Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1886-09-15

No faintest CLEAN of sunlight throueh'the dense
lnfnity Of gloom tolead thee thence
Wait thou, for tbs morning IT wilcome, in
A surely as the night hath oven need.
flames mitc0nb RHey, 1 Z p (
QUAINT FRENCH TALE.
The Duke of Provence knocks at the
Edoor of his daughters room with the
pommel 81 his sword. ~
Get up, Maauelon; it is daylight
and the sAngelisl has rung; your broth
ers are waiting for you down in the
yard the horsespav playground; it is
time to start. -" 49,
There is something after a bloody
var in order to strengthen a treaty of
peace Maque.on was married, al
Though she was but a child, to Prince
Herbert . child himself; since they
have grown up separated from each
other; now the day has come to con
duct the bride to the bridegroom.
Maquelon blesses herself and recon-
mends her soul to the Virgin; she rises
and puts on her wedding dress and a
long veil. Then, dressed all in white,
she aescends the stairs. Her brothers
look at her in delight. They mount
their horses 4 / j
b. els PrinceH erbert's home very far
from herep'
80! very far. To 60 there we will
have to Q plains and forests, we
shall climb more than one mountain
| with q. blue summit. ~ ( go
Then Maquelon sadly hangs down
her head. Yet nothing separates her
from theshouse in which she was born;
she may, by stretching forth her hand,
touch the ivy that clings to the walls.
III the meantime. her father and her
brothers say, "Letus co. but there
is Maquelon' 8 mother coming cut from
Ethe now deserted house, and with her
trembling hands she presses closely to
her heart her daughter S little foot rest
ing on the stirrup. ~
''You are going away says she.
"You leave me-! o, my heart will be
empty!'
II #SAlas" answers M~aaquelonp' is it
lot by father and, YOU, my mother,
who have given me to Prince Her.
bert?" The tears are shining in the
blue eyes of Maquelon as the drops of
dew on the grass. The cavalcade is
moving, and Maquelon's foot slides out
from her mother s Hands, -
The stirfups sound. the spurs grind,
the stones AH. under the feet of the
horses: the Duke of Provence and his
three sons are powerful knights, cover
ed with black .armors, the alright of
the >Saracens; IN the midst of this
double line of .steeland iron is pale
Maquelon mounted on her white horse;
"Ihey 20! they go! they cross the
plains and they disappear undert the
greenish vault of the forest; then they
reappear again on the sleepy TANKS of
the mountains. Their thoughts are
sad, and neither a song nor a ballad is
sung to divert their enuui. Mean
while, many days and nights had pass
ed since their departure, when at the
moment of crossing a little stream the
old Duke stops his horse. r.
Gas true as the water of this stream
shall never remount to it's source
says he, IT shall not maze another
step forward, but your brothers will
accompany you, Maquelon; my road is
now behind me-"
What will become of me if you de-
part from me?' cries Maquelon.
II must return to console your aged
mother.aa Farewell, dear child, the
years haysS he.ped. themselves on my
head, and perhaps will dieaawithout
seeing you again"
LET the will of God be done! But
you, my brothers, swear that you will
never abandon mel!
/ Ehes brothers hang their heads and
Keep silence.
"How long aud distressing is this
marching says Maquelon. ave pass
from the forest TO the mountain, and
from the mountain to the plain; and
we do not arrive. Have we not lost
our way in the country~of dreams?"
g'tN0, my sister, PrinceHerberr dwells
beyond those blue mountains"
Tell me, my brothers, does it seenlto
you that the more we advance the more
heaven dafkens behind us; the grass
is fading away, and the trees are low
ering their branches to the ground?"
YES MaquelOn, sadness spreads
itself behind you because you shall pass
no more on this road. At this hour
our heart-broken father travels alone,
and mother wrings her hands in
despair" - y -
.'Do YOU think I have not also my
share of sorrow-what do l see? Does
yourShorse refuse q walk, or are you
Eretaining the ~bridlaPp1
"Do not accuse my horse! This oak
tree on my right marks the line that
shall not Gross My brothers will de-
scend withyouinto the valley"
"What! Have you not sworn neve
to abandon me?" says Maquelon, clasp
ing her hands. "Have you no remem'
brance Of your oathp"
IA vain oath, my sister; l must re-
turn to comfort nv father and mother.
Farewell, beloved Maquelon, 1 am
S4eyoung, but often the young depart be.
fore the old. Will l ever see you
again?' w&S
go, my brother! Now the Holy
Virgin knows that you have never
! III Tie 1i Of the brothers, named
Amaury, was q master in the gay
science; Maquelon cherished him,
dear sAmauly sing one of those bal.
'1lads that please the ladies and the
knights so much.'' >
"Willingly my sister. I will sing
1.-The ballad of NESTLE of Bearn":
The Count of Bearn has q daughter, the
fair NESTLE,
! Provenssles,z Ffenohnen, and the wlid
Il o. C~orsicansSS y 3 IL
! want to airythaCo Counts daughter.