Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1888-12-28
STANTON, VIRGINIA, DECEMBER %, 1888.

convent, Jeanne de Sicard came to live at
Toulouse She attended high mass every
Sunday in the chapel of the Dominican con-
vent, where a throng assembled to hear the
preachers, who were famous through all the
province, and to see the services, which were
celebrated with pomp unknown in any
other of 1.-THE numerous converts of the city.
Francois fulfilled in these ceremonies the
tasks of an acolyte, or censor bearer, carry
ing the great silver candlestick or swinging
the censor, the smoke from which flooded the
chapel with that clinging odor peculiar to
eastern perfumes. Often, also, he accompa-
MED the monk charged with the duty of MAX
ing collection from among the worshipers.
Passing before Jeanne de Sicard, the young
brother could not prevent himself from rails
ing his eyes to his benefactress; she made a
sign to him, unseen by all others, but which
did not escape the young man. Through all
the winter this little maneuver was repeated
every Sunday; but when spring returned,
Jeanne went back to her castle of Palifcat,
in Croix-Daurade, and it was useless for the
poor little friar to pass and repass before the
pew that she had customarily occupied, he
did not see her again; in consequence he eX-
perienced a genuine grief, all the more acute
because he could confide in no one.
About this time, the month of February,
1880. came on, and with it the decree of the
constituent assembly, which set aside the &C.
clesiastic VOWS and threw wide open the con-
vent doors. Many monks, held by force in
their monasteries, FASTENED to profit from
the liberty that the revolution offered them;
they shook off their obligations, shaved their
boards and parted with their gowns and
mantles to enter into civil life. Francois,
who was about to be received as a novice,
having reached his 10th year, and not
feeling a strong inclination for the priestly
life, also left the convent, and found himself
free one fine day in March, on the streets of
Toulouse, and with only the few francs that
they had given as indemnity to each monk
Or novice who had thrown to the dogs his
frock and white or brown cassock.
But what should he do now, without rela-
tions, acquaintance, friends or any one to
assist or to protect hima Then the thought
came to him to go and find his benefactress,
Jeanne de Sicard, at the Palifcat castle; but
he did not dare to CO. How would she judge
his resolution? What greeting would she
offer to one who had shown SO little eager
ness to retain the unimportant situation that
she had procured fer hims He turned over
in his mind several projects upon which he
tried to decide, when, as he stood on the cor
ner of the Rue du Taur and the Place Royale
he read bill stuck up there, calling for
young men to serve as drummers in the Ma
tional guard, then forming.
At that time the drummers were not, as
they are today, attached to particular COM
panies, but were young fellows of Is to 18
years, who galloped in advance of the regi-
ments, beating the marches. Francois went
to the mayors Office, where he was enrolled
forthwith, dressed and equipped and on the
same evening they delivered to him his drum
and two dru1nsticks.
He was now handsome, stout, strapping
youth, with an open and frank face, eyes
that were like flames, so bright they shone
under heavy black eyebrows, and fine mus
tache surrounding his upper lip. On seeing
him as he piled his sticks, the throng cried
out spontaneously, ''Oh the handsome drum
mer"
When the National guard defiled before
the Boulingrin, public drive and place Of
assembly, Francois saw on the gallery that
had been built for spectators, beside her
father, Jeanne de Sicard and her face was
deep purple. She had recognized him, but
Francois had not the time to weigh the effect
that his transformation produced on her, be-
cause the regiment marched at a quick rate,
and it was not much more than vision, but
one of the visions that one loves to recall,
and that one remembers forever with real
delight For week Francois thought Of
nothing else; he dreamed Of it at night, and
when he beat march it seemed to him that
his beautiful protector would soon be found
again at the corner of street or square,
seeing him pass and crying out, as he had
heard so many others cry:
ooh! the handsome drummer!"
But he did not see her again, and it was
useless for him to look, useless for him to ex
pand his form and hold up his head, making
his plume wave; it was all over; never again
was Jeanne de Sicard to be seen when the
National guard went by.
Three moro years rolled on. There was
frightful rapidity in the course of events.
The old order Of things no longer existed;
the republic had replaced royalty, and Louis
XVI's head had fallen under the knife of
the guillotine. A host Of the mobiles had emf
grated, leaving France to lead back her enc
mics against her. Francois had grown and
had become soldier Sent to the Rhine, he
had rapidly won there the insignia of SER
geant, second lieutenant and captain, a very
common accomplishment at that time, when
our victorious armies were commanded by
beardless colonies and generals 20 years old.
One day, Capt Francois, being at the head
of accommodating detachment, met an
Austrian convoy. He ordered an attack on
the little column and his brave soldiers soon
put to fight the white jackets, who left their
chief wounded on the ground. Great was
Francois astonishment when, on going
nearer, he recognized in the Austrian leader
the Marquis of Sicard, his former master.
The marquis, like so many others, induced to
emigrate, was found bearing arms against
French soldiers. Francois, exercising his
right, made the marquis prisoner on parole,
then, instead Of bringing him back to the
camp, left him on a farm near by, where
every care was bestowed on him. When the
marquis was recovered, Francois, thanks to
the relations that he held with the head of
the army, obtained pardon for his benefac-
tor, who was thus enabled to return to
Toulouse, where his conflscated property,
which had not been sold, was restored to
him as a special favor. Reinstated in his
castle, the marquis had his daughter return
from Turin, where he had left her. Taking
advantage of leave Of absence, Francois
came to pass three months at Croix-Daurade,
where, as may readily be believed, he was re-
ceived with open arms by the marquis.
''Thank the captain" said the marquis to
his daughter; sit is to him that you are in
debted for still having a father; and I owe
him, besides my fortune, this happiness,
more precious still, of being able to embrace
you."
What more shall ada
What should happen happened. Jeanne
and Francois loved each other, and told each
other so. The marquis consented to their
marriage, which was celebrated with great
pomp in the church at Croix-Daurade, and
the story goes on-as in the fairy tales-to
say that they had many children.-Trans-
lated for Boston Transcript from the French
Of Jean Bernard.
Good Natured People of Norway.
They ere sturdy, fine looking people, and
are the most thorough democrats on the face
of the globe. They have abolished all titles
and nobility, and have not learned to worship
wealth One man is quite as good as another,
and his bearing shows he thinks SO. He takes
off his hat when he meets you on the road
side, but does it as freely to the coachman
who drives as to the rich man who Tolls back
in the carriage. They are good natured
neople am sure