Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1871-06-17
THE THREE FRIENDS OF VAUX
YILAINE.
An Episode of the Present War.
ny F. n. F. sKENE.
From Temple Bar ]

vi \. A' F. bhBNk'
From Temple Bari
In the month of July of this las
fateful year, there did not exist {
moro tranquil, sunny spot in al
France than the little village of Vau1
5 Vilaine. Very rural and primitive
it was, and the echoes from the great
tumultuous world without came few
and faint among the green fields and
purple vineyards, where the birds
a sang so merrily and the summer
winds sighed so softly through the
rustling trees.
, 1t possessed several substantial
farm houses among its hundred cot.
tages, and a pretty little church.
served by an old cure, who, in his
broad hat and black sOutane, walked
breViary in hand, from house to house
and was a Veritable father and friend
to every man, woman and child in
the place. The population was en-.
: tirely agricultural, and the magnatea
of the village were o few thriving
farmers, who sent their sons to the
cure for a few hours daily teaching,
, which gavo them some intellectual
, advantages above the rest Of the
jeuaeSSe Of Vaux Vilaine.
Among the farmers sons were
three young men about the same age,
who were for some years under the
: good priests tuition, and who had at
that period of their boyhood con-
tracted a friendship for each other,
which they had preserved intact
through the years that had interviewed
since then.
Sunday, the 10th of July, 1870, was
glorious summer day, but intensely
hot; and when the benediction SER
vice, at which the cure generally gave
his people little address, was finally
over that evening, these three young
men, Martel Lepelletier, Jules Des-
marets, and Evariste Rossel, saun-
tered away to q large tree which
stood in retired part Of the church
yard, and threw themselves down
under its spreading branches to enjoy
| the soft evening air, while they con-
versed together in free and happy
confidence.
Now, their talk was of the future !;
it is not often Of anything else with
most Of us in those hopeful days of
| youth, when the unknown life is full
of possibilities, and no shadow from
disappointment has dimmed the sun
Ishine which expectant fancy sheds on
all that is to come.
GLOW gloomy the bon pere was in
his sermon tonight" said Martel, q
stalwart youth, with blue eyes and
curling fair hair, and a bright, frank
expression of face; che could talk of
nothing but the uncertainty of life,
and the necessity of preparing our
selves for all sorts of possible trials
and troubles. Ma foil see no I'M
certaintyo of life, and / do not antici-
pate any trials. My fate is settled
for me, and l am very well contentcd
with it."
81 should think so, indeed!" said
Jules, who was tall and slender, with
keen dark eyes, and a look of great
intelligence and vivacity. "Who
would wish anything better than to
have that geatille Vevette for fdncee,
and the prettiest farm in Vaux Vi
laine for your home and possession !;
your father gives his home up to you
when you marry, does he mott"
eyes, he means to retire to my
grandfather's old house, and leave me
to manage the farm, and you shall
see what success | mean to have. l
have some famous plans, which will
astonish all our old farmers a little, l
expect"
"Andyour wedding is to be on All
Saints Day, is it not1"
"Yes, on tho 1st of November,
without fail. l wanted it sooner.
IVevcttG's mother declared she could
not possibly, before that date, get
ready the fine store Of linen she means
to give us for our new menage."
Gin the meantime, you see Vevette
every day, so you are not much to be
pitied, mon dmi."
"No, indeed, nor you either for the
matter of that, Monsieur Jules.
suppose you will be off to your un.
Gle as soon as my marriage is over
"That | shall! Paris Paris p ex.
claimed Jules, starting up, and taking
a flying leap over the nearest grave
= as an outlet to the excitement which
. the very name of the gay capital woke
t in him. "I promised to dance al
! yOuI aoce, MNrtel, SO l will wait fol
Q that but do not stay here q day af:
ter it, My uncle said l might come
< in November, and he will have the
! honor of receiving me on the I'd o.
. that month"
> "Is it true that he means to make
J you his hcir?"
$50 he hints, and he is rich. All
t delightfully."- rich; he is a horse deal
CT, you know, and he gets guineai
+. WITHOUT number from the Milors An,
glais, who come to Paris for theil
amusement. l shall have horses tC
ride whenever | please, that is the
glorious part of it. am to take then
: out for exercise, and shall take good
care they have enough of that,
promise YOU" and Jules looked at
D his friends with q roguish smile.
= at is pleasant prospect, / mus
, say, replied Martel. "Well, the curt
had surely no need to talk to us o.
0 the trials and miseries of lite-unlesl
: you have reason to anticipate them
: Evariste," he added, turning to the
a third young man, who had not yet
Q spoken.
: Evaristc was smaller and dmore del
: icately made than either of his com
panions, and had very refined fea
n lures and soft hazel eyes, which wer;
: shaded with o certain pensivenes
Q I that hardly amounted to melancholy
. as he turned to MArtel q peculiarly
!. sweet smile lit up his face.
! "No," he said, II have no fears
/, nor any special plans formed for life
' but | have ay-dreams," he added, il
0 a lower tone.
!. "Ahl let us hear them, then" OK
e claimed Jules. You are somewha