Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1882-04-06
..TaE TRAGEDY OF THE MARSH
Translated for the ssArgonaut' from tn
French OF O I,eman


/ tell the tale as twas told to me by Noel,
keeper OF the pastures, one day when was
duck-hunting on the marshes of Saint.
Georges. We had beaten the princes en-.
closure, Dick in advance, nose to the wind;
Noel bringing up the rear, with nv game.
bag-which, alasl was not heavy-on his
shoulder. The MONDAY sun fell perpen.
dicularly upon our heads; the mosquitoes
swarmed about us by thousands, first max
ing their presence known by sounding q
charge in our ears. The Selma long
ribbon that unrelled itself in Its passage
around the hillside-glistened like o mirror
before our eyes. On the opposite bank
Quillebonf, with its quay grown green
through long and intimate contact with the
marsh, its slate roofs scattered pell.melI
around the old church, and its white light
house, like an advance guard, stood up.
right at the foot of the pier.
We were approaching the rushes with
gun half cooked and ear strained to catch
the fsintest sound. Suddenly detected q
rustling among the reeds.
Hist" whispered Noel; watch atten-
lively, but be in no haste" Thereupon, tc
my astonishment, he seized without eere-
mony the following piece with which had
taken aim, For Gods sake, do not fire.
1t is crazy Jeanne"
Through the tall grasses, which prevent
I'd my clearly discerning the object, now
percelveda white shadow reflected in the
rippling waters. Soon fantastic figure
appeared on the other side of the rushes.
1t was of u still youthful woman, pale and
emaclated, whose eyes glittered with that
restless, lurid light which marks the prey
Of consuming fever. Hanging loosely
from her waist was skirt that had been
originally white, but now it Was bedraSgled
with mud. She wore, crossed over her
BOSOM, red shawl, while on her head, en-
tangled in her heavy hair, was bridal
wreath-crushed and torn, ana matted
with grasses. She paused and gazed at us,
took two steps forward with both arms ex-
tended, then paused anew. For an instant
she stood thus, with fixed gaze, as motion
less as a stature; then gave utterance to a
strange cry, half sob, which awakened
from its revery and put to flight a hugh
heron that was summing itself in neigh
boring field.
Come, be still, silly one, said Noel, in
bis harsh, rough voice, at the sound of
which the poor girl gathered up her skirts
with both hands, and pursued her erratio
course toward Saint Georges.
We seated ourselves Oh neighborine
hillock in the immediate vicinity, under
the shade OF the silvery willows, and, at
my request, after having first taken drop
to restore cheerfullness, the keeper began
his narrative, to the hoarse accompani-
ment furnished gratis by the frogs from out
the ditch.
Jeanne's father Lsaid NOEL is the host OF
the inn where you are now staying. Pre-
Vious to her misfortune, Jeanne was uni
Tersally considered to BE the belle of all the
country hereabouts; nor was there within
raids of tea leagues an inn more frequentet
than that OF Pere Simon. The line of car
riages drawn up in the courtyard Sunda,
after Sunday was a signt worth seeing
C8eashes and omnibusses from Havre, col
Teylng thlther gay parties attracted to the
inn by the fame of its mGtetote hunters
eQuipages, with their liveried coachmen;
TO say nothing of travellers gigs of every
description, and heavy farm wagons, whose
horses stopped of their own accord before
The door.
Jeanne was the life and soul OF tn,
house, In the salon, where the viiager
were won't to assemble in friendly conyers,
over cup of coffee or glass of wine; il
the kitchen, where all absolutely gilt
tered in its cleanliness; in the cellar, filled
to repletion with its barrels of cider ant
rows of wine bottles. In short, everywhere
her snowy cap was visible. She was evel
ON the alert that nothing might escape hel
eye or her ready wit, and was always read,
to laugh at good joke, which no one coult
better appreciate than herself.
Pere Simon, seated at his counter in tn,
midst OF many hued bottles, gathered in tn
earnings that cost him nothing but tn,
trouble of clinking glasses with his guests
To pretty girl with large dot, suitors
as rule, are not wanting, nor would the,
have been to Jeanne but for the fact tina
every enc was aware that her hand was al
ready promised to Raymons La Thiele, tn,
grown up together, and long before either
party was of an age to think of love, it was
n understood thing that they were to b.
married as soon as Raymond should return
from the service.
WcUtd-be lovers were not slow to recop
nize in their successful rival man of DOW
ertul frame whose jealous disposition mad
Itself known, when excited by anger, in tn
weight of his fist. Moreover-this mos
etectual preventive against counter claim
the father-m-law elect was possessed O
thirty acres Of sunny land, to say nothin,
OF the finest pasturage in the country, Tn
farm is Just above the inn. You can BE-
1t from here, behind those poplars, border
ing the marsh. The house, with its thatche,
roof and black cross beams. was. however
but sad nest for newly.married pain
therefore Pere La Thiele had promised a
q wsddfng-gift to build them new hous
in the uplands "A house Of brick and Stat
as are built in the city, the garden of whicl
was to be laid of with graveled walks, an
enclosed In an iron railing.
There was much visiting from the farn
to the inn. In the evening, after the las
guest had taken his departure, and th
shutters were drawn, then the four ad
iourned to Pere Simon's kitchen, The tw
rathers-old soldiers-sat with the brand
bottle between them, and told each othe
stories-always the same-of other days
and the young people. within the shade,
OF the chimney corner, also told each othe
story, which, too, was always the same
yet theirs was tale as old as the everlast
ing hills. But Raymond was obliged t
leave for the army. The evening pre-
vieus to that appointed for the drawing o
lots, Jeanne burned a fine wax candle, as
propitiatory Offering. As result of thi
generous sacrifice, her lover was conscripte
for single year only.
ASSAAAJ bO ouPPSbCu ehSAo Uoc
sorrowful parting. Many were the kisse
interchanged; again and yet again wa
the farewell uttered. only to be revoke,
with another kiss. When the last adler
was finally whispered, Jeanne cried ant
sobbed as though her heart would break.
But girls tears are like rain storms shor
in duration in proportion to their violence
Jeanne doubtless appreciated the fact tina
weeping spoiled pretty eyes, and that worl
done with sorrowful heart was drudgery
be that as it may, at the close OF the sec
ond day she was as merry and blithe as o
yore. Again she sang as q thrush in th,
sunshine.
Explain who can why Jeanne, as good q
girl as ever lived, betl othed to fine youn,
fellow, should in few short days have for
gotten the companion Of her childhood t,
become enamored Of stranger, loving hin
madly, even unto death, for death only cal
end her misery, poor creature! Wo
put this solution OF the enigma fs not satls
factory to me, nor is it to many others who
like myself, have found this riddle inso
luble.
Jules Delaporte was considered hand
some by those who admired his style. Fo
my part do not like these pomatumet
coxcombs, whose white hands are too nic'
n a.