Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1869-12-17
MISCELLANEOUS.
} THE PEARL OF CAMPAN. ~

20 Z THE slPF BEARD AZ 4 oF CyA4MiPP.AN. MiPP.AN.s1q
ONE fine morning in autumn, /, WA,
rambling through the secluded Valley o
Campan, in the Pyrenees, accompanied b,
the excellent curate of the district witt
whom, in the course of my peregrinations
had become acquainted, and beneath
whose hospitable roof had promised t.
spend the night. The scenery was wilC
and lovely beyond description; and hay
ing expressed my admiration of it, addeC
wish to know something of its .inhabit
ants. w '.i,i"rH7- W ~ - fs{I=F
They have hearts of gold and wills q
1ron," said my friend. "Many touchins
and noble instance of generosity and self
denial have met with among them. And
for example, look at this man approachint
aus" --Tr1''1IF = S''1'''1-7t - = 1t
He was fne-looking fellow of five o.
SIX and twenty, with military air anC
dressed in uniform. The lower parI a
his face was very handsome, and his dark
sunburnt complexion suited well with the
long moustache. / could not see his ewes
for the visor of his cap was drawn so a,
to completely shade them from the light
Having exchanged cordial salutatior
with the curate, he passed on, followed by
huge white dog, with thick fursanc
enormous paws. The animal, belonged tC
breed peculiar to the Pyrenees, and re
ness. H boz. '-'u'F fS f-1'Sf
Now" said my companion, as soon as
the soldier had passed out of hearing
"while we walk along, will tell Won
true story, of which you have seen two OF
The principal characters. I-'9tI 81
Juan Trigoyan was born in the heart
pi these MOUNTAINS where the peasant had
MS choice of following one of two occupa.
tlons-that of a, shepherd or a hunter
Juan chose the latter, as his father had
done before him, and a hazardous pursuit
IL - Not merely has the mountain hunter
70 scale all but inaccessible precipices, and
brave the fury of famished bears and
wolves, but he-isrconstantly exposed to be
swept away by torrent OF. buried beneath
an avalanche. 70 this latter peril Juan
lather had fallen victim. Crushed be-
nce.th mass Of snow he perished, leaving
Els son no other heritage than his dog, his
gun and his gran dmother GSftrtide, an
aged woman, unequal to the task of sup
porting herself Juan, at this time a fine
lad OF IL, 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 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, 4 like your poor
father; and what would do left alone
without any one to love in the worldY
"Then the lad would answer: Calm
yourself mother; Providence will watch
over me for your sake , s,, t..'
,a" 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
Doth joining in the prayers with the ut
most deYotionp ~ 1a.,tr,.t-G
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
piercipgly cold but the young hunter
stepped on 'briskly, lwhistling lively tune
Suddenly cry OF distress struck his ear,
buth knew not whence it came.
On, Caesar he cried, trusting to his
dog mgecityss yeek Trout, 1boyfSSP
"ThS ao9iie creature SetIoH in.the di-
rection or 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
precedeG by tho dug. At Length he
reached an open space, and there was
Cesar struggling with wolf while Oh the
giound lay a woman, with a huge she
wolf in the act of fastening on her neck
With a short cry Juan rushed forward,
and at the sound the fierce creature raised
her headAnd Axed on him two 1eyebaiIs
glowing with rage and hunger CWitli6alt
q moments hesitation, the Intrepid hunter
seized her by the throat with one hand,
, and thrpsting the other into her mouth,
gospel her tongue md dfagged It out as
with an iron vice. After fearful strug-
gle he succeeded ip dashing the stFspgled
beast on 'tte ground. 'ThR done Juan
looked round to see IL his faithful any had
need Of assistance. No, his antagonist
also lay dead, and the hunter had time to
attend to the woman, who lay motionless
on the ground hAFing q ted Inn bScess
Of terror, Her deliverer raised her gently
in his arms, put back her rich brown, hair
Lndt ndu Iallen on ner IacS, and perceived
that she was Rgyeung aud )yargn lovely
eah Taking a hand dful OF tKs sAdH lRhich
lay on the grQlnd he rubbed it on her
temples, laffd them succeeded in putting
some small bits of ice into her mouth BY
degrees she revived, her eyelids runcloked,
and she drew deep sigh. silad l7i1d
aa."'Where am % she murmured.o o Ira
'"'"s Safe with a Friend ~ sou hnS
"1 II was you, then, who saved mes
ri Rather Providence, who was pleased
TO employ my hand
She thanked him with look far more
elbqb beat than hrworts sanfi lhah, vi b scen.
Hiding simplicity, as she stilf felt weak,
asked him toilet her lean on his arm as far
as her home. l was going to the town,
s1a said, 10 sell some milk. when those
dreadful, wolves .sttacked me, unset NV
pitcher, and but for your timely hd and
that of your good dog, would surely have
devonFed me, 49,, ,r,ru
"Phe eohversatibh thus comhehced did
not flag IgAn soon Learned that Mar
gueEite lived in the hamlet pf Campan; that
she was an orphan, and mad no property
ssYa alsmall cottage and some heht.l Bhe
managed to support herself with the
ipredtasefg theae. aRimals and hsS spinning.
Her perfect candor and her innocent
beauty csArfed the honest Iheaf1 of Juan ;
ne thought that were he Possessed of ali
hs treasures of the world he would like