The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1878-02-20
Apnsehula aEatas.
LITTLE JEANS LETTER.
ROM THE FRENCH or PAUL rrvAL.

you please of this story it was told to me,
and tell it to you 1t was not an original
ldes of his OVID, poor little Jean. lie. hadn't
read about if, for he did not know now to
read; but he had heard people talk of let
ters written to the good Lord, and the idea
struck him, IS it does you and me. In
France, when the peasants and poor people
want something Very much, they not only ask
the good Lord for 1t, but they write a letter
to him and one can often see poor women
and children, with pale, sad faces, entering
the churches and laying little letter on the
altar, feeling that if he sees it there day and
night, he will be sure to remember their Pc
ttion. And l would like to know if, in al
the literature of all the ages, there could be
anything more touching and sweet, aud sim
pie, than these letters to the good lord
Jean was six years DID, land he wore pair
Of trousers, all worn cut at the knees. His
hair was blonde and curly, and SO thick and
beautiful, and there was enough of it to have
dressed the heads of two lovely ladies. lie
had pair of great blue eyes, that tried to
smile sometimes, though they had already
wept so often. He had a little jacket, quite
nicely cut, but all falling into pieces, and on
his right foot girls shoe, and on the other
a boys, both of them too long and too large
for him, alas and too full of holes, and they
turned up in front and wanted heels behind,
He was hungry and cold, for it was on q win
ters night, and he had been fasting since
the day before at noon, when the idea came
to him of writing letter to the good Lord.
You are wondering how he could do it,
poor little Jean 1t is true, he could not
write any more than he could read.
Far away m the quarter of eros Gallon
on the corner of an avenue, and not fer from
the Park, was the small cabin Of o public
writer. A great many petitions and demands
from the Government were made 10 this
country of retired warriors; and whether the
Government was headed by King, an En-
peror, or a President, it was all the same,
for old soldiers letters have rarely any po-
litical preiudcos in them. The ''editor, as
he was called in the quarter, was an old SOL
der himself, rather bad-tempered, though
with q good heart-and alb he was not rich,
and besides, was so unfortunate as not to be
quite manned and wounded enough to get
admission into the Hotel des Zn5dhdes, where
all the old soldiers are sent who have no legs
or arms to speak Of. a . M
Well, Jean saw him through the dirty win
dows of.his cabin, smoking ais pipe aud wait
ing for business, SC II went in and said On
Good-day; AaSe como to have letter
written"
cts ten sous" replied Pere Bouin; for
this old warrior, who was perhaps the hun
dred thousandth part of The glory of Mar
shall Of France, was called Pere Bouiu. Jean,
who had no cap to take off, pulled the front
lock of his curly hair, and making bow,
said politely: ''Then, excuse me !" and he
opened the door to go out; but Papa Bouin
thought him such nice little fellow, ne said
to him:
cart thou the son Of soldier, little one?"
"No," replied little jean; 6 am man
mas son, who is all alone" grarsaso<s
"Ah!" said the editor, 81 know; and
thou hast not ten sous?" t.aa t,Ias
ooh! no; | have no Sous at all. r
"Thy mother, neither All ! one can
see that. You want letter written so ss to
have something to make soup-eh little
one?" .4&f = at- j 4li!i q.
eyes" replied Jean, exactly"
"Advsnce For ten lines and half a
sheet of paper I shall not be much the
Jean Obeyed. Papa Bouin arranged his
paper, dipped his pen in the ink, and traced
in a fine schoolmasters hand: Paris, the
18th January, 1851" Then, on the next
line, "To Monsieur - "What is the
name, bib ?" s.- ~
"Whose p asked Jean.
"Why, the MOnsieurs of course" @ q
"What Monsieur?" -.7s
"Why, the individual for the soup ..
Jean understood this time, and replied:
cit is not for Monsieur.
"Ah we'll, for lady, then p
"No; not for that either"
{" Nom de 6leW!" cried Papa Bouin, "dost
thou not know to whom thou wishest to write
a letter p
"Ah! yes, indeed" replied the child.
"Wel, then, say who it is, and hurry thy
SELF"
Little Jean grew crimson. The fact is, it
is not 30 easy to apply to public writers for
such correspondence zs~sis. However, he
mustered up his courage, and said: q IL is
! to the good Lord to whom / want to send a
letter" Papa Bouiu did not 1laugh.l He
laid down bis pen and took his pipe out Of
his mouth, Little one, said beseyerely,
81 don't suppose thou meaneSt to make fun
of an old soldier of the Line. Thou art TOO
little to strike. But wheel! Turn to the
left and go!" s.u l-l 80 d s'a 3. j
Little Jean obsyed, and turned on his
beels-I mean those of his feet, for his shoes
had none-snd started to go; but seeiOg him
80 sweet and obedient, Papa Bouin changed
his mind q second time, and looked as him
more closely. ,e~eo
Nom de-nom de-nom de-non,!" he
muttered. "There is, after all, no end of
want in this Paris. What is thy name,
bib ?" -o141 r. 1v-r.- ,T
"Jesn." .a.e,es,, s,.a's
"Jean WHAT" TOE -FF
"Nothing but Jean. y r. -1z7
Papa Bouin felt his eyes emartiDg, but he
shrugged his shoulders. "And what dost
thou want to say to thy good Lord?"
CT want to tell him that mamma has been
asleep since yesterday at four o'clock, and l
want him to wake her up, for cannot.
The old soldiers heart felt numb, for ne
was afraid he understood what was the mat
ter However, he went on asking: "But
what was that thou said about soup, little
while ago?"
ooh? we'll, replied the child, "beCsuse
she wants some. Before she went to sleep,
mamma gave me the last piece of bread"