The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1881-03-30

Z
into the chair. | then saw tear in
his eye. He was young man,
rather thin, but nervous, dark, and
with an energetic look. He was not
the man to shed a tear for a little,
and that tear puzzled me.
"Ah," he said, with movement
in which there was little anger
and good deal of grief: Il shall
not be able to walk until tomorrow
morning"
"Walk?" cried my mother, terri
fed.
The soldier shook his head.
"You don't know must. TWAS
vow.n
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 interrogation.
Yes" said the soldier, Il will tell
you the whole story. You have
perhaps, saved my life; | ought at
least, to tell you who | am. My
name is Jean Chevaucheux, and
my father is wood splitter at Mez-
ieres. He is en- honest man, ike
you, monsieur. Seven years ago
when | drew for the conscription
l was madly in love with Marguer-
ite Servan, good heaty girl and a
pretty one. | had already asked
her in marriage, and her father had
not said no; but, yoa see, Pierre
Puvioux had asked her in marriage
at the same time that ! did. Pierre
is man of my age, who carries his
heart in his hand, as the saying is
gay and well-looking. | ought to
have detested him, and he has re-
mained 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. | will
ask her"
Marguerite, when asked, said that
she would gladly consent to be my
wife. But she said the same when
they talked to her about Pierre. She
loved both of Us, one as much as
the other; she hesitated she did not
dare to decide. But still size could
not marry both Of US.
"rime went on. When the time
of the conscription came we drew
lots, Pierre and /, on the same day.
| had number three, and he had
number seven, and so we both OF US
became soldiers. For moment |
was in state of great fright / con-
fcss. People at Mezicres said that
Puyioux had q rich aunt, and that
she would buy him off. If Puvioux
did not join the army, Puyioux
would marry Marguerite, and |,
knowing that would be obliged to
go, for was poor, / thought | al
ready heard the fiddler at the we'd
ding, rending my ears and my very
heart.
Luckily, Puvioux was not bought
of. His aunt died leaving debts
instead of fortune. He had not
sou. We were obliged to shoulder
our guns, and we were expected on
our way bill every moment. One
night Father Servan took Us each
by the arm and led US to an inn,
and this is what he said to US:
MY boys, you are both 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 pre-
ference either for you, Puvioux, or
for you, Chevaucheux, but she loves
both Of you, and she will make hap
py 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 re-
turn on the same day Well, the.
one who first comes and shakes
hands with Father Servan, and
says: Here | am, my time is out ;
he, | swear, shall be the husband OF
Marguerite
81 was astonished thought that
| had misunderstood. | looked at
Puyioux and he looked at me, and
although we were sad enough at
heart, we were certainly ready to
burst out laughing.
"But Father Seryan was not lok-
ing. lie 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 OF violence, and to let Paw
ioux marry Marguerite if he return
ed to Mezieres before | did. Pierre
stood up and swore the same, and
then we shook hands, while Father
Servan said
Now the rest is your affair. The
only thing is to escape bullets and
to return safely.
Before leaving ! wished to see
Marguerite Just as | was arriving
ing under her window-it was at
saw some one in the shade
in the same direction. !
short. 1t was Pivioux-
He seemed yexed to find me there.
was not particularly pleased to
meet him. We stood there for a
moment like two simpletons looking
at the toes of our boots. Then, with
q movement of courage, | said to
Puvioux:
"Shall we go in together ?"
"Ne entered and took our fare
well of Marguerite. She listened to
us without saying anything, but
there were tears at the tips of her
blonde eyelashes. Suddenly Pierre,
who was talking, stopped and began
to sob and | to do the same. Then
Marguerite joined in, and there were
all three shedding tears and pressing
each others hands.
"When the diligence that took US
away from Mezieres began to rattle
on the pavement the next day | felt
inclined to throw myself down from
the imperial and get crushed under
the wheels. The more so as there
was Lorranier at my side who was