Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1881-03-09

my mother served him. My father took
charge of the wine, and the glasses did
not long remain empty.
"Well," said my father suddenly,
pointing to the tin box that the soldier
carried slung on a cord, ssyou have fin
ished your time, for there is your congo.
Then why do you kill yourself by toll
ing along the highway? I see how the
matter stands. You have no money to
pay the diligence?"
! "I?" replied the soldier, 81 have re-
ceived my pay and my bounty, and my
mother had sent me enough to pay for
place in the coupe, if had liked. But
[ could not.
Z" understand, said my father, who
| did not understand at all. Then he asked
for another bottle of wine.
When the meal was over, the soldier
tried to walk. He tottered, uttered a
smothered cry, and fell back into the
chair. I then saw tear in his eye.
He was young man, rather thin, but
nervous, dark, and with an energetic
look. He was hot man to shed a
tear for little, and that tear puzzled
me.
"Ah," he said with a movement in
which there was little anger and a
good deal of grief; 81 shall not be
able to walk until tomorrow morning. F"
s'Walk cried my mother, terrified.
The soldier shook his head
"You don't know, you, [ must. ;"
It was VOW.
In our Ardennes those primitive souls
have respect and faith. [ saw my
father look at the young man in the
face without astonishment, and with
mute interroG alton.
eyes," said the soldier, CT will tell
you the whole story. You have, per-
haps, saved my life; I ought, at least,
to tell you who / am. My name is
Jean Chevaucheux, and my father is a
wood-splitter at Mezieres. He is an
honest man, like you, monsieur. Seven
years ago, when I drew for the con-
scription, [ was madly in love with
Marguerite Servan, good hearty girl
and pretty one. I had already asked
her in marriage, and her father had
not said no; but, you see, Pierre Puvi-
oux had asked her in marriage at the
same time that [ did. Pierre Puvioux
is a man of my age, who carries his
heart in his hand, as the saying is;
gay and well-loohng. / ought to have
detested him, and he has remained my
friend. Well, Father Servan said to
me as he held out his hand:
You are worthy to be my son-in-law,
my lad; but first of all you must please
my daughter. I will ask her."
a." Marguerite, when asked, said that
she would gladly consent to be my
wife. But she said the same when they
talked to her about Puvioux. She
loved both of us, one as much as the
other; she hesitated-she did not dare
to decide. But still she could not mar
ry both of u.s.
"Time went on. When the time of
the CONSUMPTION come we drew lots,
Puvioux and /, on the same day. I
had number three and he had number
seven, and so we both of us became
soldiers. For moment I was in
state of great fright, [ confess. People
at Mezieres said that Puvioux had a
rich aunt, and that she would buy him
off. If Puvioux did not join the army,
Puvioux would marry Marguerite, and
I, knowing that I should be obliged to
go, for [ was poor, [ thought I already
heard the fiddler at the wedding, rend-
ing my ears and my heart.
81 must tell you that Marguerite Ser
van has not her equal. If I lost her
now, after having waited seven years for
her, upon my honor [ think I should
blow out my brains.
LUCKILY, Pierre Puvioux was not
bought off. His aunt died leaving debts
instead Of fortune. He had not pen
ny any more than I had. We were
obliged to shoulder our guns, and we
were expected on our way-bin every mo-
ment. One night, Father Servan took
us each by the arm and led us to an inn,
and this is what he said to us as we
emptied bottle of Moselle wine.
My boys, you are good and honest
Ardennais, equal in merit. [ love you
with all my heart. One of you shall be
my son-in-law, that is understood.
Marguerite will wait seven years. She
has no preference either foryou, Puvioux,
or for you, Chevaucheux, but she loves
both of you, and she will make happy
the one whom fortune shall choose.
These are the conditions on which one
OF you shall marry my daughter: YOU
start on the same day, it is probable
that you will return on the same day.
w O1As lhC CAC VIII lISG COuGS ana snakes
hands with Father Servap. and SAYS:
Here am, my time is OUT he, swear,
shall be the husband of my Marguerite.
" was astonished; I thought that I
had misunderstood. I looked at Pierre
Puvioux and ne looked at me, and, al
though we were sad enough at heart, we
were certainly ready to burst out laugh
ing.
g But Father Servan was not Joking.
He had discovered this means of getting
out of the difficulty, and he meant to
stick to it. [ held out my hand and
swore to act neither by ruse or violence.
and to let Pierre Puvioux marry Mar
guerite, if he returned Mezieres before
l did. Pierre stood up and swore the
same, and then we shook hands while
Father Servan said:
CHOW the rest is your affair. The
only thing is to escape bullets and return
safe and sound.