The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1878-11-01
Rack thev all come
4 Boys Service.

N bONs service.
Speed boldly, Jean; the safety of
Gods elect depends on thy heetness
and courage" said French peasant
woman, as, standing at the door of
hut perched over gorge in the Ceven-
mes mountains, she babe farewell to her
young son. He, mounted on a small.
white pony, looked fearlessly out of his
bright blue eyes, and, tossing back his
abundant tresses of fair hair bent to
kiss the mothers hand; then, descend
ing n steep, winding path, over which
his intelligent animal picked slow, sure
footing, the young rider disappeared in
the dark aisles of pine forest.
Jean Cavalier was 10 years old; his
cradle had been rocked to the howl of
mountain storms; he was accustomed to
scale heights with marvellous agility,
being sure-footed on the paths that only
the mountain born could safely tread.
and he now dauntlessly faced hazard
Gus ride, and the peril of imprisonment,
to save the lives of 500 Christian men
and women. 1t was nearly noon; all the
huts, sheep-cotes, and cottages in the
lower adjoining valleys were deserted by
their inhabitants, who had started at
dawn for the secluded mountain of
Bourges, there to seek consolation and
strength in the worship of God
This was the period of that so-called
religious" war i'll France, which lasted
twenty years, and in which the King,
Louis XIV, employed 10000 soldiers
to eXterminate 1900 Protestants, be-
cause they persisted in worshiping their
Maker in their own fashion. Through
the upper valleys, for some weeks pre-
vious to the time of this story, there had
been found, in rock cavities and hollow
trees, bits of wood carved with the
words, Mamma in the desert" and with
certain symbolic marks whereby all the
faithful knew that the great pastor,
BRONSON, emerging from his secret cav
ern dwelling, would meet and minister
to his prosecuted flock in the afternoon
of the first day of the year 1903. at the
Bourges mountain. Notwithstanding all
precaution, news of the intended convo-
cation had reached the town of Halls,
and Capt. Daiguirrier, with 800 men,
was coming up from the plain, eager to
surprise and butcher the innocent con-
gregatioa-a kind of achievement not
infrequent in those tragic years.
Just before noon to-day. Jean. when
climbing the rock back of his fathers
hut in search of Il missing goat, spied
the red bonnets of the cavalcade, tray
ersing defile far below; he knew well
their terrible purpose, and hurrying
down, said TO his mother;
hn..n AL
up; there is none to give warning but
me-"
Twenty minutes later, Jean was rid
ing alone through the dim forest, in
tently coming the network of paths SO
familiar to him, and trying to choose
one by which he could elude and out
strip the assassins. Issuing, at length,
from the woods, he paused, hesitating
between two routes-one smoother,
though longer-by which, trusting to
his nimble pony, he might speedily ar
rive, unless overtaken by the troops !;
the other led through ravines and over
rocks into the very heart of the noun
tains, and was hazardous path, even
for skillful climber. If he took the
latter, he must abandon his horse and
trust his own speed and agility. Final
~ deciding on the smoother road, he
was turning toward it when he heard
the sound of conch-shell, and, on the
instant, II flash of scarlet streamed
around n spur of the forest Quick
witted Jean rode at once To meet the
advancing soldiers.
WHITTIER go you?" asked the Captain
ITO the upper hills to seek my faith
err replied Jean.
This is not safe country for young
sters like you to travel in alone said
the officer.
II have confidence in God. Those
who do no i'll need fear none" returned
the child, calmly.
"You shall come with me, continued
the Captain, suspiciously; so fine a
boy must not grow up rebel / shall
dedicate you to the service of the King
and the church"
Jean made no answer, riding on with
his captors, apparently in submissive
composure; but the vigilant little fell
low, quick in expedients, contrived to
fall back gradually, till, when the dis
mounted troops, painfully climbing,
were half way up steep ascent, Jean
was among the hindmost. A brook
wound round the base of the hill, and
Jean knew that near the stream was one
of those caverns, common in a country
of volcanic formation, the entrance to
which was concealed by thick, cluster
ing bushes. Selling an opportune mo-
ment, the active boy turned his pony,
dashed down into the brook, leaped
| ron, his steel and ran into tbo cavarn