The Plymouth Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1869-1941, 1869-12-16
MISCELLANEOUS.
THE PEARL OF CAMPAN.

THE PEARL OF CAMPAN.
ONE fine morning in autumn, / was
rambling through the secluded Valley of
Campan, in the Pyrenees, accompanied by
the excellent curate of the district, with
whom, in the course of my peregrinations,
/ had become acquainted, and beneath
whose hOspitable roof had promised to
spend the night. The scenery was wild
and lovely beyond description; and hav-
ing expressed my admiration of it, / added
wish to know something of its ,inhabit-
ants.
They have hearts of gold and wills of
iron" said my friend "Many touching
and noble instance of generosity and self
denial have met with among them. And,
for example, look at this man approaching
u.s."
He was fine-looking fellow of five or
six and twenty, with military air and
dressed in uniform. The lower part of
his face was very handsome, and his dark,
sunburnt complexion suited well with the
long moustache. 1 could not see his eyes,
for the visor of his cap was drawn so as
to completely shade them from the light.
Having exchanged a cordial salutation
with the curate, he passed on, followed by
u huge white dog, with thick fur and
enormous paws. The animal belonged to
breed peculiar to the Pyrenees, and re-
markable for their sagacity and faithful
ness.
Now" said my companion, as soon as
the soldier had passed out of hearing,
while we walk along, l will tell you
true story, of which you have seen two of
the principal characters.
Juan Trigoyan was born in the heart
OF these mountains, where the peasant had
his choice of following one of two occupa-
tions-that of shepherd or hunter.
Juan chose the latter, as his father had
done before him, and hazardous pursuit
1t is. Not merely has the mounta in hunter
to scale all but inaccessible precipices, and
brave the fury of fanished bears and
wolves, but he is constantly exposed to be
swept away by torrent OF. buried beneath
an avalanche. To this latter peril Juan's
father had fallen victim. Crushed be-
meath mass of snow he perished, leaving
his son no other heritage than his dog, his
gun, and his grandmother Gertrude, an
aged woman, unequal to the task of sup
porting herself Juan, at this time fine
lad of Is, loved his grandmother tenderly;
she had always supplied to him the place
of his mother, who had died in giving him
birth, and he now, with a courage and
resolution beyond his years, undertook
the sole charge of their maintenance. He
had been early trained to the chase, and
success now crowned his efforts The
number of izards, eagles and bears struck
down by his hand testified to the sureness
OF his foot and the certainty of his aim.
Thanks to the value of these spOils, Ger
trude knew no privation, but the trembled
for the safety of her beloved child, and
often said to him, with tears in her eyes:
Stay at home to-day, Juan you will per-
ish some time or other, like your poor
father; and what would / do left alone
without any one to love in the world?'
'Then the lad would answer: Calm
yourself, mother; Providence will watch
over me for your sake
"Thus did Juan work hard during the
week for his own and his parents sup
port, and on Sunday | loved to see them
entering my little church, Gertrude lean
ing on the arm of her handsome boy, and
both joining in the prayers with the ut
most devotion.
1.-TWO years passed on, and Juan was
returning one day from Bagneres, whittier
he had gone to dispose of some game. 1t
was winter, and the north wind blew
piercingly cold, but the young hunter
stepped on briskly, whistling lively tune
Suddenly a cry OF distress struck his ear,
but he knew not whence it came
On, Caesar he cried, trusting to his
dog sagacity: seek it out, boyr
"The docile creature set off in the di-
rectiOn of thick pine grove, and his mas
ter followed /; the cries became louder, and
Juan recognized the voice of female in
distress. He redoubled his speed, still
preceded by the dog. At length he
reached an open space, and there was
Cesar struggling with wolf, while on the
ground lay woman, with huge she
wolf in the act of fastening on her neck
With short cry Juan rushed forward,
and at the sound the fierce creature raised
her head and fixed on him two eyeballs
glowing with rage and hunger. Without
a moments hesitation, the intrepid hunter
seized her by the throat with one hand,
and thrusting the other into her mouth,
grasped her tongue and dragged it out as
with an iron vice. After fearful strug-
gle he succeeded in dashing the stranglea
beast on the ground. This done, Juan
looked round to see if his faithful ally had
need of assistance. No, his antagonist
also lay dead, and the hunter had time to
attend to the woman, VINO lay motionless
on the ground, having fiinted from excess
of terror. Her deliverer raised her gently
in his arms, put back her rich brown hair
that had fallen on her face, and perceived
ihat she was young and very lovely
gIrl. Taking handful of the snow which
lay on the ground he rubbed it on her
temples, and then succeeded in putting
some small bits of ice into her mouth. BY
degrees she revived, her eyelids Enclosed,
and she drew deep sigh.
Where am I?' she murmured.
Safe with friend
1t was you, then, who saved me?'
"' Rather Providence, who was pleased
to employ my hand
She thanked him with look far more
eloquent than words; and then with con-
fiding simplicity, as she still felt weak,
asked him to let her lean on his arm as far
as her home. 1 was going to the town.
she said, to sell some milk, when those
dreadful wolves attacked me, upset nv
pitcher, and but for your timely aid and
that of your geod dog, would surely have
devoured me-
"The conversation thus commenced did
not flag. Juan soon learned that Mar
guerite lived in the hamlet of Campan; that
she was an orphan, and had no property
save small cottage and some hens. She
managed to support herself with the
profits of these animals and her spinning.
Her perfect candor and her innocent
beauty charmed the honest heart Of Juan !;
he thought that were he possessed of all
he treasures Of the world he would like