, 1874-10-31
THE AQADlAN MUUDEl2,

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THE A0AD1AN MuDDEn.
Tho graphic narrative Of tho murder in Acadia
and tho hanging Of tho murderer Olivier Gaion,
which waa printed in our last is,nc tliHrols tho
poosical glamour which has hurg oYor this la.,d
o1 romance 30 long, and SHOWS that theao people,
whom tue poots hhvo painted as 10 simple, happy,
and innocont In thcr pastoral livos, havo tho
Hamo cares. and burdens, aud m!sorica aa other
beings wlioHo praises hare not baon sung upon
poottcal Tyres. htore than tha, IL would nppoar
that those poo!ically-lappy Acadiaus ara
prosaically even moro wrctched aud degraded
than the arorago Of human beings.
The story OF Olivier Gallon has not only much
OF misery and degradation. but much Of pathos
In 1t. It is difficult to road tho story without
feeling Of sympathy or at least Of pity tor tho
poor wrotch. dreadful as bis urirae was. Ho WIS
1sl'orman who barely supported iifo by hia yo-
cation. Flo waa ignorant to tho 1ewoat degree. In
intelf'genco ho was Bcarcoly Bbove beaat of
burden. He lived in Lis hut with Xavier Poulin,
another fisherman, equally poor, ignorant, and II
loathsome, degraded leper, and in this hut,
horded togothor, eating and sleeping together in
tho samo small apartment. wore tho two fisher
mon, Gallien's sister, and poul,n's vito and
childton. Tho village priest had ortlorot a prac-
tical divorce between Poulin and hia wife when
the former was solzed with loprosy, and the
woman chose Gallicn for her affinity. Tho two
lived together tn crimfaal intimacy for yours
with Pouln's conBout. and aho bore chill
dren to him. Tho arrangement, however,
was not satisfactory to poulin'a wife,
aud, doairlng larger liberty, sho worked upon
Ga!licns feeble intellect until sho induced him
to kill her husband. Many and many time lie
attempted to commit the deed, but his heart
failed him when 1t camo to tho 1noment OF con-
summation. Tho f1endiHl, wonau oven sharp-
ened tho knife for him, aud at lust With lor pcr-
suastons and her roproaclscs 80 worked upon
him that he did tho fatal decd, aud tho poor
loper waB found ont in the clearing most brl1-
tally murdered. When tho body wss brought to
tito house. tho woman niado loud and unrat-
nral display OF griof, and garrulously defended
Galicn against any suspicious OF the murder.
Tho rest Of the noghbors wore evidently
as ignorant aud degraded IS tho prin-
cipal actors in tho tragedy. They BAN
nothing suspicious In the circumstances, and
burial-pcrmt WAS granted. which was revoked,
however, by tho Coroner. During his inyostiga-
tion, Gallon was present, and evidently VIC
tim Of keen montal suffering. Tho struggle
with conscience waa brief one. Remorso gain
ed the advantage, and ut last, In tho proaeucs Of
his paramour aud their victim, 10 criod out in u
lit Of anguish: "Aly God, I am choking; did
It," He waa arrested, but upon his trial ho nude
no plea and maintained persistent silence. He
was found guilty, and went to the gal1oHs
On tho 10th. Ho acknowledged tho fitness
Of bis sentence. Ho asked for forgiveness aud
prayed to Cod for mercy. He apparently had no
fear, and his laat words were tho fosvent cry {:
"lfon pere mon pere, n,isericorde," and vitI,
these sud, despairinG words hc was hurried out
OF o1istonce. It was dark spot in tho beauti-
ful Acad'an land, aad aud wfotchod spoosaclo.
The murdered aud tho murderer have gone mud
tho guilty woman waitg the birth OF another Of
Gallion's children. and will thou follow them. Ia
this tho home Of Eyangclino ? Arc these tho
simple, happy, contented people tile poet has
sung 80 charmingIy3 Tho poetical fascination
s forever lost III this reality Of poverty, degra-
dation, leprosy, and criminality, which have Gust
thoir blight upon it.