Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1893-05-17
W. W.B. GALLAHER. Editor.
MayI7 1898.
Pere Champagne.

as it that we stand at the top of the
hill and the end of the travel has come,
Pretty Pierre? Why don't you sPake ?"
1--WE stand at the top of the hill and it
is the end"
"And Lonely valley is at our feet and
Whitehead mountains beyond" ?"
Zone at our feet and the other beyond,
Shon McGann."
"It's the sight of my eyes wish | had
in the light of the sun this mOrnin. Tell
me what it's you see ?"
81 see the trees on the foothills, and
all the branches shine with frost. There
is a path-so wide between two groves
of pines. On Whitefaced mountain lies
a glacier field-and all is still"
"The voice of you is far away like,
Pretty Pierre-it shivers as white
hawk cries. It's the wind, the wind,
maybe"
"There's not a breath of life from hill
or valley"
"But l feel it in my face"
at is not the breath of life you feel. "
"Did you not hear voices coming ath-
wart the wind? Can you see the people
at the mines ?"
81 have told you what SEE"
"You told me of the pine trees and the
glacier and the SHOW"
"And that is all, Shon McGann."
"But in the valley, in the valley,
Pretty Pierre-where all the miners are"
81 cannot see them
"Ah, for the love of heaven, don't tell
me that the dark is fallin on your eyes
too"
"No, Shon McGann, am not growing
blind
"Ah! will you not tell me what gives
the ache to your words I
81 see in the valley-snow-snow."
"It's laugh you have at me in your
cheek-whin I'd give years of my i'll
spent life to watch the chimney smoke
come curlin up slowly through the sharp
air in the valley there below"
"There is no chimney and there is no
smoke in all the valley"
"Before God, if you're a man, you'll
put your hand upon my arm and tell me
what trouble quakes your speech"
"Shon McGann, it is for you to make
the sign of the cross-there, while ] put
my hand on your shoulder-so!
"Your hand is heavy, Pretty Pierre" :"
"This is the sight of the eyes that see,
Shon McGann. In the valley there is
snow, in the snow, of all that was, there
is one pOppet head of the mine that was
called st. Gabriel-upon the poppet
head there is figure of a woman"
"Ahp
"She does not move
"She will never move, Pretty Pierre p
"She will never move, Shon Mccain" "
"The breath of my body gives hurt to
mo There is death in the valley, Pretty
Pierre"
"There is death in the valley
There is an avalanche-ihat path
YOU spake of between the pines'"
"And great storm after"
BLESSED be God that cannot behold
that thing this day And the woman,
Pretty Pierre-the woman aloft?'
"She went to watch for some one COM
ing, and as che watched the avalanche
came-and she moves not"
"Do we know that woman p
"Who can tellT'
"What was it you whispered to your
self then, Pretty Pierrei"
81 whispered no word
"There, don't you hear it, soft and
sighin 4? Nathalie!"
"Mon Dieu. 1t is not of the world"
sits facin the poppet head, where she
stands, I'd be-"
"Your face is turned toward her.
"Where is the sun ?"
"Ihe sun stands still over her head.'
"With the bitter over and the avil
past, come rest for her and all that lie
there!
"Eh, bieu, the game is done"
"If we stay bere we shall die also"
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