Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1843-03-10
STORY OF A SOLDIER.

TO leave Tho diligence IN which had inst started
TO return from Montpelier towards Paris. MY
health had been Tor time unsettled aud the
journey WINS undertaken somewhat rashly, pariic.
ularly neither friend personal attendant was
with me Mt the time. The consequence WINS a
soppago TO my travel had borne UP for a time
at The cost OF much suffering, but was forced, when
about thirty miles on my way, to take advantage
of my arrlvnl nj n small, nenl-Iookng village. and
make halt. The cabaret before which landed
was very clean and promising in its Appearance,
and fiatiered myself TINT, If necessary to stay n
few days all would he right md comfortable in
such quarters. But | was disappointed in my ex-
pectailon of getting these quarters The only two
beds IN the house fiji for invalid, were taken up
10y strangers.
VIVA, is To he done, then, good hostess ? said
&; here ] tnust remain. sleep whp,c may
know not what tn do, SIR was the reply though
it is possible that of the strangers may give up
his bed In you i should not like 10 he trouble.
some bur - The hosir.s interrupted me hy
calling 10 an dary uru' who Eat On II bench nj
the door in conversation with sn"ll''r person.
Jaques,' cried she, 'cone hither. Hcre is zen.
tlemnn who wishes TO have n he'd. WU have M
spare one eau Bertha put him up? The imdl.
vi Iual to whom these words wero addressed was
II hnc, hale-lO0king man. about fifty 70. lie
had 'hHt uprighlness of department which Al once
marks HE veteran al var. Il doubt not hut Brr-
tina can give hun quarters tor night or IwO if he
i""ks w. no but Bertha will take of him. !
promise him, if lie raii get her To t,ke him in
charge well, we'll show The gentleman The
way IN your cottage, r. turned the no-less; hut
Jdque-, don't promise 800 much. You are not Ia
nous tor Keeping Your promises Ma )oi, nor
are your rrlortrd Jnques; aud the par showed
'her teeth at once ~ peculiarly br"ud aud hear
~ laugh. YOU viii tud every thing cunlurtabIc,
SIR, WI. Jnqnes and hs dame, sad the hostess,
when she had brought her n'errnent To II close.
And 81 was handed over at once To my new
TREND, nothing reluctant, | must say Tor nkod
his cuintcuance, and wns even better pleased al
the thought of lodging in a cottage than N IA caba
ret, however neat aud clearly.
did find every thing conior able in the cottage
OF Jaques. HIS wite-u tnly, round-iaced, pretty
ulutrOn, well nigh ten years younger than hIns'lt
10 Hrpearance-inade me welcome with degree
Of ready warmth which highly grniiied me. Sue
seemed just the very person for invalid To quar-
Ter himself with aud 50 found il TO be- But t.
nough OF myself-to my story.
In passing occasionally between the cabaret and
tue cottage of Jaques, during the few days Of my
residence there. | had opportunity OF hearing
The hostess and Jaques releat their significant ban
ter once or twice, regarding promise keeping. Ii
seemed TO lie a standing joke between them, OF II
venerable age This eAcitea my curiosity and
one duy asked Monsieur Jaques il ii mean, any
ding particular which it WIS proper TO tell me.
Oh, yes proper enough /, he told said ia
and fear would weary your honor. mo fear OF
that said / nm un untirabe slory-secker. ,
Thus encouraged, jacques related 10 me his listo-
ry.
Il was drawn for the conscripiion,' said no in
my nineteenth year. That was no very advanced
age sir: yet, before that Time, l had cOntrived TO
imagine myself in love, aud To make ail sorts OF
weishy vows OF fidelity TO pretty little cousin OF
my own, who had just then reached her fifteenth
year. Well WIS drawn Tor the wars, as said /;
and, though man enough to he soldier, was
clnil enough 10 cry with great eaIneslness aud
sincerity, whou ! ralne III part with my pretty
cousin hluIir. We had no help for il, however,
81 we promised 10 be faithful never Two were
before, AMI we separated.
The enperor-Irontinued Jaques, touching his
hat as il his living master had been before him 10
receive the salute the emperor al that Iime
fighting all the world, aud beating all the world,
and | followed him for many II long day, without
ever seeing home, aud without ever hearing Il
word from home that could be depended upon.
Through all Italy aud Germany | followed the
heels of my master, liking Ih3 occupation very
we'll after had got accustomed 10 il. The thing
that kept us comfortable, sir, was that never
had any fears Of being heaien while the emperor
was with us. But though not beaten, one eau he
wuuned aud 81 II was with NE soinellnie he re
lie emperor entered l}rrlin. | did nor go ina
hospital. however, bat preferred gning about with
my comrades Conceaig my huri, though sui
tered much but IN Pols.In all tins snt OF work
came 10 All end ! was quarlerea IN the tow!
n III when the emperor moved on and entered Her
i'm. WINS unable 10 ioiuw. My wound II wa,
IN the arm, sir-hecams so bad that could not
move but had talien into good hinds
The house ia wi.ch | was lodged c.rtainl,
promised lille 10 appearance. Il was the humihr
home of p"or woman, Who, ms tho widow of II
Priissiun sergeant, received a small pension. upui
which she and her daughter subssted The wii
Wv WAS ased and leehir. aud when ! was IuId ol
IA sick he'd in the house, poor Bertha had tnu
courhes IA attend. Bui she WIS born do kind
ness she was the hest "i nurses. You have had
little experience OF that, sir roulimurd Jaqurs
intrIriipiiug his story 10 address me ! nu,i,le,
assent and lie wen an. i Ind moi precisely Tor
got Marie 10y this lime, sir, though constant eur
ploy Inent and absence had certainly done sums
hiug to hiuish her from my ihoughis She mig hi
have becn dead long since, TOO, fur aughi knew
Hence II wns, iha there was ile Ia stand On
-aIns The impression that Berba's good looks aii
, KIND nursing were calculated 10 make upon me
However. never told her that loved her, tin
| believe she saw it. Nor did she tell me, u
her pretty broken French, that she loved ne tn
| confess that thought she did. iiui all this cam,
= to u crisis. recovered the Use oi my arm, ant
, wns obi ged TO move on TO Berlin. Wuh tears !,
our eyes, Bertha aud parted 10y the side OF lie
poor sick mothers couch; and with con,
, descent companions who had been AZ Po!sdhu
with me, mounted q baggage wagon for Berlin.
, We had yet some OF our companions lett at Puts
. dam in bad State. That circumstance had NJ
important effect regarded me. Three or iou
days after had reached Berlin one OF these Dva
lids came up with us, and soon after sought m'
, out. have n token for YOU and he gave me
!, lock OF hair, which soon saw 10 be Berihur. 4
girl came aud gave me this tor you, continued M
comrade, and babe me tell you that her no.he
. was dead This information produced IA sironi
> effect upon me. Bertha was now alone in li'
world she hul no one 10 protect OF care ior her
her mothers pension would cease what woul,
/ become of her? These questions which hal
asked myself, threw mo into state al inexpress
bic agitation aud finally, 10 be brei, sir, mount
ell my horse flor had been early transferred iron
, foot To n dragoon regimen) and contrived e
r make my way hack 10 Pols'an. say conIr'ved
for lind my purpose been known, should hav,