The record-union., 1894-04-28
THE LAST LESSON"
Thrilling Story of the French in
AIsace and Lorraine.
Excellent Translation from the
Work of Alphonse
Daudet.
Translated from the French for the RECORD
UNION by Miss e. 2. NOrwOOd.l

| Translated from the French for the RECORD
UNION by Miss e. z. Norwood.
On that morning l was very late in
starting for school, and feared that L
should be severely scolded for NJ. Hamel
| hao told us that we were to be questioned
on the rules of participles, and l did not
know the first word about them.
| For moment the idea came to me to
| STAY way and take brisk walk in the
country. 1t was so warm and clear. The
| black birds were whistling on the borders
of the woods, and in the Rupert meadow
| behind the sawyard the Prussians were
drilling and exercising.
| All this interested me much more than
the rules for participles, but had the
! strength TO resist, and ran quickly to-
wards school.
While passing before the Courthouse [
noticed that quite crowd had surround
ed the bill-posters. For more than two
years all the bad news. all the lost battles,
the requests for recruits, and the orders
| from the Government had been placarded
| here and I said to myself, without stop
ping to inquire, 81 wonder what the news
! is this morning?' Then, as l ran across
the square, the forge MASTER w Wachter,
who was there with his apprentice en-
gagged in reading the notice. called after
| me:
"Do not hurry thyself, little one. Thou
wilt reach school in ample time to-day"
| | thought that he mOcked me, and
entered breathlesSly into the little court
OF NJ. Hamel.
| Ordinarily at the commencement OF the
classes such a noise was made that one
| could hear it even in the street. The
desks opened and closed, the lessons were
repeated aloud, for the pupils closed their
ears to learn more rapidly, then the large
ferule of the master struck the table,
with the remark:
"a little more siienceW
| | counted upon all this confusion to
gain my bench unseen, but this day all
was as tranquil as a Sabbath morning.
! Through the open window L saw my
comrades already seated in their places,
and NJ. Hamel passed back and forth, his
terrible ferule under his arm. 1t would
be necessary to open the door and enter
| in the midst of this perfect silence. ou
can imagine how red and frightened l
was.
But, no. NJ. Hamei looked at me with
out anger and said sweetly:
$50 quickly to thy seat, little Franz.
| We were about to commence without
thee.'
. l jumped over my bench, and seated
myself at once at my desk. 1t was only
then, my fear having abated little, that
| | noticed our master had on beautiful
green trock-coat. His shirt front was
finely plated, and he wore skull cap OF
| black brocaded mOire, which he only put
on for gala days, when the prizes were
distributed. AS for the rest, all the class
/ had peculiar and solemn air about them.
But that which surprised me the most,
was to see at the back of the hall on the
benches ordinarily empty, several of the
villagers seated, who were as silent as we
| were.
OLD Hauser was there with his three
crowned hat, the ex-Mayor, the former
postman, and several others besides.
Everyone seemed sad, and Hauser car
ried his old primer, worn at the corners,
upon his knees.
While | was wondering at all this. M.
Hamel walked up to his seat, and in the
same sweet, grave voice with which he
had received me, he said:
| MY children, this is the last time that
/ shall be with you. The order has come
from Berlin to teach nothing but German
in the schools OF Alsace and Lorraine.
The new master arrives tomorrow. To-
day is our last lesson in French. pray
you to be attentive"
These words completely upset me. Ahl
that was the unhappy news on the post
ers at the Mayoraity.
Ny last French lesson!
And to think that / hardly knew how
to write. could learn nothing further |!
| must stop right here! How I wished
now that l might have back some of my
lost time, classes which l had missed to
run after nests or to have slide upon
the Saar. My books, which until now
had found tiresome they were so heavy
to carry, seemed at that moment like
old friends which | hated to leave. 1t
81. n
that he must go and that L should never
see him again made me forget his pun
ishments and the blows of his ferule
Poor man 1t is in honor of his last
class that he has worn his best clothes,
and now L understand why the old viii
layers were seated at the end OF the hall.
They tried to say that they regretted not
having come oftener TO this school. 1t
was their manner of thanking our master
for his forty years of true service and
also to pay their respects to the country
which was forced to leave them.
l had reached this point in my reflee-
tions when l heard Iry name called.
What would L not have given to have
been able to say in a LOUD and clear voice,
without mistake, that famous rule for
participles, but l became confused after
the first few words and l stood and bal
anced myself on my bench. lump in
my throat, without daring to raise my
head. 1 heard NJ. Hamel speak to me.
He said:
ST shall not scold thee, my little Franz.
Thou shouldst be punished enough.
Each day one says to oneself: Bah /
have plenty of time. l will learn my
lesson tomorrow. And now thou seest
what comes. All, that has been the trouble
with our Alsace; always to put off her
instruction until tomorrow. Now, these
men have the right to say to us: How is
this? You have pretended to be French,
and you can neither write nor speak your
tonguev In all that, my little Franz,
thou are not the most guilty. We all
have to take our share of The reproaches.
Your parents have not caused you to
be instructed carefully enough. They
would rather see you work in the fields,
or at spinning, in order to have few
more penniesl But have l not cause to
reproach myselfr Have l not often urged
you TO work in my garden, instead OF
studying? And when l wished to fish
for trout, did / hesitate to give you holi-
day ?"
Then NJ. Hamel passed from one point
to another, telling us of the French
tongue; saying that it is the most beauti-
| r.-1 IL a.. Oh IL