Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1875-01-23
THE LAST LESSON.
rom BY YOUNG 4LsACTEN

iTTGa,a'ts1 from tbC French Of A6blptS D1lbts'-
for The E"eitiag SGTl
On that particular morning ] was very late
going to school, and was in great fear OF be
ing scOIded, more especially as NJ. Hamel
had told Us that he would examine us on the
participleS. and did not know the fir>t word
about them. For a single moment the idea oc-
CURED To me 20 miss school, and take my way
across the fields. The weather was so warm
and pleasant, The blackbirds were whistling
their songs IN the wood, and in the Rupert
meadows behind the hedges the PTussian SOL
siers were drilling. All this tempted me far
moro than the rules Of the psrticiples; tn =
mad The strength I" ''>I,'' "'i' 4'''' ~Pi
towards the school house.
In uas,ing by the Mayors <s,. \ cr,,i
standing near the little bu' ,efin b,arI For
TWO years this was VIII re we bad come for
all tine bad news ., lost nattiss, requsi-
lions, ana m'-.ttsTy commands, and l
thOuenIj W. dOut stopping: What NOR"
nav u'ry 0ere.' A. i ran past the SpO.
" att4 ters The ks&c k~Inith- who wa there
wiz his apprentice 10 rad the placarj. criei
SQt 10 me. do not run away so quickly.
yOungstPr. vf-U viii get - school Just a soon.
thought be Knocked al Inc. and ! entered the
sOurt yard II 1i. HaInel out al breath.
Ordinarily a the opening OF school lac made
= great hose that could he heard in the street -
opening and closing the doors, repeating the
lessons I'M loud voice, all apparently 10 clos
the eaTS that thSy might learn better. Then
he would strike tie desks with MS great
ruler. and cry a little silence" I calcu-
iate,l upon al This Ia gain my seat without
being seen. bit ON his day ali was quiet, a
q il had becn Sunday morning Through the
open Windows l saw my comrades ranged I'm
their places. ard VI, Hamci passing and T,-
passing TIN tsISt terrible iron ruler under
Ms arm 70 was necessary To open the door
and eute- IN the midst OF The great calm.
NOU " imagine whether A wa blu~hlug
and afraid Perhaps not, NJ. Hamel II.
gapie,i-ar without anger. aEi said to me very
softly Go quickly to Thy place. Franz. ",
WerV TOlnS To- commence without thee.
stepped over my bench and seated my>sl
inimt1i;ttely at my desk. chen only. having
TVcsr-rred from my fright, nOtIced that OuI
ul;tSser had ON his brdutl al green TetlnggOte
his tlnely plated shirt bosom, and ms skui
can OF embroidered black silk. which he only
woe On days 81 Inspection, or OF distribution
OF prizes. The rest OF the class had some
thl ng about them eLtTa0r binary and solemn
Bat that which surprised me most was 10 -,
ct the lower end % the hs u, upon the benches
which were usually uuOCC upled the men OF IN.
village silently sitting. a. we were. IneT,
was old Hauser. with his three-cOTneTed hat
The mayor. the po>tnIan. and some Others
Every body seemed sad. HauSer had brOugL
an Old ~pelliug-SoOk with chewei elSe~
which he held wide open on his knees, witt
his great >pJ,tacles .TtVeiy laid across Tn
pages.
Before 7 had recovered from my aStoui~h
Ineut AZ all this. NJ. Harne1 arose a his pIdr.
and in the same soft. grave tone with wuicI
he had received me. he said TO Us.
My children. This i the last time that
shall teach this school Tie order has com
rom Berlin that nothing but German shal
be hereafter taught ia The schools OF Al
SAGE ami Lorraine. The new master will ar
rive tomorrow. TO-dar i your last lessor
IN French ] pray yCI To Be very at'en
tive
These worjS upset ne Al, the misera
bles That was what ne been pidcaried a
3he mayors.
My last lesson in French. and harII,
knew how To write. EOw. 7 should neve
learn II wOuid D. necessary 70 rems in thu
Ignorant. How regretted now the time lot
10 slide upon The ~aaT, Nv books which :,
recently had found weSTisOme, 80 heavy [,
carry my grammar. nv SacTet history. nov
seemed ke old friends whom IL would b.
very painful To give up. II was 50 also IL
reference To n. Hamei- The ides that m
must leave, that / should saa him no more.
made me forget all the pULis Inn ents-sll tht
strokes Of the ruler.
Poor man! II was IA hss1T Of this last les
son that ne had put on h. SUNDAY clothes
and now understood why the old people %
the village were seated 81 the lovy.T ,snd n
the nall IL was as II they were saying tina
they regretted not having come more fr-
quently Ia the school. IL was also a sort o
thanking our teacher FOR his forty years o
faithful services, and 20 silGv their rsspec
10 the country he was going g leave
These were nv reflections yn-n [ hear.
nv name called. 10 was my ame 10 recits
What would not have given Ter ths sbilit,
do say all Of that famous long Ftis Of tho IA =
neipteS IN loud. clear voice Without az
srToT' But I became confusea VI the rer,
nr>t words, and remain ed standing. baIane
ing myself az my desk. with . FaiI hear
without being able 10 ra.ss nay hesa. near
81. Hamel say.
- VIII not Scold thes. NV little Frantz
hhou mast been punished enough This B.
now ~ -. every day they "a 10 fh.ssSeIya,
-hah! j have plenty of time / will lean n.
ntNlrpW- and now you see what ma come
An! y mas been the greatest unhsppin.S, -
DUF h->ace, 10 D. always putting of iaStruc
tioI until LO-mOrFOw. Now those rnrn blN.
"A rlght 10 say 10 Us How Won pretend n. H.
ffench anu can neither speak nor write Won
language. IN an tels. my poor Fran = . "a i.
not thou WhOart the most culpable We 4,
nave our own share OF reprOacfies
Your parents have not held Won IN yop,
studies. They preferred TO send vou 10 yvorL
IA the field or in the factory that they mi gl,i
gain more money. Have 7 nothing 10 re
preach myself Eith? Have / not Often mad,
you water my garden in place OF studying
And when wished To go trGut-fiShing. / tool
me trouble 20 give you leave
Then from one thing tO another n Hame
negan Ia speak 10 uS Of the French language
saying that 10 was the most beautiful Ian
guage in the world. the cieaTest. and fhe mos
suestantiaii that u Was necessary 10 presery,