The Republican journal., 1875-06-24

and then the two knelt silently at the
bedside. When they rose they saw that
jacques was also kneeling, and low
sound like u sob came from the dim cor
ner where he was as he rose from his
knees. There were kind good nights said
and wishes for bright tomorrow, and
the lads slept
The wishes tor bright morning were
realized and the youthful travellers pre-
pared to resume their journey. Before
they went away jacques said, Il was ac-
quanted with your parents many years
ago; that is" he continued, with a
strange falterlng, II do not know as 1
was acquainted with your father-You
might tell them" he added. THAT Mr..
jacques sends his respects, If they should
remember me-"
1t was seven O'Clock and the sun was
shining very brightly. when the rosy-taced
boys left Jacques cabin, and with kind
words of "good-by' started along the
road out toward the mining settlement.
As they passed into the woods they turned
and looked back once more at the garden
and, flowers, and they waved once more
adleu with their caps to the hermit. As
they did so Jacques stood by the road side.
leaning upon his staff and weeping bit
terly
That is very strange old man." said
George
80 he is" said WILL II think he was
crying all last night " And the two. so
young and inexperienced in the voyage of
life, passed on, not knowing what mes
sage they had brought to this shipwreck-
ed mariner, upon his lonely rock in the
vast, mysterious ocean
Jacques health declined Nellie thought
it was not safe for the old man to live
alone. She urged upon her husband the
proprety of bringing their friend to their
own house But Jacques when invited
said, no, he could not leave his home
In the winter following, Nellie's husband
visited Jacques several times. making, the
Journey upon snow shoes. But he always
found the hermit in about his usual health
and able, he said, to visit the settlement
whenever he desired to.
1t was spring again. Robins and blue
birds came; and Jacques garden hum
med with the bees and bloomed with
the flowers. when the tire-pulsed. leafy
June was glowing with the life of a new
summer. Nellie and little Mary went in
their wagon to visit "old Alr Jacques,
Mt the lake. They came to the cottage.
The timd little maiden sprang out Of the
wagon and went forward through the
gate. while her mother remained to tie
the old gray horse to post. Mary went
close up to the cottage The door was
open and She stepped in. Then she call
ed back to her mother that jacques was
asleep. Nellie felt the presentment. She
entered the cabin, and there upon the bed
was the weary traveller, forever at rest.
1t was plain that the great conqueror
had surprised him. Jacques was dressed
with his usual neatnese ami care. His
Milton had fallen from his hand and was
lying upon the bed by his side The
clock was ticking upon the shelf, and
the flowers upon the little table at the bed
side We're still fresh with the morning dew
The little window toward the lake was
open. and the light summer air stirred the
white muslin curtain that shaded it. Mel
lie and little Mary stood for awhile awe
stricken in the great hush and stiffness of
the presence OF death Then Nellie clos
cd the house, and her tears fell as She
W ~ upilIg Jlt l'lNt HttNi 9lit tuttll ltll-
der her friend Then She and little Mary
returned to the settlement, and suitable
aid was secured and sent to the cabin
1t was proposed that jacques should be
brought out to the common burying-
ground; but it turned out that he had
strictly charged Nellie that his grave
should DC at his home The place he had
chosen was where the flowers grew and
the bees and bir,t~ and the sunshine came
first in spring.
The her:nit's wishes in regard to his
last resting place We're complied with
The funeral was upon the Sabbath; and 4
service ut the settlement was omitted, in
order that the people might assemble at
the hermitage 1t was esteemed iortu-
nate that the missionary pastor was max
ING his round, travelling with his wife in
the bright, summer weather, along the
roads to the settlement in the wilderness.
They came to the meeting that Sabbath,
at the little clearing in the woods.
The missionary pastor was venerable
man, who had seen service IN the cause Of
his Master in many fields Ills wife was Il
tail, quiet woman, bearing well the dig
nifty Of age The silver was thickening
III IlCl HUI. bul MI lLsltul % NIif 'llll
svmmetrically moulded and She retained
her queenly tread
The pastor spoke from the door OF the
cabin, while the women We're within, and
a congregation OF men was upon the out
side.
Why did the pastors wife manifest 50
much interest in The cabin and the things
there? She observed The hermit'> turni-
turc and his books After the sermon,
when there was u little stir IN arranging
before burial, she ventured to lift a worn
copy of Milton's Poems from the table to
her side What was it upon the ily-leat
that brought q little flush to her face ?
Only these faded words, written in an un-
formed. girlish hand, ''lIappy New Year
to Mr.. Jacques, 1929
Soon the arrangements were made, and
the people, according to the country Gus
tom, passed in file 10y the coffin and look
ed their last 1t was noticed that the pas
tors wife wept, and placed 4 flower from
the garden upon the breast OF the aged
sleeper.
The services were over. The body Of
Benaman jacques had been committed to
its kindred dust The pastor observed
UIlitu HIS W lie ttS Ilt w
get into the stout buggy which was his
travelling carriage. As the line OF wagons
filed along the road under the trees, .he
pastor said in his kindest tone, My de; +,
you We're very much affected by the SER
vices to-day" The wife placed her hano
tenderly upon her husbands arm and re-
piled, 1T is the same man, Joseph, was
with Mr.. Jacques when was
u Young girl i'll Salem" y
General John r. Miller, of san Fran
cisco, while in the Union service at Lib
erty Gap, Tennessee, on the 18th OF July,
1868, received a bullet in the eSe and was
expected to die Of the wound. Though
his ite was spared he never entirely re-
covered; the injured eye has often suffer
ed neuralgia pans and of late the whole
one threatened to become weak through
sympathy: He consulted DR. Gruening,
a San Francisco surgeon, and his worst
fears were confirmed The only resort
which offered itself to save the sound eye