Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1867-05-18
THE PEDDLER,S STORY.

stltl0uB, Dut L nave I'LL nay Nlo Deen
troubled with q kind Of superauricular
sense By this wish to convey the idea
that l hear things over and above the
natural sense Of hearing. The sound, as
of a human voice, comes to me and syl-
iabies words OF meaning, when / know
that no human being is near, and that
the whole must be some kind of mental
deception. Sometimes these words are
of common import, and sometimes OF
deep significance. Well do | remember
that once, when quite a lad, living at
home with my parents, in Paris, ! heard
the words, spoken in my very ear as it
were:
Pierre Boisant, prepare for sorrow +
was alone in my fathers library at
the time, engaged in solving difficult
problem, and, therefore, in no condition
for this to be the effect of an excited fancy
or Imagination. ~
What followed Ny father at that
time was accounted rich merchant
Three weeks after he was a bankrupt, If
/ had been the most Imaginative person
in the world / could not have presaged
this
Three years later the same words were
repeated. was then alone, on the read
to Troyes, engaged in the humble calling
of peddler, to which my father s misfor-
tunes had reduced me. / felt that some
thing serious was about to happen, and l
took the first conveyance back to Paris
| hastened to nay fathers then humble
lodgings, and found him dying, and my
poor mother almost distracted with grief
She was surprised TO see me; but when
| told her what brought me home, she
said it must be the voice Of the Lord. /
did net agree with her in that respect,
because | often heard that same voice
saying trihing things.
Well, my father died, and ny mother
did not long survive him, and then was
alone in the world. Seeing nothing
better before meat least nothing that
better suited my disposition for cen.
stant change of scene-I resumed the
humble business of peddlsr, and after
two or three weeks spent in France,
went to Sardinia and established
route for myself among the re-
tired villages Of the mountains, where
at least was looked upon as in no wise
| inferior to the farmers, artisans and
peasants with whom | dealt
| was now in a region wild enough to
suit my romantic turn Of mind, and
perilous enough to keep me in state Of
| almost constant excitement, which was
as much source OF pleasure 10 me
then as peaceful serenity is at the pres
ent time. Some of the routes between
one habitation and another we're so long
that one days journey would not take
me through, and then | would be obliged
to fnd my lodging among two caves,
rocks or trees, as best l could. Some OF
the mountain passes were very danger
Gus, and single step or misstep might
send oae hsadlong down hundred or a
thousand feet. Then there were dangers
from storms and hurricanes, some Of
which we're terrible, and not least of all
was the danger from robbers, who might
be met with where least expected.
For six years l carried on my peddling
traffic in that wild region, without any
other misfortune thsa some serious
Gghts and hair breadth escapes By that
time felt that, for young man, ] was
pretty well of, aud thought / would re-
turn to Paris and set up shopkeeping;
and an event, or perhaps | should rather
say tragedy, that happened about that
time, fixed my resolution and FASTENED
my departure. 49,,
As 1 was going over very wild and
lonely pass Of the mountains, the sun
being nearly set and | at least seven
miles from the nearest habitAtiou, my
familiar voice, which had never left me,
said distinctly:
"Pierre Boisant, beware
I was alarmed at this Warnihg, because
/ had never received warning Of the
kind in vain. / looked up to the rugged,
frowning rocks above me, and down into
the awful gulf below, and thsn before
and behind at the marrow, zigzag path l
was pursuing, but saw no living thing,
except large, black bird, Of the vulture
species, that was slowly Winging his way
across the wild scene, az if from one
mountain peak TO another. kneE the
voice was not human, and felt there
was some impending danger, but what Il
was. or where or when to look for It, /
could not tell Il was not possible for
me 10 remain where / was, and TO 90
back might be as dangerous as to 90 for
ward, and so ] continued TO advance,
looking carefully to every step, and
rlaneing keenly and nerYously at all the
/ surroundings
/ Al length / reached q still wider and
Sloozier. place, where II was usual for
me, when on this route, TO turn on dovh
iuto the dark valley, TO pass the night in
A Httle cave, which ] had accidentally
discovered about hundred and hfty
Yards from the path, and which was 50
so,iuded and concealed by q clump Of