Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1892-12-30

"esT that. and determined to hear the Ia
nial from her own lips
mat evening met her on q quiet road
mo took her hand In mine, but there v -
~ n1ea OF words, for she saw the question
IN my eyes and answered:
fes, Pierre 1t IL truep, A cry az desn.iv
quickly: A'ue'
Il love you only, Pierre, but INV moths.,.
heart will break II refnse H. ,r.-
jacques. She Is old, and it 4 me du,~ -
obey her. You have done your duty. and
must do minep
interrupted her with a torrent NJ =.
proaches. for Was mad with rage and d.
spsir, and to my wild, angry words sbe
answered gently:
you will be sorry for speaking ~
Pierre, for you are brave and good. When
you can think calmly you will zee that
am right, and you will say to me. Mary
Jacques ] viii! wait until Won saw -
Pierre" She turned away and left NJ
standing there sobbing.
! After that reflected that had NO right
20 condemn girl to live single ali her
life merely because could not marry her
myseh, and yet ! was not willing to ret
her free. The neighbors began to show
their disapproval Of my selhshness.
You are like the dog in the manager. .
said one Of them. and they ali looked At
| me askance
Then ! heard that Marie's mother was
very III. and people said WAS the cause Of
IT, ana At last Cesarine began to reproach
| me:
"You ought to make Marie take jacques. >
she said; you will not be fulfilling your
promise to your brother unless you cau.e
\ In. . e..
That decided me. would give Marie her
liberty. J could not bear to see her AGAIN.
but wrote to her began several letters
TO her, and tore them up before they were
finished At last l wrote her two words
only Marry Jacques" Indeed there was
nothing more for me to say. called a lit
tie boy who was passing and gave him
two sous to take my letter 70 Marie but
even then could not make up my mind to
| send it.
The child took the NOR ey and held ont
l bis other hand for the letter. but drew
back and hs.sitated. II seemed like throw
ing away my last hope of happiness. for
Marie had said that she would NOT marry
without my bidding. turned the letter
over aud over in my hand, until the bow.
growing impatient to spend his sous.
snatchtd it suddenly and ran of. Hooked
after him as he went down the street. and
saw him turn In at the widows gate. I
WAS trembling all over like leaf, and had
TO lean against a wall to keep from falling
In few minutes I whispered;
She has opened the letter By this time
| and she has read it. Now, she has told
her mother--that is the endr' and rushed
away to the woods and wandered about
like one crazed. saying 10 myself over and
over again those fearful words, Marry
Jacques. marry jacques
On the day fixed for the betrothai was
at sea. but toward evening the cruel wind
| Persisted in driving me to Villerviile's
shore, and was obliged to tack back and
forth, where | could plainly see the lau-
terms lighted for the festivity. I have
heard OF the fortunes suffered by the
| Christians long ago. Of the rack and the
wheel and fire. but am convinced that
no martyrs agony was ever equal to what
endured that night.
Suddenly I resolved to see Marie once
more, and, landing quietly, crept along
IN the darkness TO the meadow where the
people were assembled at the betrothal.
crouched unnoticed among some bushes,
and saw her, my beloved She was leading
the singing. and as leaned forward in nv
eagerness to look at her more closely a
| sailor, who sat near me, began to light his
| pipe. and the flame leaped up before could
draw back The light fell full on my face.
Marie saw me, gave piercing cry, and
| fell swooniDg to the ground I rushed to-
| ward her. and at the same instant Jacques,
the betrothed, was at her side.
In a few minutes Marie's eyes opened
again. and was surprised to see Jacques
( glance from her face 10 mine with an air
of friendly pity. What a good heart had
Jacques,
He called for wine, and began drinking
deeply wine, cider and cognac-, Quantities
of cognac- He shouted and sang, quar-
| relied with the men and frightened the
girls, aud toward morning took Marie
home and made such terrible scene be
fore her mother that he was summarily
turned out of doors
Holy Virgin gasped Jeanne when he
had staggered off, "what an abominable
fellow Thank heaven we have found him
out in time: but who would have thought
he was a drunkards He shall never be my
son-in-law-neyer, never.'
Jacques Understood Marie and me, and
we understood hin-good, kind Jacques.
Since thae time there has been nothing
said about Marie getting married, and
though she and seldom meet we do not
try to avoid each other. Every Sunday |
give her the holy water at the door OF the
church, and we sit IN the same bench as
we used to do III the days of our youth.
Cessrine and her children sit between us, it
is true, but that does not matter. for we
always manage to exchange prayer books,
and while am praying for Marie out of
her book she prays for ME ont of mine
When go To sea her white serchief is the
last thing see on land. and whenever the
night is clear | look ct the light shining
from her window; she is my lighthouse,
my star.
Pierre Aubert stopped speaking and sat
plunged in thought, but gradually his
head sank upon his foided arms, and
heard the sound of heavy sobbiny.
Suddenly, however. the breeze sprang ur
and the fisherman rose TO mis- feet, and his
face was calm, though sad. as he called his
men to their work.
A few years later paid another visit tc
Vilierville, to find the people dressed il
their holiday clothes,
What is going on," asked of the cure
. who WAS the first person met. He smiled
as he replied:
/ "Cesarine Aubert died six months ago.
But all this festiyity!" Iasked. wonder
tngly.
Il am going to marry Pierre and Maris
In half an hour, said the pastor / left
him and FASTENED to Mother Jeanne's cot
tage. where / found Pierre dressed in new
/, clothes, and looking SO young and SO radi
I ~. 4. k.r. lv- lytax aim