Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1905-06-08
YVONIC'S HERITAGE

NoNlS - IL Il II i nU r
The sardine fishing that year was
ye!y;. poor. and famine feigfieti in Brit
tany. At the accounts of the sad
stories of the misery and distress of
the peasants Partisan society became
quickly interested. and fairs and ba-
zaars were instituted for their relief
| Ii was after one OF these last that
the Countess de Montezac, one of the
leaders in the social world, a widow
and without children, was seized with
! the desire to go herself and distribute
the money she had worked so zealously
| to acquire.
| Accordingly one beautiful morning
| accompanied by her maid, the countess
! took the train for the very center of
| the famine country Alas, the news.
paper accounts had not been exag-
gerated, and the countess heart ached
as she went from one fireless hearth
to another, the cries of the hungry chill
| dren ringing in her ears. She would
not wait for the happy smiles that
| sprang out at the sight of the bank
notes which she tucked in the mothers
hands nor would she listen to word
of thanks. With kiss for the littlest
scattering the fold and money from
Douarnenez to Andurne, feeling that
none of her social triumphs had given
her so great joy.
But all pleasures come to an end
and as the countess reached the point
of Penmarch she found, to her regret
| that her bag was empty. Sending the
maid to order the carriage for her re-
turn to the nearest station, Mime. de
Montezac walked slowly along the
! ocean path, rejoicing in the clear sun
shine and listening to the roar of the
waves as they dashed furiously against
| the cruel rocks.
| A childish laugh made her turn her
! head Near her on the rock below a
| little girl was playing merrily her red
skirt and golden curls flying in the
! breeze.
what a beautiful child" thought the
| young countess. There must be a
great many happy mothers in the
worldr' She sighed as she spoke.
| Pausing, she watched the little girl
| jealousy as she danced fearlessly from
one rock to another.
| Suddenly cry of horror broke from
the lips Of the countess. The child had
| slipped on one of the steep rocks and
had fallen into the raging waves be-
| low.
"She will be lost-lost!' exclaimed
| Nine. de Montezac.
| But her cry had been heard. A man,
wrinkled and bent, with long gray
hair, was coming rapidly down the road
| toward her. In his hand he carried
what seemed a bundle Of old clothes,
and, as he turned to scale the rocks,
he held 1t out to the countess, who took
| 1t instinctively
"Will you keep 1t for me a minute,
lady?" he asked In low, gentle voice.
Indeed, / WILL" she replied. "Oh,
do you think you can save the childT
Perhaps, with the help Of God,
| madam"
He had thrown off his rough vest and
was In the water.
''There-tnere-to the right" cried
the countess as the child's red skirt
showed clearly for an instant beneath
the waves. -r-sa~-gsg -. -sylssy,,a..
The Breton was swimming as only
sailor can swim toward the little girl,
but each time he reached her the surf
would catch her and carry her far be.
yond his reach
"Merciful heaven, grant there be not
two drowned instead Of one.' gasped
Nine. de Montezac, watching In hor-
ror the unequal struggle.
'Ah, he has her Notwithstanding
time he has reached her. But can he
save her? His strength must be ex-
hausted-will no one comeY
As If In answer q young man brushed
past her crying:
Hold hard there, Father Yvonic! Il
am comingr'
The old man made one supreme ef
fort. Holding the fainting child above
the water, he struggled to keep afioat
until he could give her to the new
conner; then, his duty done, he fell back
exhausted in the waves and disappear
ed forever.
"Oh. poor man, poor man. sobbed
the countess, her eyes blinded with
tears. "How nobly and simply he gave
his life for that Of another"
A group Of men and women had al
ready gathered ON the cliff, and as the
child was given to her sobbing mother
a murmur Of tender sympathy was
heard.
But the old man! Can you forget
him so soonY cried Mime. de. Monte
FAC, turning to them.
She paused midway with the words |
still on her lips. Before her the peas
ants. men and women, were kneelIng,
facing the treacherous ocean that spar |
killed. still In the clear sunshine.
out OF the depths-out Of the depths
we cry to thee, o Lordr' they chanted |