Page:Life in the Old World - Vol. I.djvu/412

428 in his hand, entered with the procession into the church, and there performed his devotions, received him again with warmest cries of welcome when he returned from the church, and conveyed him thence as in triumph to the city of Lucerne, where he was to be entertained.

A great victory was won this day, and that was the heart of the king for the Waldenses. A beautiful stone fountain, near the Catholic church, testified of this, by the following inscription: “Carlo Alberto al popolo che l'accogliava con tanto affetto.”

It was the 24th of September, 1844.

That which I have above related, and shall still relate, was told me by an eye-witness of both occurrences, M. Meille.

In 1847, Carlo Alberto gave to his States Il Statuto, the constitution, and in this transaction the Waldenses were also remembered and freed from much oppressive injustice. Still they had not, after all, obtained as yet perfect rights as fellow-citizens, and their position still remained uncertain and undefined. Nevertheless they were grateful, and hoped for the rest. It was on Friday, the 25th of February, 1848, when the news spread through the market of Lucerne, derived from the Gazetta Piedmontese, that Carlo Alberto granted to the Waldenses full emancipation, with the rights and immunities of all other subjects of the State.

It was market-day, and the market was crowded; but now all business was forgotten; people shouted aloud for joy; they pressed one another's hands, embraced, wept for joy. Old and young hastened away,