Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1878-05-22
Little jeans Letter.
FROM 1nr pnEscn OF PAUL rKvAt.

to the good Lord. II was not an original
idea of his own, poor little Jean. He hadn't |
read about It, for he did not know how TO |
read but he had heard people talk of let |
ters written TO the good Lord, and the idea |
struck him, as it does you and me. In
France, when the peasants and poor people |
want something Uery much, they not only
ask the good Lord for it, but they write a
letter TO him and one can often see poor
women and children, with pale, sad faces,
entering the churches aud laying little
letter on the altar, feeling that If he sees it
there day and night, he will be sure to re-
member their petition. And ] would like
to know if, in all the literature of all the
ages, there could be anything more touching,
and sweet, and simple, than these letters to
the good Lord.
Jean was six years old and he wore pair
Of trousers, all worn-out 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.
He had pair of great blue eyes, that tried
to smile sometimes, though they hao already
wept so often He had little jacket, quite
nicely cut, but all falling into pieces, and
on his right foot girls shoe, and on the
other boys, both of them too long and
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 winters 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 in the quarter of Gros-Caillon
on the corner of an avenue, and not far from
the Park, was the small cabin of public
writer great many petitions and de
mands from the government were made III
this country of retired warriors Z; and whether
the government was headed by King, an
Emperor, or President, it was all the same,
for old soldiers letters have rarely any poll
teal prejudces in them. The editor" as
he was called in the quarter, was an old sol
der himself, rather bad-tempeIed, though
with a good heart--and alb he was not rich,
and besides, was so fortunate as not to be
quite manned and wounded enough to get
admission into the Hotel deS InUdiideS, where
all the old soldiers are sent who have no legs
or arms to speak of.
Well, Jean saw him through the dirty win
dows of his cabin, smoking his pipe and
waiting for business, so he went in and said :
Good-day; have come to have letter
written"
I" It's ten sous" replied Pere Bouin for
this old warrior who was perhaps the hun
bred thousandth part of the glory of a 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 mel" and he
opened the door to go out but Papa Bouin
thought him such a nice little fellow, he said
to him:
cart thou the son of soldier, little one y
"No," replied little Jean g am mann
mas son, who is all alone"
"Ah y said the editor" know and
thou hast not ten sous 7"
"Oh no; have no sous at ALL"
"Thy mother, neither All one can
see that. You want letter written so as
to have something to make soup-eh little
| one ?"
"Yes," replied Jean, "exactly."
Advance For ten lines and half a
sheet of paper shall be not much the
poorer"
Jean obeyed. Papa Bouin arranged his
paper, dipped his pen in the ink, aud traced
in fine school.master's hand Paris, the
18th January, 1857" Then, on the next
| line, "To Monsieur" - "What is the
name, bib ?"
"Whose ?" asked Jean.
"Why the Monsieur's, of course"
"What Monsieur p
"Why, the individual for the soup"
Jean understood this time, and replied:
" 1t is not for Monsieur"
"Ah well, for lady, then p
(" No; not for that either"
"NOm de bieu I" cried Papa Bouin, dost
thou not know to whom thou wishest tC
write letter 2"
"Ah yes, indeed" replied the child.
| "Well, then, say who it is, and hurry
myself"
Little jean grew crimson. The fact is
it is not so easy to apply to public writer,
for such correspondence as his. However
he mustered up his courage, and said " i
is to the good Lord to whom | want TO SEND
a letter" Papa Bouin did not laugh. liz
laid down his pen and took his pipe out o.
his mouth. "Lttle one" said he, severely
I" | don't suppose thou meanest to make fur
of an old soldier of the Line. Thou art toe
little to strike. But, wheel Turn to tn,
left and gol"
Little Jean obeyed, and turned on his
heels-I mean on those of his feet, for his
shoes had none-and started TO go; bu
seeing him so sweet and obedient, Papi
Bouin changed his mind second time, anc
looked at him more closely.
Nom demon demon demon !" h,
muttered. "There is, after all, no end o
want in this Paris What is thy name, bib 2
"Jean"
"Jean what 2"
Nothing but jean"
Papa Bouin felt his eyes smarting, but h
shrugged his shoulders. "And what dos
thou want to say to the good Lord :"
81 want to tell him that mamma has beer
asleep since yesterday at four o'clock, and
want him to wake her up, for ] cannot"
The old soldiers heart felt much, for h
was afraid he understood what was the mat
ter However, he went on asking Blu
what was that thou saidst about soup, lii
tie while ago ?"
"Oh WE'LL" replied the child, "becaus
she wants some. Before she went to SLEEP
mamma gave me the last piece of bread"
sand she-what had she eaten Z"
:" She had said for two days, 81 am nc
hungry"
"What didst thou do when thou didst tr
TO wake her2"
"Oh well, kissed her, as always do.
"Did she breathe ?"
Jean smiled, and his smile made him loo
so pretty. al don't know" replied he
don't mothers always breathe 7"
Papa Bouin turned away his head, for tw
large tears were running down his check
lie did not answer the child's question, bu
he said, in voice that trembled little:
"When thou didst kiss her, didst thou n,
tice nothing 2"
ayes she was cold, il is so cold at home
"And she shiyered little, didn't she p
"Oh no. She looked beautifully, beaut
fully. Her two hands, that did not NOV
were crossed ON her breast, and were
white And her head was thrown back o
the pillow, so that through the opening
her shut eye-lids she seemed as if she wa
looking up into heaven"
Papa Bouin thought to himself 81 ha,
. envied the rich, | who eat and drink as niue
as | want; aud here is one dead of hunger
of hunger - lie called the child, who wei
I TO him, and he put him ON his knees an
said to him, gently; Little one, thy lett,
; is written, and sent, and received. Tai
me to thy mother"
al will be very glad TO do So But WI
are you crying2' Jean asked, with astonis
i ment.
al am not crying" replied the old soldie
II who was smothering him with kisses az
covering him with tears. do men ey
weep ~ But thou wilt cry, little ,Jea