The Vermont transcript. [volume] (St. Albans, Vt.) 1864-1870, 1864-06-17


one that told me that Jean had come
back; and it went on to say how well
he was looking. Poor Lucie did not
know how it all went to my soul, and
how many tears her letters cost me.
Afterward came letters in gayer
temper-still full of the praises of Jean;
and she wondered why was not glad
to hear so much of him, and wondered
thatmy letters were growing SO gloomy.
Another letter came still gayer, and a
postscript that cut me to the heart;
the postscript was in jacques scrawl-
ing hand, and said that all the village
believed that Jean was to marry sister
Lucie. we shall be so glad, it said,
if you will come home to the wedding 7
oh Monsieur, i had thought / loved
Lucie. l am afraid did not Iwrote
no answer; | could not. By-and-by
came a thick letter with two little
doves upon the seal. / went to my
room and barred the door, and cried
over it, without daring to open it. The
truth was as ] had feared--Jean had
married Lucie. Oh, my feelings-my
bitter feelings, Monsieur Pray Heaven
you may never have such
My husband grew indignant at my
sadness, and / disliAed kim more and
more. Again we changed our quarters
to the mountains, where the troops
had been ordered, and for very long
time no letter came to me from home
| had scarce heart to write, and spent
day after day in my chamber. We
were five years along the Pyrenees,
you remember the high mountains
about Pau, and the snowy tops that
you can see from the houses; but en-
joyed nothing of it all By-and-by
came a letter with a black seal, III the
struggling hand Of my poor father say
ing that Jean and Lucie had gone over
the sea to the Isle of Mauritius, and
that little Jacques had sickened of a
\ fever and was dead | longed to go
and see my old father; but my hus-
band could not leave and he was sus-
picious Of me, and would not suffer me
to travel across France alone
so l spent years more-only one
letter coming to me in all that time
whether stopped by my husbands or
ders or not do not know At length
he was ordered with his regiment to
Chalons sur Marne there were old
friends of his at Chalons, with whom
he is stopping now. We passed
through Paris and saw all its won
ders; yet longed to get toward home.
At length we set off for Chalons. 1t
was FIVE days before l could get my
husbands leave to ride over to my old
town. am afraid he has grown to
hate me now. You see that old
Chateau in ruins, says she, pointing
out messy remnant of castle, on a
hillock to the left-it is only two Kill
ometres from Semur. 1 have been
there often with Jean and Lucie,' and
madame looks earnestly, and with hen
whole heart in her eye, at the tottering
old ruin, We ask the position the
name, and jot it down IN our note
book.
And your father knows nothing o.
your return !?
I have written from Chalons ! re-
, sumed madame, but whether he bC
alive to read it, l do not know.
And she begins now to detect the
{ cottages, on which in this old country
ten years would make but little differ
Z ence The roofs are covered oyei
t with that dappled moss you see IL
: Wafelets pictures, and the high stone
I court-yards are gray with damp anC
I age.
La roila ? at length exclaims ma
: dame, clapping her hands; and in the
: valley into which we have just turned
q and are now crick-cracking along il
the crazy old cabriolet, appears the tai
. spire of Semur. A brown tower o.
5 two flank it, and there is group o
{ gray roofs mingled with the trees
: Madame keeps her hands clasped anC
i; is silent The postilhon give his ha
a iaunty air, and crosses himself as W.
/, pass a church by the way; and thu
v farmeries pass us one by one; thel
+ come the paved streets, and the pigs
n and the turbaned women in SabOts, ant
d boys eyes, all intent; and thick houses
V and provincial shops.
4 The same dear old town of Semur
d says our female companion. And wit
h a crack and rumble, and Jolt, W
r. are presently at the door of the inn
t. The woman runs her eye hastily owe
l the loungers; apparently she is dissat
| isfed. We Chamber down and assis
her to dismount.
.e Shall we make any inquiries 70
o her 2
: oh, Mon Dieul jai trop de peur
d She IS afraid to askFshe will go see
q and away she startsLturns-throw
IS back her yeil-asks pardon-'we hay
/ been so kind'-bids God bless us
Il waves her hand and disappears aroun
b an angle of the old inn. lis the las
" we see of her; for, in ten minutes W
a are rafting away towards Dole an
], the Juras Ike Maroers Scuea Sorie
N DOMESTIC WINEs.-There can be Il
d doubt that the use OF domestic wine