Yes!——letourfingersfeeltherule,Theangrychidingoftheschool;
Truetoournurse,ingoodorill,WearenotFrench,butGasconstill。
’Tissaidthatagenewfeelingbrings,Ouryouthreturnsaswegrowold;
AndthatweloveagainthethingsWhichinourmemoryhadgrowncold。
Ifthisbetrue,thetimewillcomeWhentoourancienttongue,oncemore,Youwillreturn,astoahome,Andthankusthatwekeptthestore。
RememberthouthetaletheytellOfLacueeandLacepede,[2]
Whenagecrepton,wholovedtodwellOnwordsthatoncetheirmusicmade;
And,inthemidstofgrandeur,hung,Delighted,ontheirparenttongue。
Thiswillyoudo:anditmaybe,Whenwearyoftheworld’sdeceit,Somesummer-dayweyetmayseeYourcominginourmeadowssweet;
Where,midsttheflowers,thefinch’slayShallwelcomeyouwithmusicgay;
WhileyoushallbidourantiquetongueSomeworddevise,orairsupply,Likethosethatcharm’dyouryouthsolong,Andlentaspelltomemory。
Bethinkyouhowwestray’daloneBeneaththoseelmsinAgengrown,Thateachanarchaboveusthrows,Likegiants,hand-in-hand,inrows。
Astormoncestruckafav’ritetree,Ittrembled,shook,andbentitsboughs,——
Thevistaisnolongerfree:
Ourgovernornopauseallows;”Bringhitherhatchet,axe,andspade,Thetreemuststraightbeprostratelaid!”
Butvainlystrengthandartweretried,Thestatelytreeallforcedefied;
Wellmighttheelmresistandfoiltheirmight,Forthoughhisbranchesweredecay’dtosight,Asmanyashisleavestherootsspreadround,Andinthefirmsetearththeysleptprofound。
Sincethen,morefull,moregreen,moregay,Thecrestsamidthebreezesplay:
AndbirdsofeverynoteandhueCometroopingtohisshadeinSpring;
Eachsummertheytheirlaysrenew,Andwhiletheyearsenduretheysing。
Andthusitis,believeme,sir,Withthisenchantress——shewecallOursecondmother;FrenchmenerrWho,cent’riessince,proclaimedherfall。
No!shestilllives,herwordsstillring,Herchildrenyethercarolssing;
AndthousandyearsmayrollawayBeforehermagicnotesdecay。
September2nd,1837。
FootnotestoJASMIN’SDEFENCEOFTHEGASCONDIALECT。
[1]Jasminherequotesseveralpatoissongs,wellknowninthecountry。
[2]BothGascons。
THEMASON’SSON。[1]
[LASEMMANOD’UNFIL。]
Riches,n’oubliezpasunseulpetitmomentQuedespauvreslagrandecouveeSereveilletoujourslesourirealaboucheQuandelles’endortsansavoirfaire!
RicheetPauvre。
Theswallowsflyabout,althoughtheairiscold,Ouroncefairsunhasshedhisbrightestgold。
ThefieldsdecayOnAll-saintsday。
Ground’shardafoot,Thebirdsaremute;
Thetree-topsshedtheirchill’dandyellowleaves,Theydyingfall,andwhirlaboutinsheaves。
Onenight,whenleavinglateaneighb’ringtown,Althoughtheheavenswereclear,Twochildrenpacedalong,withmanyamoan——
Brotherandsisterdear;
AndwhentheyreachedthewaysidecrossUpontheirkneestheyfell,quiteclose。
AbelandJane,bythemoon’slight,Werelongtimesilentquite;
Astheybeforethealtarbend,Withoneaccordtheirvoicessweetascend。”MotherofGod,Virgincompassionate!
Oh!sendthyangeltoabateThesicknessofourfatherdear,Thatmothermaynolongerfear——
Andforusboth!Oh!BlessedMother,Welovethee,moreandmore,wetwotogether!”
TheVirgindoubtlessheardtheirprayer,For,whentheyreachedthecottagenear,Thedoorbeforethemopenedwide,Andthedearmother,eresheturnedaside,Criedout:”Mychildrenbrave,Thefever’sgone——yourfather’slifeissafe!
Nowcome,mylittlelambs,andthankGodforHisgrace。”
Intheirsmallcot,forthwiththethree,ToGodinprayerdidbendtheknee,Motherandchildrenintheirgladnessweeping,Whileonasorrybedamanlaysleeping——
Itwasthefather,goodHilaire!
Notlongago,asoldierbrave,Butnow——aworkingmason’sslave。
II。
Thedawnnextdaywasclearandbright,TheglintofmorningsunlightGleamedthroughthewindowstaper,Althoughtheyonlywerepatchedupwithpaper。
WhenAbelnoiselessentered,withhisfoot-fallslight,Heslippedalongtothebedside;
Heopedthelittlecurtain,withoutstirringoftherings;
Hisfatherwokeandsmiled,withjoythatpleasurebrings。”Abel,”hesaid,”Ilongedforthee;nowlistenthoutome:
We’reverypoorindeed——I’venothingsavemyweeklyfee;
ButHeavenhashelpedourlivestosave——bycuringme。
Dearboy,alreadythouartfifteenyears——
Youknowtoread,towrite——thenhavenofears;
Thouartalone,thou’rtsad,butdreamnomore,Thouought’sttowork,fornowthouhastthepower!
Iknowthypainandsorrow,andthydeepalarms;
Moregoodthanstrong——howcouldthylittlearmsPlyhardthehammeronthestonyblocks?
Butourhardmaster,thoughhelikesgoodlooks,Mayfindtheequiteayouth;
Hesaysthatthouhastspirit;andhemeansforthybehoof。
Thendowhatgivestheepleasure,Withoutvain-glory,Abel;andspendthypreciousleisureInwritingorinworking——eachisalabourworthy,Eitherwithpenorhammer——theyarethetoolsmostlofty;
Labourinmindorbody,theydofatigueusever——
Butthen,Abelmyson,IhopethatneverOneblushuponyoue’erwillgatherToshamethehonourofyourfather。”
Abel’sblueeyeswerebrightwithblissandjoy——
Fatherrejoiced——fourtimesembracedtheboy;
Motheranddaughtermixedtheirtearsandkisses,ThenAbelsawthemaster,tohishappiness,Andafterwardsfourdaysdidpass,Allfullofjoyfulness。
Butpleasurewiththepoorisalwaysunenduring。
AbrutalorderhadbeengivenonSundaymorningThatif,nextday,thefatherdidnotshowhisface,Anotherworkman,inthatcase,Wouldbeemployedtotakehisplace!
AshotofcannonfilledwithgrapeCouldnothavecausedsuchgrief,AsthismostcruelordergivesTothesefourpoorunfortunates。”I’mcured!”Hilairecried;”letmeriseanddress;”
Hetried——fellback;andthenhemustconfessHecouldnotlabourforanotherweek!
Oh,wretchedplight——
Forhim,hisworkwaslife!
Shouldhekeepsick,’twasdeath!
Allfoursatmute;suddenamyofhopeBeamedinthesoulofAbel。
Hebrushedthetear-dropsfromhiseen,Assumedamanlymien,Strengthrushedintohislittlearms,Onhisbrightfacetheblushescame;
Heroseatonce,andwenttoreasonWiththatcruelmastermason。
Abelreturned,withspiritsbright,Nolongertremblingwithaffright;
Atoncehegailycries,Withlaughingmouthandlaughingeyes:——”Myfather!takeyourrest;havefaithandcourage;
Takealltheweek,thenthoushaltworkapace;
Someone,wholovestheewell,willtakethyplace,Thenthoumay’stgoagainandshowthyface。”
III。
Savedbyafriend,indeed!Heyethadfriendsinstore!
Oh!howIwishthatinthislifesolonely……
But,allwillbeexplainedatworkonMonday;
Therearegoodfriendsasyet——perhapsthere’smanymore。
ItwasindeedourAbeltookhisfather’splace。
Atofficefirstheshowedhisface;
Thentothework-yard:thushisfatherhebeguiled。
Spiteofhisslendermien,heworkedandalwayssmiled。