should have no
time for n cigar, unless we took i in The ev-
eninr. Such appe,iies does the forest give,
and such dinners does the country afford 10
such appetiies.
The sun was long gone, and the moon lay
in The east. when we came out from dinner
10 the piazza and took the large chair placed
for Us by Sam, (lhe bes, attendant that
country inn ever boasied.) Willis lit his
cigar, and elevated his feet 10 an angle OF
comfort. followed his excellent, example,
and so the evening wore on, while we were
silen, and thoughtful. II was nearly nine
o'clock when our solitude was interrupted.
An old man came down the village road, and
naused for a moment in iron, OF the tavern
and stared a, our boots, the soles OF which
were the only PORTIONS Of Us, or OF our dress,
visible 10 an outsider. Doubtless the boo,s
were sufficient, 10 prove that we were ciii.
zens, for, after due Inspection OF them, D
heard him mu,ler something abou, slrang.
ers, and he sa, himself down OH the loves,
step Of the piazza, and smoked as steadily
a, his pipe Us we al our cigars. |, was a
clay pipe Of the simples, form, and, as he
smoked, the cloud grew thick around his
head, and almos, concealed the Struggling
white hair which flowed down over his
shoulders out from under feit ha, OF The
oldos, kind. His back was towards me, and
rs I endeavored 10 trace the outlines OF Ms
head and shoulders in the dim moonlight,
The curling smoke seemed to create SORT oil
halo around him, and the picture was per-
fec, when he took Off his rude ha, and let
me see The contour Of noble head.
For n hong time we continued silent, and
the moon wen, up the sky and The clouds
drilled into silver glories and ont OF them,
one BY one, as If in possession OF a holy
place, and the old man, Willis and !, sat
and gazed a, the moon and sky and clouds,
and The night went on.
I, was then Ten o'cock-hali pasi-and
the landlord came out quietly Tor a last CT.
gar, and without, speaking TO any oil US, and
added TO The smoky cloud. and Sam came
from the kitchen with a stump OF tobacco
between his teeth, at which he pulled Wig
oIously, and touching his cap rs he passed
the old man. sa, himself down at the oiheI
enJ OF the step aud smoked in silence.
| had long ago begun 10 imagine ro-
nance abou, hat fine old head, and Tor hall
an hour had been repeating 10 myself The
possible events that had whitehead it, when
Tiny, the little daughter OF the landlord,
who should have been sleeping three honIs
ago, came shining out IN the moonlight, IN
her white nighl-dreSs, and seeing the old
man on the steps, rushed down with CHR
rup Of delight, and threw her little arms
around his neck. He, nothing anger:d by
the rude assault, OF the little beauty, swung
her gently into his lap, and heard him
whisper. with a half sigh as he locked al
her, "hh, petite, she was like thee"
He spoke in French. My fancies were
dissipaied a, once, for no one had painted
him a Frenchman. But now hat other
fancies, for who did the old man mean 10
say was like Tiny, and wha, swee, memory
was floating around his old head, more holy
than the moonlight
Al length The story was told. For the
words he uttered broke the spell OF silence,
and the landlord addressed The old man.
Like-who is she likeW
"She is so much like my Mary, my bless
ed Mary, iha, has been dead for almost hlly
years"
ADO you remember fifty years - demand
ed Willis, with n voice that betokened sur
prise.
Yes, well nigh seventy" was the reply.
uWhy, | can't recall two score years, and
shorter life how can you bear NJ with the
memories of three score and TEL"
The old man rose slowly from his. sea,
and placed The child, already half asleep, in
the arms of Sam, who stood ready TO receive
her, and then, turning calm hazel eye tow
ards Joe Willis, spoke in tone in which
pride and sorrow were strangely mingled.
IL was at the Pyramids, at Acre, at the
bridge Of Lodi, at Marengo, Ausierlilz, Jean,
Moscow, Waterloo We started 10 our
feet, and were ready TO do homage 10 the
veteran OF hundred battles.
"Why, friend, you are one of the mobiles
OF France. They should build you palace
a, Versailles. The nephew OF his uncle
should know you"
The old man smiled for moment, and
then placed the old ha, on his head and
walked away. The next instant he turned
back, and addressing Willis in French, ask.
ed him If he were inclined 10 walk little
way. "Wiih my friend here and you
Yes.n He made no objection 10 my CON-
pany, and so we went hundred steps down
the road, and then Turned into the wood n
little way. until we came TO an opening
where the moonlight, reached The ground
through the grove which had been some.
what ihinned. A glance showed that we
were in the village burial ground. The old
man LODI Us across the enclosure 10 mound,
unmarked save by the luxurian, masses OF
the low myrtle, whose blue flowers were
already blooming proiusely. though hardly
10 be- distinguished in the ligh, of the moon.
Here our guide paused, and pointing al the
grave said simply, bu, Significantly, She
is there"
"The mother OF Marie,"
"Her mother, my Mary aud he bowed
his head silently.
And now am aware that this simple in
ciden, Of our visi, 10 the country is likely
to be prolonged 10 tedious degree. an
indeed afraid tina, it is TOO stupid TO afforc
you any interest.
Blu, there was deep interest in ], 10 me
and in his simple story Of u life OF war and
love.
He told US Of sunny hill in Providence,
ard a valley where the happy villagers lived
in the years long gone. And in his quie,
way he namad their names. Name, OF per