THE VILLAGE IN THE MOUNTAINS;
CONVERSION OF PETER BAYSSIERE;
AND
HISTORY OF A BIBLE.
* * * * *
THE VILLAGE IN THE MOUNTAINS.
M. ----, a merchant, at the head of one of the first commercial housesin Paris,[1] had occasion to visit the manufactories established inthe mountainous tracts of the Departments of the Loire and the Puy deDôme. The road that conducted him back to Lyons traversed a countryrich in natural productions, and glowing with all the charms ofan advanced and promising spring. The nearer view was unusuallydiversified; not only by the fantastic forms of mountains, theuncertain course of small and tributary streams, and the varyinghues of fields of pasture, corn, vines, and vegetables, but by thecombinations and contrasts of nature and of art, and the occupationsof rural and commercial industry. Factories and furnaces were seenrising amidst barns and sheep-cotes, peasants were digging, andploughs gliding amidst forges and foundries; verdant slopes andgraceful clumps of trees were scattered amidst the black and uglymouths of exhausted coal-pits; and the gentle murmur of the streamwas subdued by the loud rattle of the loom. Sometimes M. ---- and hisfriend halted amidst all that is delightful and soothing; and aftera short advance, found themselves amidst barrenness, deformity, andconfusion. The remoter scenery was not less impressive. Behind themwere the rugged mountains of Puy de Dôme; the lofty Tarare liftedits majestic head beside them, and far before appeared the brilliantsummit of Mont Blanc.
[Footnote 1: An American gentleman then residing in that capital.]
In this state of mind he arrived at the skirts of a hamlet placed onthe declivity of a mountain; and being desirous of finding a shorterand more retired track, he stopped at a decent-looking dwelling-houseto inquire the way. From the windows several females were watching themovements of a little child; and just as M. ---- inquired for a roadacross the mountains, the infant was in danger of being crushed by acoal-cart which had entered the street. The cries and alarms of thefemales were met by the activity of the travellers, and the companionof M. ---- set off to snatch the infant from danger, and place him insecurity. An elderly female from the second story, gave M. ----, whowas still on his horse, the directions he desired; and, at the sametime, expressed her uneasiness that the gentleman should have had thetrouble to seek the child.
"Madam," interrupted M. ----, "my friend is only performing his duty:we ought to do to another as we would that another should do to us;and in this wretched world we are bound to assist each other. You arekind enough to direct us travellers in the right road, and surelythe least we can do is to rescue your child from danger. The HolyScriptures teach us these duties, and the Gospel presents us theexample of our Lord Jesus Christ, who, when we were in ignorance anddanger, came to our world to seek and to save that which was lost."
"Ah! sir," replied the good woman, "you are very condescending, andwhat you say is very true; but your language surprises me: it isso many years since in this village we have heard such truths, andespecially from the lips of a stranger."
"Madam," resumed M. ----, "we are all strangers here, and sojournersbound to eternity; there is but one road, one guide, one Saviour, whocan conduct us safely; if we feel this, young or old, rich or poor,we are all one in Christ; and however scattered on earth, shall allarrive at the heavenly city, to which he is gone to prepare mansionsfor us."