National opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1865-1874, 1873-07-04

IL Ue nou VIII. ~ youT SNtet CoIn-
panionshp, my Tiennette, the heaviest
chains will seem light and pleasant, and
il will matter little to me If l cannot
call single fnrthing my own, when
am lord Of oil the riches of your heart.
/ place my trust in the Sieur ST.. Eloi,
who will surely succor us in our troubles,
and will deliver us from evil. / will go
straight to the scrivener and have him
draw up tho contracts and writings.
And consider, after all, dearest flower
of my life, that you will be finely dressed,
well lodged, and cared for like a queen
during your life, since the Lord Abbot
leaves us the enjoyment of my proper
ty."
ID: -.'1~ in tampest OF tears and
smiles, tonight against this decision, ana
declared that she wonld rather die than
redu W serfdom free man, and much
more a free man whom she entirely
loved because OF the gracious words
which he had said to her in the meadow
when they first met. But Anselm spoke
so tenderly to her, and told her that his
happiness was bound up in her COM
panionship, and that if she died he
would certainly follow her to the tomb,
with thousand loving expressions, that
she consented to the marriage, thinking
in her own heart that she could always
kill herself if she wanted to. When
this thing was known in Paris, that the
great goldsmith had given mp his lands
and liberty for the sake of his love,
every one wished to see him, and every
lady, who could get the money, bought
a trinket, that she might talk with him
and applaud him for being so true in
love. When the day approached that
was to unite him to Tiennette and to
slavery, Anselm melted all his gold into
royal crown, which he ornamented
with all his pearls and diamonds, and
brought it secretly to the Queen, saying,
"Your Majesty, I do not know what will
happen to me tomorrow everything
within my house will be inventoried and
held by the accursed monks, who have
shown me no pity. Deign, then, to ac-
cept this. 1t is feeble expression of
thanks for the JOY of seeing my beloved,
which | owe to your goodness. l do
not know what will happen next. But
if day should come when my children
shall be free I have sure confidence in
your queoaly generosity"
"Well said, good man, said the King.
"Some day the Abbey will have need of
my aid, and l will not forget this"
The wedding of Tiennette was sight
to see. The Abbey was crowded. The
Queen herself gave her the wedding
robes, and the King, by letters patent,
granted her special privilege to wear
golden earrings, which was forbidden
to serfs by the sumptuary laws of that
time. The Abbot Hugo pronounced the
bcnediction, and the handsome pair left
the Abbey for the lodging Of Anselm-
now become a serf. The poor husband
had forged himself silver bracelet,
which he were on his left arm, showing
that he was serf of the domain of the
Abbey of st. German.
And as they passed, the people form
ed double line along the street, and
shouted, "NOei ! Noei!' as if he had |
been new King. When he arrived at
ported his sign had been decorated with
green boughs and knots of blue rib
bon, and all the principal inhabitants
)f the quarter where there to wish him |
Joy, and to serenade him with band |
IF music, and they all cried out to him,
' You will always be noble man, |
Master Anselm, in spite of the monks"
They passed the honeymoon in the
greatest happiness. Tiennette was de-
lighted with her fine house, and with
he kindness of the great ladies who
,ame to buy jewels, and had all of them
! pleasant word for herself and hus-
~nn1 <ho aoI ae 1-bp
hould come in great pomp but the old
Abbot, Hugo de Senecterre, their lord
md master, who, entering into the
louse thai no longer belonged to the
but to the Chapter, said to
he two spouses: "My children, you are
rec, and quit of all manorial power
nd | must tell you that at the very first
was greatly moved at the love "hich
Inited you together, and so, l resolved,
vhen the rights of the Abbey had been
irmly recognized, to make you entirely
lappy. And this act of manumission
hall cost you nothing. And Anselm's
louse, land and goods are all his again,
eeing that he had so much confidence
n the mercy of God" So saying, he
ave them both a little slap on the
heck, which was the right of manu-
mission, in receiving which they fell at
lis feet, kissing his hands and weeping
or Joy. And the news spreading like
yildfre through the neighborhood,
verybody turned ont to bless and thank
he Abbot. And on his return to the
lbbey, Anselm held the bride of his
lare as far as the gate of Busy. On
he road he scattered silver crowns
mong the manned, the halt, and the
lind, crying: "Largesse Largesse to
rod God save and bless the Abbot
long live the good Lord Hug |" And
ghen he returned to his own house he
nade new nuptial feast, which lasted
whole week.
This fond couple lived togethe, long
nd ha' ply. and had numerous fam
Iy whc set ID in Touraine and became
/ the LIB .sse. Nor did Anselm for
ct his vow, for on the first anniversary
t his wedding-day he brought to the I
.bbey of st. German the two inches
( silver which he had vowed, These
wo treasures were plac d ON the chief
tar of the church, and were esteemed
he most valuable things in the posses !
ion of the Abbey. Strangers came far
nd near to see them, and the story of
he loves of the Touraugean and the
,vely Tiennette was spread over all Q
rance.
The moral of this history is that love l
onguers all things. the French Q