The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1880-08-19

eide by drawing lots. Write three
numbers, Guiilaume, put them into
my hat and whoever draws number
one vii try the -enture."
Guillaume blaekened the end of
stick in the fire, tore an old card
into three pieces, wrote or them
one, two, three, and threw them into
the hat.
How the three hearts beati
Old Bernard lay shivering 10 the
cold fit, and each Of his sons longed
s-.isA nis osn il,e TO save that OF
his father.
The lot fell on Pierre, who had
discovered the nest; he embraced
the sick man.
I'VE stall not be long absent, ia
ther," he said, "and it Is needful
for us to go together"
"What are you going to doY
We will tell you as soon as we
come back"
Guiilaume took down from the
wall az old sabre, which bad be-
longed to Bernard when he was a
soldier, Jehan sought thick cord,
which the mountaineers use when
cutting down trees, and Pierre went
toward the old cross, reared near
the cottage, and knelt before 1t for
some minutes in fervent prayer.
They set out together, and soon
reached the brink of the precipice
The danger consisted not only in
the possibility of falling several
hundred feet, but still more in the
probab Bile aggression of the birds of
prey inhabiting the wild abyss.
Pierre, who was to brave these
perils, was fine, athletic young
man Of twenty two. Having meas
ured the distance with his eye he
would have TO descend, his brothers
fastened the cord around his waist
and began TO let him down. Hold
ing the'sabre in his hand, he safely
reached the nook that contained
the nest. In it were fOut eaglets of
IA yeIlowish brown color, and his
heart beat with JOY at sight of them
He grasped the nest firmly in his
left hand, and shouted joyfully to
his brothers, 81 have them! Draw
me upp'
Already the first upward pull was
given to the cord, when Pierre felt |
attacked by two enormous
eagles, whose furious eyes proved |
them to be the parents of the nest.
lings.
Courage, brother! defend thy
self! don't fearr'
Pierre pressed the nest to his
bosom, and with his right hand
made the sabre play around his
head.
Then began a terrible combat.
The eagles shrieked, the little ones
cried shrilly, the mountaineer
shouted and brandished his sword.
He slashed the binds with its blade,
which flashed like lightning, and
-endered them still more enraged.
He struck the rock, and sent forth
| shower of sparks.
Suddenly he felt jerk given to
he cord that sustained him. Look
ng up, he perceived that, in his
svolutions, he had cut it with his
sabre, and that half the strands
we're severed!
Pierre's eyes dilated wildly, re
NAMED for Il moment, and then
closed with terror. A cold shud-
Ter passed through his veins, and
ne thought of letting go both the
nest and sabre.
At that moment one of the eagles
bounced on his head and tried to
ear his face. The Savoyard made
L last effort, and defended himself
Oravely. He thought of his old fa-
her and took courage.
Upward, still upward, mounted
,he cord; friendly voices eagerly
uttered words Of encouragement
and triumph; but Pierre could not
reply to them. When he reached
the brink of the precipIce, still
clasping fast the nest, his hair,
which an hour before had been as
black as a ravens wing, was becom-
ing so completely white that Gull
.aume and Jehan could hardly re-
cognIze him.
Whist did that signify? the Gag
let's were of the rarest and most
valuable species. That same after
noon they were carried to the vii
Iage and sold. Old Bernard had
the medicine and every needful |
comfort besides, and the doctor in
a few days pronounced him conva-
Iescent.