The Elk advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Elk Co., Pa.) 186?-1868, 1867-03-14

your seine and Rhone are mere lnslg.
nifcant brooklets, and in one of our
lakes you might sink all Paris, and not
vestige of it wo'd be seen. Say but
the word, Annette, and before Monsieur
Franklin leaves the house all may be
settled"
Glow said the maiden, her dark,
soft eyes expanding with an expression
OF astonishment and her whole coun-
tenance breathing, rs it were, the doubt
and curiosity which Richards dcscrip-
ton Of his native land had awakened in
her simple mind ABOVE all, at hearing
of lakes in which all Paris wonld disap-
pear, without leaving trace of it. "Are
there, then, such grand and beautiful
things in your country 2"
eyes Annett, indeed and God knows
that [ speak the truth"
"And is there then, also, there, duck
pond, like here at Auteuil p
"What the duck pond of Autouil !
That little pond you pass by at the en-
trance to the village-that mere ditch
planted around with sickly trees, and fnll
of nothing else but frogs and toads Z"
eyes, yes" resumed the village lass,
Withdrawing herself gently from Rich
ards circling arm. "a duck pond like
here in Auteuil ?"
"But. Annette, how can you think of
that duck pond ? You surely do not love
me and there is some young man in the
village whom you love better than me-"
"No Richard. But the duck pond Of
Auteuil is more to my taste than your
great lakes which you seem to have a
fancy to put all Paris in and then your
rivers, as compared to which Sein3, my
loved, beautiful Seine, the river of my
native land is but an insignificant
brooklct Richard, I will be your wife. i;
but you must remain in Auteuil.
"What, Annette? You would have
me leave Monsieur Franklin ? Have me
abandon forever my native land ? That
would be as though you would have me
desert the flag Of my country ? You
would surely never require such a sacri-
flee from me, Annett? Reflect only a
little that my country has need Of all
her citizens, however humble their sta,
ton. That England, which could not
crush us out, may again become cur
enemy. Good Heavens what would
Monsieur Franklin say to such thing,
were | to tell him | would not return
with him to America ? Annette 4! love
you 1 would willingly lay down my
life for you. if my country had no call
for it. Annette my beloved Anntte !!
there is yet something greater, someN
thing higher than love, .han happiness /;
and that is the duty we owe to the land
that gave us birth. But you-you are
not so situated. What can withhold
you? France has no need of you a
humble maiden. You can leave your
native land, and your abseuce wonld
never be remarked you, whose name
is perhaps not known beyond Auteuil,
and who never can render any service
to your country"
"You are in error, Richard !" re-
piled the maiden, rising from the seat
and assuming graceful dignity OF atti-
tude that struck Richard with astonlsh-
ment, as with the spontaneous impulse
Of all her genial nature, she exclaimed,
1" too love my country-Our beautiful
France! ! And | will that my children,
should it please God that [ have any,
shall love it too, as do! Have you
never heard in your America ct that
maiden of France, the humble village
girl of Domremy, who delivered our
land, too, from the yoke of those proud
English, against whom you have fought?
Duty, you say, calls you back to Amer
lea. My happiness binds me to france.
You love your lakes, your rivers, your
forests l love the duck pond of Aute-
uil on whose bank l was born. As a
child sported by that pond side and
those sickly trees of which you spoke
with such contempt, were witnesses to
the pleasure of my youth. Adieu, Mon
sieur Richard Fare ye we'll / must
go water my fathers peas, make the
cheese for Madame Helvetius, and skim
last nights milk"
With the native grace of her country
women, she curtsied slowly and slightly
to her dumbrstricken and bewildered
American lover; then, turning from the
spot in visible emotion, and eyes suffusGd
with impressible tears, she hastened to
the kitchen garden where her father
had been engaged all the morning with
his watering pot.
"My dear friend" said Madame Hell
vetius to Franklin, "you are more
valuable citizen than Richard, at least
you are moro useful and needed by your
country than he. Will you, can you
resolve to give up your America entire.
ly? Will you end your days in France
near the duck-pond of Auteuil, far
away from your great rivers, your i'm
mense lakes, your sun that rises so glor-
iously over your virgin forests | for
my part-I think like Annette. l pre-
fer the little insignificant duckopond of