New-York tribune., 1882-04-09
A RACE FOR A WIFE.
BY JULES CLARETIE

mo "ItV De related Il to me one day when we wer
talking Of the hazards of life, more astonishing AM
more romantic hundred tneS tH ra,a smo ~, SeveIo
itself he still knew the actors IN IT, L VIII pieseH
ronI be said to me, and we will 60 together u
Nezieres where we shall find one OF the heroes o
H. narrative still living All the romances have
NOT vet been written the most marvellous nave
SIN IN be published And who knows how many
romanccs each one oi us takcs "S' & ~, ,'a,
foundly buried in the secrecy OF MS c0hSclonco
nainfnlly smothered under the tombstone Euseht
Tecary did not know how true his words were ano
the story of Jean ChcvaucheuX was the dsI 'n"' III
tnId me Ii is he who will tell you the story.
Nv father used to live at Rethe in the high
street. in house can stiil zee peloe ny
its slate roof and projecting beams hosp,taI,o . M
bonse if ever there was one. Poor folks knew tne
way to it, They entered with their walieI empty
and went away with il full. We were all seated
one night at the freside: NV father was smoking
lIs pipe and watching the fire burn, my mother was
ironing and | was reading when we heaIa NOISE
at the door, and saw enter boy WIN Hlsh'eheu
looks.
1t is soldier very tired who has just fallen ex-
hausted before the door
Nv father loved soldiers. He rose brusquely, ran
out and there he WAS before | had taken step
coming i'm again with young soldier leaning upon
him. or rather my father had taken him up and
was carving him like "a sack OF corn.
Nv mother hastened to draw the big armchair mp
TO the fire The soldier vas made 10 sit or alHcI 10
rechne IN it, and my father said, looking at the poor
fellow:
is it possible! Walking in that statep
The fact is that the soldier was very thin and
pale hIs hair attencd on his forehead, the veins o
his temples big your little finger, his race black
with dust We were then in the month Of October.
and the weather was beginning 10 grow fresh, but
the poor fellow nevertheless Sweating big drops
as if il had been nOg DAYS. He must have bad q
long tramp his shoes were IN shreds YOU could
see where the stones hal torn the leather the
left foot was bleeding. The soldier did not move
but remained in the armchair with his head
thrown back, his eyes half open, and white as a
sheet.
Ny mother had already put some soup on the fire
and pan full of wine.
Bah said my father, the first thing to be
looked after is the ieetP
And kneeng down. he begun to tear and cut
aWav the shredS of leather. The soldiers feet, all
swollen and full of bliSters, looked like the feet OF
the martyrs. swollen with pain and weaed by hafd
cords, which we see IN the pictures OF the Spanish
painters.
My father dipped his handkerchief in vinegar
and washed the wounds.
'YOu. he said to me, make some lint
And | began to tear up some OH linen that my
mother had taken out of the hg cupboard -
Meanwhile the soldier had come to himself. lie
looked at MS. at my father. my mother and myself,
and the two or three neighlOrs who had come III one
after the other. His wandering eyes seemed to
intcrTogatc everything. Ii no longer the road,
the stones the great deserted woods that nc saw be-
fore him. but "A gay room. with a ceiling of shining
oak a cloth the table knife and fork laid. and
brown eaTthenware SOup-bOwl emitting saVOTy
smell OF cabbage soup.
Then he raised himself up. leaning Oh The arms of
lt CnalT, ana hdlu 10 lily ldtitf, WIFI CouluScu
emotion:
AN monsieur But you do not know meo
All well that does not matter; we Will become
acquainted at table
We had already dined hut my father wished TO
bear the soldier company. He sat down to table
opposite him, as 1t were broOdlng over him, and
looking at the Tegmental buttons that shone on his
cloak. The soldier ate. and ate heartily my
mother served him. My father took charge of the
vine 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.
'you have finished your time for there is your
congo Then why DO you go and XIII yourself Dy
toIiing along the highway j see how the matter
stands You have no money TO pay for the dill
genceP
! = replied the soldier. L have received my pay
and my bounty. and my mother had sent me
enough TO pay io place IN the o0aIt, If | had
liked. But could notr
understand said my father who did not un-
OF wine.
When the meal was over the soldier tried to
t4 ~Sik he tottercd, uttered smothered cry. and
IeH Dack INTO the chair then saw a tear in his
eye lie was young nan, rather thin but ner-
souS CsfA and with an energetic look. lie was not
q mdn 10 shed tear for little and that tear
an be SAID, with a movement in which there
was NIUE anger and good deal of grief: | shall
not W., 2e aDie to walk until Tomorrow morning?
wax! cried my mother. terrified
ne soldier shook his head
lou don't know, You, must
II was a vow.
spect and ialth. saw my father look al the younn
i man N the face without astonishmcnt, and with
mute interrogation.
Yes, said the soldier / Will tell YOU the whole
s,Uiy. lOu have perhaps, saved my life; ought
a. a. ieast TO tell you who am. My name is Jean
Sheyauchcux, and my father is a wood-splltter AT
Mezleres. He is honest man. like Won mon.
seuf. seven years ago, when drew for the con
Slplion, | was mady in love with Marguerite
nS'Van, good hearty girl and pretty one. had
al'dll asked her in marriage. and her father had
iot sald no; but yOu see. Pierre Puvioux had asked
neI p 10 marriage at the same time that did. Pierre
iuNiouX Is man OF my age, V no carries his heart
W " ns nahd IL the saying is. gay and well looking
hand ~ W 90 ''' "'i" 0"' n4S
Ion are worthy to be my son law nv lad
Ask her. wa"
- Marguerite, when asked, said that she wouid
siduly consent TO he my wife. But she said the
ssame when they talked to her about Puyionx. She
iv'eu both OF us. one as much as the other: she
nesitated she did not dare to decide. But still She
could not marry both of us.
lime went on. When the time of the conscrin
uon came drew lots, Puvio1x and on The
same day. ] had number 3 and he had number z
sha so we both of us became soldiers For a
Ipohent was IN a state of great fright. confess
leopie at MeZeres said that PuviOux had a rich
oiu a not JOIN the army, Puvoux would marry Mar
g. ne and L. knowing that should be obliged to
a., "a ,or was poor thought / already heard the
heart s' ''Nu'"s nv o"'' anu NY
must tell you that Marguerite Servan has not
,s. e equal II lost her now, after having waited
,bovla years Years ior her, upon my honor. think l
'uVuid blow ont my brains
Luckily, Pierre Puyioux was not bought Of