New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1858-11-13
Legend of the Pin.

In the west of France the pin is endowed with a
fabulous power, which is not without certain inter.
est though it may be painful one, as will be seen
BY the denouement One of its supposed attributes
is, when having been employed in the toilet Of a
bride, to attract lovers towards the one afterwards
possessing it consequently, it is a curious sight in
La Fendee Les-DeuX Seares to see all the peasant
girls anXIousy placing pin in the brides dress and
the number is often considerable that she is forced
to have pin cushion attached to her waistband to
receive all the prckly charms. At night, on the
threshold Of the bridal chamber, the bride is sur
rounded by her companions, each eagerly seizing
upon the charmed pin, which is kept as a sacred
relic,
Elsewhere-in Brittany, for instance-the pin is
considered as the guardian of chastity, mute wit
ness which will one day stand forth to applaud or
condemn in the following manner
In the villages where this superstition is in force
some days before the wedding the intended leads his
future bride to the edge of some mysterious current
of water, and taking of her pins he drops it into
the water; if it swims, the young girls innocence
is incOntestabe it, on the contrary it sinks to the
bottom, it is an accusation which no evidence can
overcome, for it is considered the Judgment of
Heaven, as such things were regarded in the middle
ages. But as the peasant girls in Brittany never use
by way of pins anything heavier than the long black
thorn which they find in the hedges, the severity of
the tribunal is never very great
On the lth Of last December young peasant,
mounted on strong cob, full of hope and gaiety not
little the result of lovely spring-like morning was
with handsome girl of twenty on pillion behind
him, her arm tenderly clasping his waist From the
air OF happiness around both of them, it was Yery
easy to see shat they were two lovers aud so they
were, going on pilgrimage to try the charm of the
pin at the fountain OF St, Douet. jeans father was
of the richest landholders in the neighborhOod
but above all the girls OF fortune around he had cho.
sen Margaret, whose sole wealth lay in her beauty
and virtue. Through all the alleys OF the wood with
wild thyme and volets beneath their horses feet the
sweet odor of which, even at that late season, was
perceptble they iOnrneyed until they arrived in
wild and misunderstanding plain whence they plunged
once more into the mysterious forests OF FiniserTe
filled with DruidiCal memories. Was it the influence
of the SPOT or the near approach Of the trial at the
fountain which saddened both? Nevertheless Mar
garet looked forward without fear she was so GER
tain of her innocence, and she had so firm a
reliance on the virtue OF the act she was about to
perform. It might be that the west wind, as it
sighed through tue trees which had waved beneath
its breath for ages, recalled to both of them all the
legends of fairies and elves which were supposed to
dwell in those vast forests Jean, who was well
acquainted with the forest managed to guide his
horse through all the overgrown aud t0rtuous paths
until they found themselves close to the sacred oun-
tain il clear source bursting through the crew
ices of rock overgroWn with moss, over which it
rushed into natural BASIN and thence escaped in a
thread-like stream over the sylvan glade.
The young couple dsm0unted, and Margaret,
kneeling down, prayed feryently for some moments
then rising up, she gave her left hand to her lover
and full Of confidence advanced towards the fountain
Alas she had too much faith in the virtue of the
legend instead of thorn pin, she took from her
neckerGhet large one with silver head, which her
lover had given herr The pin dropped into the water
and disappeared instantane0usly. At O'Clock in
the evening, Jean left the young girl brOkenhearted
in her sorrow, at her fathers door, Silently be
brought her home not a word had passed his lips
since the moment OF the fatal trial. but as he lifted
her from his horse he stopped and kissing her brow
said, "Adeu, my poor Margaret, and to think how
Is1,,y, hnx,e "a yg7,tr