[Gutenberg 32425] • Maurice Tiernay, Soldier of Fortune

Excerpt from Maurice Tiernay: The Soldier of Fortune

Even after my own home, the poverty of the Pere Michel's household was most remarkable. He had but one small room, of which a miserable settle-bed, two chairs, and a table con stituted all the furniture; there was no fireplace, a little pan for charcoal supplying the only means for warmth or cookery; a crucifix and a few colored prints of saints decorated the whitewashed walls, and with a string of Wooden beads, a cloth skull-cap, and a bracket with two or three books, made up the whole inventory of his possessions; and yet, as he closed the door behind him and drew me towards him to kiss my cheek, the tears glistened in his eyes with gratitude as he said, Now, my dear Maurice, you are at home. How do you know that I am called Maurice? Said I, in astonishment.