Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, W.T. [i.e. Wis.]) 1843-1844, 1844-01-27

true. Man is happy at the moment OF
death, if there is some heart 10 which
he may open his own. You will hear
me kindly. and you will not laugh at
me? WiH you'"
IL hear YOU, Pierre; the dying man
can excite no feeling but commissera-
ton and sympathy"
"You must know, them" said Pserre,
"that from the hour OF my birth, there
was never hut one person whom | real
ly loved. and that was my mother; but
her, her did love with all my mind
and my strengih-never man loved
human being as loved her. When
was mere child, we comprehendrc
each others looks. To my heart she
was myself, and to her heart, | was
herself. have had neither lover nor
mistress. not even friend; my mother
was every thing TO me. AT length
when I was drafted for the army-
when | was told that must quit her,
| was in despair. and declared that,
even though violence were used, |
would not be separated from my moth
err alive. Yet with one word, she who
was holy and courageous woman.
changed all my resolutions. Pierre.
said she 70 me, you must go-l wish
il to be so ."
IL kneIt before her, and said, moth
err, will go
"Pierre, added she, "yon are a
good son, and ! thank God for 1t. but
The duties Of son are not all those
which man has TO discharg"; every
citizen owes himself To the country.
She calls you-obey! You are to be
a soldier; from this moment your life
is no longer your own-it is your
country's. If her interests claim that
life, do no, hesitate. If God should
will you to die before me, | should
indeed, weep away every tear fmy
heart; but | should say, 'The Lord
gave, and the Lord taketh away. bles
sed be the name Of the Lord Go
then, and if you love me. do yo.'
duty"
"Oh the words of that saint! ! heal
them yet sounding in my ears. Now
the duty of soldier is to obey, every
where and always. Every where ant
always | have obeyed. 1t is therefore
to 90 right ahead, through every peril
without hesitation, without reflection
and RICH, ahead have gone. tfrougt
every peril, without hesitation and with
out reflection. Those who saw me
marching steadily forward, with balls
flying about me, exclaimed, There
goes one who is truly brave They
ought rather 10 have said, There goe'
one that loves his mother
"One day it happened tha, | receiv
ed letter. informing me that my mo
Their was sick. The poor dear wo
man! | desired to 60 and see her;
asked leave Of absence-it was no
granted. recalled her last words
.Tyon lore me, do yonr dufy,' an'
| was resigned. Soon after hear,
tina, she, my mother, was dead. TheI
my brain turned. AT any price, at al
hazards, | determined To return TO III,
country. Whence sprang this ardent
this inpetuous longing. TO visit tn
place where my mother had just died
will confess to you the cause. Sine,
you have mother; since you love her
since she loves you, you can compre
bend me. We peasants of the Nor
van are simple and credrlous men
We have neither the instruction no
the science that sfoundin rites, hut w
have our beliefs, which YOU of the ci
~ call supersii,ious. or VIVA, conse
ouence is IL whether they be csllct
one or the other? We have them, an,
skilful. indeed, must he he who Cal
tear them from our soul. Now one o
the beliefs which we most firmly hold
is that which attributes 10 the first flow
err that blows upon newly sodde'
grave, so grea, q virtue, that he wh'
gathers that flower can never forget tn
dead, or be forgotten of them. Dea
and charming belief With tina
thought. death has nothing TO excite
fear: for death, without fnrge,fulness
is nothing more than a mild slecp-it i
only a reposc a(,er long faiigues.
"And that flower! desired earnest
~ TO see il spring up | wished tn gath
er il, and SD left the camp. After tel
days steady. painful walking. | reach
81 49,, ,,,,,bor's nraya TIL, o,r,I