The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1871-09-14

| securing the Country, on The pretGIce OF
an alarm from Franc-TireuIs All were
noisy, rudy, ard full of life: they looaed
curiously al my Companion as he returned
| their military salute. Why should q con-
quering German lock so dowucast? they
seemed to say. A little further on came
rafting at fGll speed the FelJ-post, brist-
ling with sol1iers and bayonels, each cart
driven by q sullen, scared looking FreL en-
peasant As We passed them, the men
| called out friendly greeting TO Heinrich,
| but he cid not raise his bent head, as with
! long absent strites he waied through the
| snow. As We passed through the gates
| |. adlng into the town, with all the hustle
and Confusion arOuld u, he began ab-
ruptly to talk aloui his Utmost thoughts
| And how my motnar viii griese for
mel" he ssid q have written to Ter
| from time TO time, telling her about my
| love for Marie, and she has 50 well un-
| derstood-she has all a mans chivalfv for
| women. At first she wrote, Do not give
| your heart to French woman, my SON
| but in her last letter she said, When the
| war is over, ana II your Life is spared,
,ring Marie with her babe and the two OLD
| women 10 our valley If The Wisp -rthal :;
the house s roomy, and with US there viii!
be peace and plenty, and we soall together
SNt OIL AL1b olo -allu HO ~, Lit
went on, fln.ing up his arms, it is all like
some wiid dream that is passed. You are
tired" he said, looking Gown at me with
his kindly penetrating eyes, but you viii
sleep tonight and get rest, while I-I-my
life now Will be one long restless night,
when waking ind her not
You are soldier; you can fight" |
said, feeling more pity Lor Marie.
les, can do that" ne said, laughing
hCaTsely.
some days afterwards was in the door
Way II house opposite to that o! Jacques,
when ny attention was attracted by lit
tie crowd collected around his open Coor
Two Unlans had come riding down the
str ct, aud stopped to join Heinrich, who
Was mountiu z his horse and bidding fare
well TO lis hosts Jacques held out his
hand and gave Heinrich d kindly shake,
for the wounded Frenchman could afford
to be polite to his enemy; the ola mother
had come totterlnS lAIo the light, and,
while shading her eyes with her hand, Z as
giving long earnest look at the dep ,rtng
guest The busting little motner-in law
was calling out her last farewell 10 Helm
rich, who though he was one If the de-
tested invaders, had proved himself a
helpful and kindly inmate. Marie was
SidLuluS Hllu uSI pdbS III lIt dTlIS aL Ill
upper window; she was full In the light,
Lot p rtly hidden, as a girl might be, lgUk-
ing her last on the MAJ she loves. She
was gazing down with her Mad ma face,
full o. hlgn purpose and calm serenity
the war within her had Teen sharp and
fierce, tut the struggle was over, ana she
had accepted her tate as God had Willed
1t. Sac had come forward into the win
cow 10 bring peace and encouragement to
Heinrich.
There was a divine tranquility about
her whole bearing that struck him as he
glanced up with q sad disturbed face iLto
the calm above him; he locked again, long
aLd earnestly, and the shadow II a great
grief seemed to pas, away, an1 the drawn,
hollow lines about his lace sotened mt,
rtp0se. Snc, out OF the depth of her
despair, had taught hiiQ that hard life les
son, "que III tibsrte est / O6etSsdnce cotton
tajre" We are not sent into the world to
rest in the haveu Of a great love, TO seek
and wiz cur individual happiness; love
comes, as spriug comes, to renew all life,
to cover the hard, cold earth with soft
ness and sweetness, TO bring the tender
bus TO poisoning perfection, to ii /
the clear air with tragraLce aud
| light. VIVA if the spring passes Is
I
| peace? Marie had loved, and her We had
made her stronger aud better she had sat
/ tered, anu the suffering had raised and
puriIled her whole nature she was going
10 " live the life, not as she HAD planned
/ II for herself, but as fate had decreed it.
/ The b. auty OF remuneration shOne out of
her clear eyes, and IN the majesty OF her
| figure there breathed the TeStful calm that
/ follows upon the tumult of storm sub
| dHed
They are not m.n, they are ma
chlnesi' eXcla med a young gill, scorn-
fully, as she moved away t.om the little
group at the door. She had threaded
| red NIB through her ebon hair, ana had
! lifted up her bright eyes laughingly to
! look in.o Heinrich's face; he was adjust
ing his long, gittel ing lance in the stir
| rup at the time, and had either not noticed
her glance, or had gazed at her vacantly
with his dim, grietful eyes.
| | stood and looked after the three fig
ures, sitting square and upright on their
powerful horses. AS they passed out from
! the village street on to the stra ght high
way, bordered with stately trees, whose
} frozen branches, entwiIin@ with one
another, formed a trellised arch in long
/ perspective, one heard the clang of the
horses hoOts far up the road. The
scene, as l saw 1t, with the shadows OF
evening fleming all harsh outlines,
seemed Ike some dream picture, bathed in
1 the rose and amber light OF a waning sun
there was 10 Joyous rppling sound OF
running water; all the fountains were
frozen dumb; thin clouds of vap0ry mist
Wreathed SLOWLY up into the air from above
the rough hewn crosses tina bordered The
roadside, marking the resting place of
those killed fighting tor their tatheIland.
| Heinrich turned to give one last look, and
tnen the three hOTsemen passed out of
sight.
Jacques crossed the street, and caught
sight OF Nlalie at the window. She smiled
and held up the laughing baby jacques
face became radient, as he stood leaning
on his clutches, watching the mother and
child, and then limped quickly back again
into the house. Then Marie leant out for
a moment, her whole face inyOluntarily
changing as she looked for tie last time
into The misty distance, beginning perhaps
to realize with something like despair the
level dullness of her future daily life-it
was passionate farewell IOOk-a helpless,
Wlsttul gaze; she was young and eager,
with throbblng pulses and an aching
heart, that reVOlted against the Woman's
relentless will The cAild looked IN into
the altered face, its gleeful growing chang
ed to weak scared cry; Marie started
back, and bending her head low over her
baby, hushcd its walling sobs. And in the
fading light l saw the indistinct outiaes
OF jacques good humored, meaningless
face; he put his hand lightly on Ma1ie's
shoulder, and drew her into the room; he
shut the window, AID began to trim the
evening lamp with his def hands. And
from behind the lamp saw M4ries grand
figure passing to and fro, as she bushed
the child to sleep; there was silence in
the room, and 10 the blessed stiffness I
knew that she would gain strength and
calm-that peaceful calm that steals its
way INTO wOmsn's soul, when she holds
IN her firm srms the sacred burden of a
sleeping child.
CONCLUSION.
Nhen the snow had melted, and the
tender blades of grass had sprung ont from
the brown moulds in the fields and hedges.
and small buds had dotted the slender
shoots of treSs, went to bid farewell to
the villagers of Nillefranche. 1t NAV be