The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1871-12-13
La. WEDNESDAY,, DECEMBER 10, 1871.

gone far when lie discovered, by hOOf
marks, place where cattle seemed t,
in the habit of wading through, O.
coming to drink.
The river appeared to be shallow; sc
he urged his unwilling horse into it
and had got about half way across
when the animal began to plunge ani
struggle violently, sinking, at tn.
same time, as if drawn down by some
invisible power. Aware, now, thai
he had fallen into one of those quick.
sands which are not uncommon in thai
part of France, the good father knew
that to throw himself from his horse
would be certain death, as the waite,
was not deep enough to swim in and
the hungry sand ut the bottom was
gaping for him. He held upon his
horse, therefore, and shouted for helm
The water was gaining upon him, a.
the terrified horse sank deeper and
deeper in the treacherous stream. Tn
up it came, until it reached the saddle
flaps, and then his knees; and he had
given Himself up for lost, when distan,
shouts came in response to his, which
were growing fecbler with each repe-
tition.
And now man burst his way
through the brushwood OH the river
bank, and laying lis AK upon a tall.
slender young tree, cut it down with
four or five rapid strokes, leaning it 81
it falls out upon the water, its topmost
branches jnst brushing the sinking
horseman in its fall. Grasping the
boushs with all his remaining strength,
the priest was drawn to the bank by
the woodsman, fainting and senseless,
however, and with hardly a visible
spark of life.
When Father Allard recovered con-
seriousness, he found himself in small
but comfortable room. Seeing him
open his eyes buxum young woman.
who was bathing his temples, uttered
an exclamation of joy, calling him by
name; and now, as his dizzy senses
frightened, what was Ills surprise to
find his attendant the lost Spiride! Ex-
plantations ensued, and all was made
as clear as day, without recourse to
marvel or miracle.
PresentlXy. n LsatnGbl,es ,.Mhe bad been
some of the nei.hbors in cxtrioatinc
the priests e, came in; and the meet
ing was an affecting one between the
two, each of whom had been thus won
derfnlly appointed by Providence to
preserve the other.
"My conscious is clear now" said
Father Allard. HHeayen has surely
pardoned the little fiction framed by
me; else why -"
"But hold, reverend father" cried
Laroche, interruptipg him; there was
no fiction in the case; you said that l
vas S"'iNu away upou IL IL duSCi .
wings, and SO was, and this is the
angel that saved me!' lie laugh
ingly threw his arms around his pretty
wife, and Rugged her to his side.
Poctical justice might now have been
well satisfied, but l have few words
further TO add upon the subject.
Laroche, who was now employed as
forester upon an estate, was enabled
by the assistance of Father Allard TO
return to his native village, where, not
long after, he obtained an appointment
to the very kecpership formerly held
by the assassin Landry. The history
attending his miraculous escape and
rc-appearance gave him an extraortli-
nary influence among the peasantry.
Stories lose nothing by circulation. He
eventually became a sanctified person
age in the community; and rudeiy-
carved elligy o. him is still seen in the
old chapel of the parish, with pair of
angels wings lowering over him.