The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1896-03-05
THE CONVENT UNDER ARMS,

puuug my Gtsi tup ta 5 .l- ! made
staFv n, aa nI sh,rtaurd cauveut
uteH in wa,t ued the areass "
cllistaf. vbue the btdslgo ~uo ordiusri
/, ,erved e. ny guide and carried ny ou'h
s0u bered 10 some oarner, wrapped 10 b
closk. proud even 10 sleep.
Oatside ehmhius plshts t~irod sbou
lbs saIa's 10 sioae, H. log th'If sfosn
and sesttue seaport from their secal,
naads, ttey SHOT their Il lscr laden brat
cLes through the bays be 500 sbune
and toe susdos oi toe pillars 90 the whit
hsgslcAes marked toe passing hour. AmlC
The dehciogs s,lruoe Of the runs, whispe
iug 20 my soul memories Of the past,
vas ihiuklng Of the sui tct might pslb
10 this magnificent background. ] evoked
tie pefsonsRes thst the empty elo's,tr bad
seq, dfst tue long Gle Of mouks carrying
10 the vaults tue body Of venerable Irlor
or else returning gally from the re'ectory
'bea the stlhoustis OF dark irqnisi'ots, OF
some rosy checked Young monks Weaving
garlsuds OF roses for the virgin.
All the bsppy landscape painter Gao
en igen bis pictures WITH certain accepted
formu r; red touch bers means shep
heriess u the distances brown spot there
represents coz snd several Of herd
Bnt the poor hgute painter, slss does not
get of so easily.
Every day at the same hour 40 old peas
aut woman Of noble bearing came and sal
on the ssne stone within few steps OF
me, sud knitted without string until ev
enlnx Sue was nearly bird,
Although my hIdolRo did not speak
/ Ffenoh, aud knew but little Spanish be
managed TO make me understand that she
| vas the guardian OF the convent. Her IA
/ Tier when be WAS alive being barber by
trade, and some what OF gardner. used to
shave monks aud cultivate their kitchen
garden. He lived 10 little hut built 10
the outer arcades OF the monastery; and
since his death bis daughter remained
here, living On what she received from
passing travellers She was very old, and
the oldest inhabitants said that formerly |
-he had BEEN very pretty.
The day finished my work it happened
that she was not 10 her socns omed place; |
and wishing t. leave her my Offering | re
requested the proud hidalgo to accompany |
me 10 her abo ie. where | found her busy
putting away some rags IN al old Golfer as
beet she could.
As so u as she learned that was goirg
away her face assumed sn expression OF
sorrow, and she began to talk to me with
great 70 uhilIty, did not understand her
j.rgon. All ! could make ont was the
name OF VIbert, repeated several times, as
well rs that of Napoleon Bsing greatly
puzzled to find ont how this woman could
know me, begged my guide to act as 10
terpre er,
We'll, said be, the ola woman tsks whetb
er you are ninfsntry soldier
A light inisntry soldier2
Yet; ono of Napoleon's infantry. The
fact Is, your voice reminds her OF a French
soIdler-a sergeant 80 she knew, whose lie
she saved and his nsme was Jean Pierre
Vibert. He bad your walk, your figure,
aud your voice especially the voice, she
ssys. THIS i, ell she can recogt ize with {
her weak eyes lie had promised to re
turn, with Napoleon She is still waiting
for himi
Jean Pierre Vlbert soldier under Napo {
leon, a sergeant of iniantry2 Why, that
is my grandfather
She asks whether be s still alive.
Yes; certainly.
Then she does not want your money
aud she says she will die happy il you will
only ki.s her.
began to be moved by this strsn E {
scene, ana willingly sccsded to the poor c
voman's vim. kissed her on the cheek, e
,.,..,..,.., ,,.;. 49,. ,
with ber trembling hands rummssIng 10 d
.,--7..,'-., -,
~, -, ,a,a h..a 80, :. uo;ao
,hoked with sobs she said, "Por Pedro, /
,.:. :,
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