Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1878-12-04
Che family Girele.


=. Che family Circle.
- .. A Boys Service.
Speed boldly, Jean; the safety of Gods
elect depends on thy fieetness and courage
said French peasant woman, as, standing
at the door of Il hut perched over a gorge
in the Cevennes mountains, she babe fare
we'll to her young SON He, mounted on
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, descending
steep, winding path, over which his in
telligent animal picked slow, sure foot
ing, the young rider disappeared in the
dark aisies of pine forest.
Jean Cavalier was ten years old; his
cradle had been rocked to the howl of the
mountain storms; he was accustomed to
scale heights with fearless agility, being
sure footed on paths that only the noun
tain born could safely tread. and he now
launtlessly faced a hazardous ride and the
peril of Imprisonment to save the lives of
five hundred 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 started at dawn for the secluded
mountains of Bourges, there to seek con-
ISOLATION and strength in the worship Of
God. ,. ..l.,....
This was the period of that so-called
religious " war in France, which lasted
twenty years. and in which the king, Lou
;e WV M, e;x-ty, al
to exterminatc three thousand Protestants
because they persisted in worshipping
their Maker in their own fashion.
Through the upper "valleys. for some
weeks previous to the time of this story,
there had been found in rock cavities and
hollow trees, bits of wood carved with the
words NTunna in the DESERT and with
certain symbolic marks whereby all the
faithful knew that the great pastor, Brous-
son, emerging from his secret cavern
dwelling, would meet and minister to his
prosecuted flock in the afternoon of the
first day of the year 1908, at the Bourges
mountain. Notwithstanding all precau-
ton, news of the intended convocation had
reached the town of Halls, and Captain
Dai.uirrier, with six hundred men, was
coming up from the plain, eager to sur
prise and butcher the innocent congrega-
lion-a kind of achievement not untre-
qucnt in those tragic years.
Just before noon to-day, Jean, when
climbing the rock back of his fathers hut
in search Of II missing goat, spied the red
| bonnets of the cavalcalo, traversing Il
dehIe far below; he knew well their ter
rible purpose. and, hurrying down, sai /
to his mother:
have seen the kings troops going up !;
there is none to give them warning but
me.
Twenty minutes later, Jean was riding
alone through the dim forest, intentIy CON
lining the network of paths so familiar to
him, and trying to choose one by which
he could eude and outstrip the assassins
I Issuing, at length, from the woods, he
paused, hesitating between two routes
one smoother though longer-by which,
trusting to his nimble animal, he might
speedily arrive, unless overtaken by the
troops; the other led through ravines and
over rocks into the very heart of the
mountains, and was hazardous path even
for skillful climber. If he took the latter
he must abandon his horse and trust to
his own speed and agility. Finally decid-
| inc on the smoother road, he was turning
towards it when he heard the sound of II
conch-shell, and, on the instant, flash of
scarlet Streamed around Il spur of the for
est. Quick witted Jean rode ut once to
meet the advancing soldiers.
Whittier 90 youP asked the captain.
To the upper hills to seek my father, re-
piled Jean. ...
This is not u safe country for youngsters
like you to travel in alone, said the officer.
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 II 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 fellow,
quick in expedients, contrivcd to fall back
! gradually, till, when the dismounted
troops. painfully climbing, were halfway
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 IL country of volcanic formation, the
entrance to which was concealed by thick,
clustering bushes. Selling an opportune
moment, the active boy turned his pony,
dashed down into the brook, lGaped from
his steed, and ran into the cavern. Some
minutes elapsed before the more clumsy
soldiers could descend; when they reach
cd the stream the pony was scrambling
homeward over the rocks, and no trace OF
his rider was visible. Little Jean
tremblingly crouched in his covert during
lheir brief, vain search; bnt soon, eager
for a larger prey. the pursuers returned to
Join the rest of the band. .....,
I When the last echoes had died away,
and only the brooks gurgle was audible
in the stiffness, Jean ventured from his
retreat. aware that the distance had been
increased and the time of rescue lessened
| by his capture; but his childhood's stead
| fist faith never dreamed of failure
PRAYER and act were one, us lightly leap
| inc from boulder to boulder, by intricate
windings about pinnacle and crest,-here
| following the bed of Il mountain stream,
there swinging himself by gnarled roots
over deep chasms,-the intrepid boy
hasted breathlessly on.
Not far away, some hundreds of reso-
lutte men and women were assembled on Il
rocky platform. amid the desolate hills.
AIuskets stood near, ready for sudden
tcall TO arms. Il Around The worshippers
was chestnut forest through whose enor-
mons trunks and leahess branches the
wind moaned in melancholy cadence, ac-
complaining their psalmody and supplca-
tion IN n fiat smooth stone, at the base