Clarke courier. [volume] (Berryville, Va.) 1869-1997, 1900-01-10
PIERRON'S GIFT
a Touching Instance Of n Simple
Shepherds Devotion.
BY JEAN RAMEAU.
BY JEAN RAMEAU.

N&&<&&$e2SSsss< - Observation-Disclosures
In the autumn. when the Pyrenees
begin TO wrap themselves in snow. the
shepherds leave the mountains OF
Bearn with their shvcring hocks,
their lazy old donkeys and their shag
gy dos. say goodby 20 their wives.
kiss the little ones ard 20 singing
away toward the plains of the Adour,
where the pastures are always green
and the sunshine always kind.
And toward 81. Michacls the coun-
try folk OF LnndeS see them coming
lazlly along. folded in ;Lrir rough red
capes. through the broad white roads
shaded with dying platanc trees.
The mountaineers enter into parley
with the planters. and soon the ilocks
are feeding at will I'm the meadows and
their owners being housed and fed hy
the people Of the valley. To whom is
given in return q part of the milk. a
pair OF great wooden stockings for the
master of the house aal a pair OF
knitted mttcns for the mistress.
This lasts until the sowing OF the
grain early I'm May Then the sheep
begin TO bl,at strangely. the donkey
brays impaticnily the dog gazcs at
the distant Pyrenecs. and some fine
morning. as the swallows are return
ing. the dockS instiuctiVrlN take the
road toward the blue peak Of OSsau,
back through the lovely white roads.
where the platancS are haunting their
first fresh leaves.
Each parish i'm the valley has the
same shepherds. who rctun la winter
I'm the same farmhouSeS each autumn,
perhaps little more bent ana 4 bit
whittier. and sometimes The planter who
has expected an o.l man viii see
young fellow guiding thc flock. who
stareS NJ him and tells him between
two couplcts OF his song that his IA.
ther the former shepherd. died down
there" on the mountain at ~. Louis
or st. Johns
y pretty girl was busy Shaking the
chestnut tree which stood before a
white house one day early in October
when she saw large hock of sheep
approaching ied 10y sturdy donkey.
He beautiful lady, shouted a lit
tie shepherd who was just visible he,
hind the beasts ears. would YOU tell
me how TO find the farmhouse Of la
Ribere?"
This is the place" answered the
young girl.
II might have known il. My flock
took the road by themselves. We'll,
lady. am Pierron. the son OF your
old shepherd. Matthias who died on
St. Lawrence's."
Every well. Pierron. come this way.
I VIII take you TO my father"
Pierron was received I'm the farm.
house of la Ribere as bis father had
been. and the sheep began To Craze In
the familiar pastures, with the well
known horizon. on the same grass
whose fra GRANGE was so sweet 10 them.
He was nice little fellow. this
Pierron. He was small and dark and
sang in n fresh voice. which the echoes
seemed 10 love He was not more than
20. but he knew many interesting so
ries. which were very entertaininSyn
the long winter evenings to the dangh-
ter of the farm.s pretty Maria '9e Ia
Ribere. And Maria, . little creature,
all smiles. whose eyes seemed soft rs
the light Of tl:s moon. to the young
mon OF the valley. loved TO hear Pier
ron tell stories OF the werewOlf and
sorceries and spells cast upon people
through efiigies. She loved. too. to
hear him praise the valley OF che Os-
sau and the blue mountains, with
their lacy white tops. (which ne climb
ed in his childhood. aud She loved still
more the BEAUTIFUL mIfteps.h he knit for
her at oAristmaS and the fat little
lamb he gave her the day she was IL.
And II was with great sadness that
Pjerron discovered some tiny white
flowers or cherry tree one evening.
Spring came. The sheep began TO
bleat i'm the warm meadows where the
daisies were I'm bloom. The donkey
pricked up his ears and looked toward
the peak of OSSau.
MAY you be with God. Maria" said
Pierron I'm the fashion of the country
"I must go away again"
Maria bent her hoaska little and grew
very pink.
Then Pierron took her fingers and
looked down at the point OF his sahots.
maria. IL you have the same sent-
ments for me which have for You
we can he married next spring. love
you very much. aud ! wish | could
take you down there on the foot Of
that round mountain where have a
good mother. who would love you too