The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1886-10-08
THE SOUL OF THE HOUSE.
translated from the Provencal.

| Translated from the Provencal.
The duke OF Provence knocks at the
door OF his daughters room with the
pommel OF his sword.
"Get up, Maquelon; it is daylight
and the 'Angelus' has rung; your
brothers are waiting for you down in
the yard; the horses paw the ground;
it is time to start"
There is that after bloody war in
order to strengthen treaty OF peace.
Maquelon was married, although she
was but u child, to Prince Herbert, a
child himself; since they have grown up
separated from each other; now the
day has come to conduct 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 Il
long veil. Then dressed all in white,
she descends thestairs. Her brothers
, look at her in delight They mount
their horses.
"Is Prince Herbert's home very far
from here?"
ooh, very far. To 60 there we will
have to cross plains and forests, we
/, shall climb more than one mountain
with a blue summit"
Then Malquelon sadly hangs down
her head. Yet nothing separates her
from the house in which she was born;
she may, by stretchineforth her hand,
touch the ivy that clings to the walls.
In the meantime her father and her
brothers say: 'Let us co." but there
is Malquelon's mother coming out
from the now deserted house, andwith
her trembling hands she presses close
to her heart her daughters little foot
resting on the stirrup.
"4ou are going away" says she.
You leave ME, you who has sucked
my breast! The bed in which you
slept, o E.y heart, shall remain
empty, and va,nly l shall seek you
in the paternal mansion!"
Alas" answers Maquelon, "is it
not my 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 upon the grass. The caval-
cade is moving and Maquelon's foot
slides out from her mothers hands.
The stirrups sound, the spurs grind,
the stones fly under the feet OF the
horses; the Duke OF Provence and his
three sons are powerful knights, COW
cred with black armors, the alright
! OF the Saracens; in the midst OF this
double line OF steel and iron marches
pale Maquelon mounted on her white
| horse
They go! they go! they cross the
plains and they disappear under the
greenish vault of the forests; then they
reappear again on the sleepy fanks OF
the mountains. Their thoughts are
sad, and neither a song nor a ballad
is sung to divert their ennui. Mean
while, many days and nights had
passed since their departure, when at
the moment OF crossing a little stream
the old Duke stops mis- horse
| "As true as the water OF this stream
| shall never remount to it's source"
says he, II shall not make another
step forward, but your brothers will
accompany you, Maquelon; my road
| Is now behind me-"
"What will become OF me if you
| depart from me?" cries Maquelon.
| II must return to console you're aged
mother. Farewell, dear child, the
years have heaped themselves on my
head, and perhaps | will die without
seeing you again"
Let the will of God be done! But
you, my brothers, swear that YOU
will never abandon me!'
| The brothers hang their head and
keep silence. ~
1 "How long and distressing is this
marching says Maquelon. "We 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?"
NO, my sister, Prince Herbert
dwells beyond those blue mountains"
''Iell me, my brothers, does it seem
to you that the more we advance the
more heaven darkens behind us, the
grass is fading away and the trees are
lowering their branches to the
ground?"
Yes, Maquelon, sadness spreads it.
self behind you, because you shall
pass no more OH this road At this
hour our heart broken father travels
alone and our mother wrings her
htnus IN despair.
"Do you think have not also nv
| share of sorrow-what do see? Does
your horse refuse to walk, or are you
retaining the bridle?"
DO not accuse my horse! This oak
tree on my right marks the line that |
| shall not cross. My brothers will de-
scend with you into the valley"
"What! Have you not sworn never
| to abandon me?" says Maauelon.
clasping her hands. "Have you no
remembrance OF your oath?"
"a vain oath, my sister; / must re-
turn to comfort my father and moth
er. Farewell, beloved Maquelon, am
| young, but often the young depart be-
fore the old. Will ever see YOU again?"
"Go, my brother! Now the Holy
Virgin knows that you have never
loved mel"
| The youngest OF the brothers, named
Amaury, was a master in the CAV sci
ence; Maquelon cherished him. "Dear
Amaury, sing one OF those ballads
that please the ladies and the knights
so much.'
Willingly, my sister. / will sing
the ballad of 1nesille of Bearn'"
The Count OF Bearn has daughter, the
+, fair Inesille.
Provencales, Frenchmen and the wild Cor.
sicans
Want to marry the Counts daughter.
They want to carry her away
She refuses to separate from her parents,
ANA to have the Castle OF CouAracans;
1t is in Bearn where she WAS born
1t is in Bearn where che will die.
"oh! that is very sad ballad that
you have chosen, my brother"
While she was speaking, suddenly
her second brother stopped his horse;
! Maquelon comprehended that this
one was also ready to turn back.