The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1872-05-12
THE PEARL OF CAMPAN.

through the secluded Valley of Campan, in tt
pyIenees. accompanied by the excellent ourat
my peregrinations, had become acquainted
and beneath whose hospitable roof I ha
promised to spend the night. The scener
Having p@a Svey
wish to know something about the inhabi
tants.
&c; "They have hearts Of gold and Wills o
noble instance of generosity and selfdenia
have met with amongst them, And, for ex
ample, look at this man approaching u.s."
or six and twenty, with q military air, and
dressed in uniform. The lower part Of hit
face was very. handsome, and his dark sun
mustaches. I could not see his eyes, for the
visor of his cap was drawn down 80 as com
pletely to shade them from the light, Having
he passed on, followed by q huge white dog,
with thick fur and enormous paws. The ami.
NAL belonged to a breed peculiar to the Pyre-
nees, and remarkable for their sagacity and
faithfulness.
NOW" said my companion, as soon as the
walk along, will tell you true story, of
which you have just seen two of the principal
characters"
prepared to listen with attention, and the
curate commenced.
Juan Trigoyen was born in the heart of these
mountains, where the peasant has his choice Of
following one of two occupations-that of q
shepherd or a hunter. JOAN chose the latter,
his father had done before him: and n
hazardous pursuit it is. Not merely has the
nountaln-huntcr to scale all but inaccessible
precipices, and to brave the fury of famished
bears and wolves, but he is constantly exposed
to De swept away by torrent, or buried be-
heath an avalanche. To this latter peril
Juan's father had fallen victim. Crushed
beneath q macs of snow, he persisted, leaving
and his grandmother Gertrude, an aged wo.
man, unequal to the task of supporting her
self Juan, at this time fine lad of eighteen,
ways 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
the chase, and snccess now crowned his efforts
The number of lizards, eagles, and bears struck |
down by his hand, testified the sureness of his |
foot and the certainty of his aim.
Thanks to the value of these spoils, Ger |
trude knew no privation; but she 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 perish some time
or other, like your poor father; aud what
should do left alone, without any one to love
in the world 7"
Then the lad would answer "Calm yourself,
mother; Providence will watch over me for
your sake"
Thus did Juan work hard during the week
Tor his own and his parents support, and on
sunday loved to see them entering my little
church; Gertrude leaning on the arm of her
handsome boy, and both joining in the prayers
with the utmost devotion.
ng one day from Bagneres, whittier he had
gone to dispose of some game. 1t was winter
md. = the north wind grew piercingly cold !; but
he young hunter stepped on briskly, whistliug
lively tune. Suddenly cry of distress !
truck his ear, but he knew not whence it
ame -
agacity seek it out, boy!"
The dooile creature set off in the direction of =
thick pine grove, and his master followed /;
ne cries came louder, and Juan recognized the !.
dice of female in distress. He redoubled
isspeed, still preceded by the dog. At length
Q reached an open space; and there was Cesar
ruggling with wolfe, willie on the ground 6
fastening on her neck With a shout Juan =
lshed forward, and at the sound the fierce u
'eature raised his head, and fixed on him two q
'ithout moments hesitation, the intrepid 3
inter seized her by the throat with one hand ss
I'D thrusting the other into her mouth, grasp ~
her tongue, and dragged it as with an iron :,
,shing the strangled beast to the ground. y.
his done, Juan looked round to see if his u
lthfui ally had need of assistance. No his Pl
ltagonist also lay Dead and the hunter had &c
ne to attend the woman, who lay motioniess d.
l the ground, having tainted from excess of 10
r-or. Her deliverer raised her gently in his 81
ms. put back the rich brown hair that had
lien over her face, and perceived that she su
as q young and very lovely giIl. Taking a he
lrdful of the snow which lay on the ground, M
rnbbed it on her temples, and then succeed ia
n putting some small bits of ice in her co
9th. BY degrees she revived, her eyelids wi
lc osed, and she drew deep sigh. he
Where am 7" she murmured. tic
" Safe with q friendD lei
70 1t was you, then, who saved me 2" I
" Rather it was Providence, who was pleased en-
employ my hand"
She thanked him with look far more ele-
lent than words and then with confding let
implicitly, as she still felt weak, asked him to ca,
hd lean on his arm as far as her home. II of
as eping to the town" she said, "to sell some VIII
lk, when those dreadful wolves attacked of
9, UPSET my pitcher, and, but for your timely ha,
ard that of your good dog, would surely Gro
ve aevoured me-" wo
The conversation thus commenced did not fur
.: Juan soon learned that Marguerite lived T
he hamlet of Campan that she was an que
rhan, and had no property save small cot 5ei
@, enc COW, and some hens. She managed ten
Import herself with the profits of these sir,
malls and of her spinning. Her perfect for
dor and her innocent beauty charmed the how
'est heart of Juan he thought that, were stat
possessed of all the treasures in the world, and
would like to lay them at Marguerite's feet. sile
entering the village, the news of theft adj MAJ
ture spread quickly; and it was easy to she