The Wellington enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 1867-188?, 1880-03-18

was his home. He opened the door
and went in. and the old man fol-
lowed him. There was only one room,
and that had door of clay. In the
fire place burned few faggots, while
close by were heaped q lot more
boughs, twigs and stuff such as might
be dragged out of the swamp close by.
In an old arm chair sat an elderly
female with her hands folded in her
lap, and close by her was q cat. The
woman's face could be seen by the
glimmer of the fire, and it was thin
haggard and pale. She looked up as
her boy entered and in q feeble tone
asked:
"Did ye find it, PierreP''
hope so mother. A kind soldier
has come home with me and he will
help u.s."
The old lady started up and gazed
around. She saw the stranger and q
look of hope rested upon her features.
Haven't ye q lightP" asked the
"No-only the fire." answered the
Then wen have better one," the
soldier said. "Pve candle in my
haversack, and bit of food, too"
As he spoke he sat down ina chair,
the only other one in the room, and
having unslung his haversack he over
hauled the contents until he came to
the candle. This he gave to Pierre and
bade him light it. An old wooden cam
dlestick was found and the candle was
soon burning. The soldier could now
see the faces of his hostess and her son
more plainly. The former was q mild
looking, full-browed woman, with a
prayerful cast of countenance, and must
have once been extremely beautiful.
She was certainly fifty years of age, for
her hair was very gray and time had
been busy with its indelible touches.
Her son was not over nineteen, and was
handsome youth. He was pale and
wan now; but his brow was full, his
eyes large, dark and brilliant.
"You suffer muchP' said the soldier,
addressing the hostess.
Every much," she returned. "1
have been very sick, but am getting
better now. Yet my sickness has eaten
up everything we had, and my noble
boy has sacrificed all his earnings; and,
worse than all else, he can't find work
now to do. The crops are all garnered
and. the barns closed. Yesterday. he
went to the house Of a rich man to beg,
and he was kickeo-" ~
..No, no. mother-not kickedr' ex.
claimed the youth, quickly. {" He did
not dare to do that He said he would
kick me il I came there AGAIN."
But are there not others who would
- 81, II
'sThey might. returned Pierre; "but
the sou-prefect Of police swore that he
would send me OF Il he caught me beg.
ging again. What could ! do. sirP"
:, .'But the sou-prefect is villain
What does he meanf" .sIf,
q ..Re il angry with me. He wanted
me in the harvest time to work for him
for 1--WE sous . day, and wouldn't, be.
cause . better man gave me fifteen
sous
sHs is . aperfect villain. But come
we'll eat something. My old haversaci
has something else in it besides candles
I don't travel. without something te
guard against the danger Of being be
nighted in the wood"
As he spoke he pulled a loaf of bread
and q piece Of cold boiled beef from hi
old provision bag and then made the
mother and son eat. He assured then
that he had eaten hearty supper, ant
that he had money to buy more, SO with
out further ceremony they began thu
meal-the first they had eaten since thu
morning of the day before, save the Lit
tie milk which they were able to ge
from one old goat which they yet re
tanned.
Tears stood in the old soldiers eye
as he sat and saw the boy and his moth
or eat, and when they were done the,
turned and blessed him. The woman
seemed much revived, and as her sol
put some more faggots upon the fire
she turned and spoke to her guest He
voice trembled as she spoke. and tear
were in her eyes.
"You are . soldierf' she said.
"Yes," the old man replied, turnin,
his gaze upon the fire instead Of upol
his questioner.
"Have you been long in the armyP'
Eighteen years."
Perhaps you have been in African
| 81 have"
"Whom did you serve underP'
"Colonel Pelissier."
"Then you may have known Fran
co.'s Chollet7''
And as the woman said this she wipe
her eyes with her apron.
Corporal Cholleta To be sure
know him. Aye-and q fine fellow b
was too. Did you ever know hima'
Eyes, sir. He-he'' and here q pa,
eionate flood of tears interrupted hel
but finally she concluded-"he was m
husband"
| "Ah-was hea Poor Francoisi HI
was sad fater'
The woman;started and laid one I
her hands on the soldiers arm. tt
tears ceased flowing and her lips wei
closed.
"Then he is deada' she whispered
"No-1 guess not"
"Not dead! Francois alivei Do yo
know thisa' she cried.
81 am sure of it. He was sad
wounded, and lost q leg-as / ha,
done. He was taken prisoner and keI
q long while too, and that is the reaso
: why he did not come home with b
regiment. But how longsince you ha,
II seen himP"
"fifteen years, sir. He sailed fro
Marseilles with the first that went
-Algiers. But where Is he nowP Whel
did you see him lastr'
He landed at Toulon with me-"
20. God bless you sir! And he vi
come to me soon. Did You leave hi
No. He started on with me-"
-. Started onf But where-where d
you leave himrs So. = -
=" The last I saw OF him was in
mAu hut where he had called to pa
the night, But. you see-I have con
a With his crutch and stat. 80
: shouldn't wonder II he had to st.
, Wh6fe he is for some time.r
"O-how could you. sirr But y
] didn't know that he hAdtA waitin