Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1869-02-05
From Temple Bar for January.
ETCHNE'S VEyGEsVCE.

From Temple Bar for January.
ETICHNE'S VEyGEsVCE,
An OLD MANS STORY.
] was born in the sweet South. the sunny
South that the good God had made so fair.
The skies are blIe, rich and fertile are the
valleys, glorious the hues and tints of our
lovely forests. Bright and many colored
flowers carpet the earth. their scent hangs
upon the soft air, purple are our vineyards
with clustering grapes. and away, far off in
the distance. You see against the bright clear
sky shining the peaks of the white Pyrenees,
like soft feecy clouds All that God has
made Is fair, ali in nature is fair, but mans
oppression darkens the earth groaning and
travail and hunger are where happiness and
plenty were designed. The poor, the humble
must toll, must rise early and work late. be-
cause away at the gay court their masters
live in luxury and wantonness, squandering
in night what would give happiness and
comfort to their poor dependents for years.
But II was young then, my veins We're
strong, my heart WIS light, and had Neron-
lque-N eronique who was beautiful tall.
like the white lilies; sweet as the flowers of
the orange golden-haired, like the little
floating sun-clouds of evening. Her voice
was sweeter than the song of the birds which
sang in our many-tinted woods when she
smiled, it was like a ray of sunshine stream
ing from heaven. What was toll. what even
hunger when had Ner0nique and She too.
loved me even as loved her-uay. for that
were hardly possible. ! was twenty and Yer
onique sixteen; every evening We were to-
gether, and all day we had the thought of
meeting To Tighten our toll. Then we sat,
side by side, ON the m0ss-coyered rocks, and
decked her hair with the wild flowers that
grew in great SPRAYS from the wide-mouthed
creyices, or sometimes We wandered. hand in
hand. through the vineyards. or the fragrant
pine woods, o- down by the river that flowed
clear as crystal in the valley.
The autumn came. and we heard the Mar
quis was bringing grand party from Paris
to stay at the chateau. lt was years since
he had been there Neroniquc and | were
quite hlithe % thinlS We should have q
glimpse of the grand doings And then. TOO,
We should ask and obtain NJ. le Marquis per-
mission to our marriage. ! appealed to the
lntendant 70 get my permission he refused
to trouble Monseigueur with such a trumpery
- - tIl
=. NJ " T., r;. - - ~ ',,g nm; 9ii'
-. - -.
or+ +11a-{ lin, ,,r..,..,.. ia i
kneeling on one knee.
.,;4 -, ~; H. "-.'' ,i
Sr3 e' Iw i' -. 7 b '.ti on ,.J,s5 f- III WIS ,l'ii
,,ii ,, -'ii-' - 80, 5 '-, e & ,,',l @ W. ''lliN
r,nnd L;. iJorl, ,yes
/ t5ld him rs briefly as : c,uI5
Moriieu," he said. with c5ntemrtuou-
sneer' "Wnat does fellow Ike you want
"lth marrying!
'' M9nseigneur, ! exclaimed. ''wc love
each other.
" Corhieu be answered. with an evil
smile '' you are getting lazy. You saris. since
YOU have time for that folly. What j. she
ike, this girl You want TO marry 2'
' She j. beautiful Mon-eigneur. said
quickly.
'' All. ha r. lie laughed scprniully. " !
must discover what the peasant idea OF
beauty Is ! VIII zee your Forest uymph
some day, and then, perhaps, unless she
should be too good for you've shall see.
and with laugh that made my blood turn to
fire, he put spurs to his horse and rode
away.
Then a sudden terror filled my mind.
dreaded lest be should see Nerouique. Only
two years ago the seigneur Of the next estate
had carried away little Fanchon, who had
been gong % marry my friend Aruaud. and
had taken her with him to Paris. and this
licentious young rr1higate with the evil laugh
should be see my Neroniguc. | stag
gered against a tree. sick with sudden an
guIsh lest something too horrible 70 think of
should beiall us two Some days passed.
had bidden VeroniQue never stir from her
mothers hut alone-we were together in the
woods, she leaning on my shoulder. while my
heart was full of heaviness. 1t was late in
autumn the leaves We're falling fast. Sud
denly there was "A sound Of horses feet, and
the MARQUIS de Foissac came along at full
gallon. At the sirht of us he drew rein.
dofFed nv can; Ieronioue made her little
graceful courtesy.
:. .Sanrdieu - he cried. .who is this Young
Venus ?!'
NV heart sank asI tried to answer respect
ully.
at Is Veronioue. Nonseirneur. the Girl Of
whom smoke to YOUR lords6ip.'
sDiantre - he said. Sowing till his dark
brows almost met. ..You want to marry
this little beauty"
with YOUR PERMISSION. Nonseirneur.
Come here. mvchild." " he said, beckoning
Veroniaue.
She went forward trembling. | dared not
interfere.
- And you-you would like to marry this
clod?'
" Monseigneur, we love each other-Eti-
enne and |, she answered, trembling, and
with tears in her eyes.
3. Sancdieu. little one. that is because YOU