The Douglas independent. [volume] (Roseburg, Or.) 187?-1885, 1883-05-19
The Cure OF Cucugnan.
Translated freely from the French of Aiphonse
Daudet

nan. I0er0 was no D6tI0f man. and he
cherished for his Cucugnanese flock a
paternal affection-in fine, Cucngnan
would have been for him perfect para
disc had only its people been little
more soiicitious about their souls. But,
alas, the spider spun its web in the un-
frequented confessional and the worthy
priests heart was almost broken.
Nightly, however, he prayed to heaven
that he might not be removed from
earth until he had brought his .strayed
sheep back to the fold. You will see
that his prayer was heard. =
One Sunday, after readingsthe gospel,
Father Martin entered the pulpit and
thus addressed his psrishioners.
dearly beloved brethren, the other
night found myself, miserable sinner
though I am, at the gates of heaven. 7
knocked and Peter opened the gates at
once. Halo, he said, is that you my
good Father Martin? To what am in
debted? What can do for you?' Good
Saint Peter, you who keep the books
and the keys, could you tell me, if it is
not an imposition. how many Cucug
nanese you have up here?'
/ can refuse you nothing, Father
Martin. Sit down and we will run over
the book together So the saint took
down his big register and put on his
spectacles. Let us see! Cucugnan, I
think you aid-Cucugnan-Cu -Cueugnan-
ah, here we are! My dear sir. the page is
blank! Not one single, solitary sonl
There are just as many Cucugnanese in
heayen as there are teeth in henr
What exclaimed, mot one! There
must be some mistake about it. Per
haps you haven't posted your books up
to date. Look again, I beg of you. No
mistake about it, worthy man, replied
Peter; look for yourself if you think I
am jesting.
''Dearly beloved brethren, you can
imagine my distressl Come, comet said
Peter, don't take on SO, or you'll be i'll.
You are not responsible, anyway, and
the probability is that your Cucugnanese
are in quarantine down in purgatory.'
For the love of heaven, then, good st.
Peter, allow me to see them-to console
them! Willingly. my friend. but put
on these sandals, for it is bad walking
Keep right down this lane until on the
right hand you see silver door all
studded with black crosses. KNOCK, and
you will be admitted. Good-byal Be
good to yourself
dearly beloved brethren, I set out
down the lane. And such lane-the
goosehesh comes out all over me when I
think of it. It was all paved with sharp
fiints, thorns and puff -adders. But at
last [ reached the silver door, and
knocked. Who's there?' asked o grave
voice. THE cure of Uucugnaa Coma
inr I went in, and there / saw tall and
splendid angel, with wings black as
night and robe white as day, and o big
diamond key hung at his waist, writing
in book ever SO much bigger than St.
Peters. Fair angel of God,' said, If
7 am not too presum ptuous, have you
any Cucugnanese here? Any one from
Cucugnan? am the parish priest
"Ah. Father Martin, suppose?' THE
same, at your service
sDearly beloved brethren, the angel
wetted his finger and ran OYER the pages
of his big book and at last he said 10 me
| with deep sigh, Father Martin, there
is no resident of Cucugnan in purgatory.
| No resident of Cucygnan in purgatory?'
where are they all?' Up in paradise, my
good man! Where else would you have
themT But have just come from para
disc and they are not there. At least st.
Peter told me so and I don't think be
would lie to me. MOI he can't have lied,
for the cock did not crow. Mother Of
Heaven, where is my congregation
then?'
We'll, sir. if your friends are not il
| Heaven, nor yet here, there is only one
place where they can be-
Dearly beloved brethren, burst out
into such lamentations that the ange
was moved. My dear SIR he said, Il
| you wish to be sure about it and see fol
| yourself, go down this road until yo,
come to door on the left, and inquire
there. Bless your and be shut the doc
behind me. It was long, steep patti
all paved with red hot iron. staggered
as if I was drunk, the sweat poured
from me, my hair stood up on end anc
my tongue Glove to the roof of m,
mouth. But, thanks TO the sandal
Peter had given me, neither stumbled
nor was burned, and at last came to
huge portal, wide open. and glowing rec
like the. mouth of furnace.
dearly beloved brethren, they dom
ask your name there! They keep N
books there! You haven't to knock at th
door there! It is always wide open, lik
the tavern door, and people go il
throngs, just as you go into the taverl
on the holy Sabbath day. There was
horrible smell of burning flesh. like tina
which arises when Eloy, the blacksmith
burns out donkey's hoof before fttinl
on shoe, only infinitely worse, and
terrible uproar of sighs, sobbings, yells
oaths! Here, you; are you coming I'M
howled a. lbig-horned demon, making
grab at me with a long, red-hot irol
hook. 7? No, thank you, sir; I coul,
not think of intruding-in fact, belonI
up above!' You do? Well, then, wha
are you dong down here?' I hav
travelled long way, good Mr.. Devil. t
see if by any chance possibly you Nigh
have happened to have any one here from
Cucugnan.' Amy one from Cucugnan,
yelled the fiend, why, you black-frocke
old fool, all Cucugnan is here! Step thi
way and I'll show how we serve you
precious Cucugnanese down herer
dearly beloved brelhern, looked
and there, in the midst of a great shee
of flame, saw-whom did see? I sa'
, Cog GaIene, that great, hulk1ng loafe
that used to get SO drunk and beat hi
wife. And Pascal Doigt-de-Poix, VIII
J made oil with his neighbor's olives. An
} old Crapasi, the usurer. And Tortillarc
{ who, when he met met me carrying th
holy sacrament to dying man, wake
) passed with his hat on his head and hi
| pipe in his law, as proud as Artaxerxe
and paying no more attention to N
than If had been dog. And Couleat
!. | With his wife. Zette. and Jacoues an