Feliciana sentinel. [volume] (St. Francisville, La.) 1877-1892, 1877-10-06
"YeS-nO-that " is


write?" screamed Father Bouin.
"Oh. yes!" said tho child.
"Then say it, and be in Il hurry!"
Little Jean was scarlet. The fact is
it's not pleasant to be compelled to have
recourse to q public writer for such a
correspondence; but he picked up his
courage and said:
cit is to the Blessed virg gin that wish
to send letter."
Father Bouin did. not laugh. He
dropped lis pen and took his pipe fl ON
his mouth. Si
"Littfe one" sar1E sternly, "I gness
you have not the Intention to mock an
old '1nans You arc too little to be
slapped, but clear right out of here!"
Little Jean obeyed and turned on his
heels,-I say those of his feet, for his
shoes had none, but seeing him so sweet
and submissive Father Bouin called him
back q second time and looked at him
more closely. .'.
I'm the name of "ercy!" he ex-
claimed, "there is indeed lots of misery
in Paris! What is your name, petiot q"
"Jean." ., - :"
"Jean what ?"
"Nothing but JEAN" ...........i.
Father Bouin could feel his eyes brim-
ming, but Struggling his shoulders he
said:
"What do you wish to tell the Blessed
Virgin7" I'm. -. ..
81 wish to tell her that Mamma has
been sleeping since last evening and that
she mnst, through her kindness, awake
her, for cannot" "
The old soldiers heart was full, for he
feared he had understood all still he
asked:
"What were you saying of sonp
while ago."
Well, we must: have some Before
going to sleep Mamma gave me the last
piece of bread" "
''Anl her, what. has she eaten 2" l,...f
For two days she had been saying to
me: 1 am not hungry"
"How did you do when you wanted
to awaken her ?"
"Wcll, as I always do, I kissed her."
"Did she breathe ?" Jean smiled and
it made him more beautiful:
81 do not know,' he answered. "Do
we always breathe 20
Father Boull turned his head, for two
great tears were on his chee KS. He did
not answer the child|s question but asked
in Il trenuious voice:
"When you kissed her, did you not
notice anything?"
eyes" she was cold. But it is so cold
in our rOom!"
"And she was shivering, was she not ?"
ooh, no! She was SO pretty. Her
hands were crossed on her bosom they
were still, and she was Oh so WHITE
Her head was thrown back and her eyes
were gazing up to heaven"
Father Bouin reflected: "I have en-
vietL0ches-I who eat and drink we'll =
tion." lie called the child to him, placed
him upon his knec and said in Il sublued
tone:
''Petiot, your letter is ,rritten. sent, nc
ceircd and aRsrerca. Take me to your
mother"
'I ill, but what aro you crying for ~
asked Jean in astOnishment.
Il am not crying," said the old soldier,
smothering him with kisses and covering.
him with tears, "do men ever cry? You
know love you as though you were my
own. How foolish! Is it because had
u mother too? 1t was long ago certain
ly, but can see her still, when before
1,n i,, 1,a
honest man and Il good christian ~ A
little image of the Virgin which had only
cost two cents, which was ever smiling
SO swectly, was hanging by tho bed side.
l loved it then. Gni now it returns to my
heart. l have been an honest man it is
true, but for being good christian am
not so sure about thatm He arose with
the child in his arms, and pressing him
to his bosom said as though he was
speaking to some one unseen.
"There old mother! there! Be COIL
tented. Friends may mock mo if they
will; wherever you are l want to go,
and shall bring little petiot. Poor little
angel! he shall never leave me, because
his letter, which was never even vrittten
has given him a father and me Il heartw
This is all. 1 do not give it as being
worth one quarter OF the artless chef
Goeuryc which has so often moistened my
eyes The poor woman died of misery.
Who she was, I have never known.
What had been the martyrdom of her
life I do not know. But there now
lives in Paris q man, still young, who is
compiler, not in stall like father
Bouin, who commits eloquent things to
pape1,-a renowned journalist. Father,
Bouin is now happy old man, honest as