The Planters' banner. [volume] (Franklin, Attakapas Co., Lou.) 1849-1872, 1850-03-28
The Old Soldier.

In an obscure village In the State OF
Vermont there lived an aged man,
friendless, and without connections, or
he was one of the early settlers, and
came there alone. During the revolu-
ton he took up arms with the rebels
and gave his property for the benefit OF
the revolutionary army. He endured
all the privations which characterized
that struggle for liberty, he signalized
himself in several battles, and after
the efforts of the friends of freedom
were crowned with success, he retired
to private life. He became very poor,
and was compelled 10 earn his daily
bread 5yy ..1orkln, ono day here and next
day there. His wife died-vhiidren he
had none.
In this State. alone in the world, d.
vested of property, aged and iniirm, a
creditor seized the few little effects he
had, and committed his body to prison.
Some of his acquaintances bailed him
out to "the liberty of the yard.' He
remained within .. the limits 81 years
sometimes working for one person and
sometimes for another, at such work as
he could perform. Gardening in the
summer, doing chores in the winter
were his usual occupations.
Finally he made bargain with the
village tavern keeper, and bound him.
self out during life for his board and
clothes. He used to take care o.
horses. make fires, &c. AT this period
of his life there was conspicuous cha
racter travelling through the country
receiving the congratulations and atten
tions of all classes of our citizens. A:
he fastened through our village, hi:
fame went before him. and the people
turned out en- masse to bid him hearty
welcome. He arrived at the village
where the I" old soldier" lived and stop
ped over night in the same house.
The old man knew him, and offer
tried to get access TO his apartments, bu
without success. The aristocracy of tn,
place, ruffled shirts and silk gowns, an,
little masters and pretty misses, mus
. first greet the stranger. However. th'
=. old man made interest with one of hi
, village acquaintance, to request al
interview with the stranger. Tel
him." said he, "that Capt B. of tn
-th Regiment of Infantry, wishes {
see him at his leisure.n
/ The man conveyed the intelligence
, The stranger was electrified. "What,
said he, is he alive? Where is he !?
At the same time. leaving his rutiie
shirt company, he went into the bal
. room in search of the old soldier. ii
| found him. Is it possible said tn
J stranger, "that you are alive I"
= They embraced each other, and wer
r so affected that neither could give ute
. ance to one syllable. The spectator
wondered, gazed, and were confounde,
: The best feelings of human natur
: gained the mastery of the whole assen
: bly. At last said the stranger to tn
old soldier, "Come with me-" The
!. retired to room alone, and converse
e4 about bygone times-about the battle
f they had fought together, and the har,
ships they had encountered. Fac
2 gave particular account of his Iii
f since their separation, and that Of tn
s aold SOLDIER was heart-rending TO th
2 illustrious stranger. He told him of h
/ poverty, his troubles, his incarceratio
+ in prison, his present means Of subsi
d tence, &c.
y "How much do you owew said th
stranger.
s II have been on the limits trent
seren years for nineteen dollars! II
y cost and interest may now amount
n one hundred"
"There are two one hundred doll;
: bills said the stranger, "pay VIII
: thou owest. shall leave deposi
, in the-Bank, where you can dra
e for two hundred dollars year as lor
e as you live"
IS By this time the people without we
impatient and could not divine II
], cause of the privacy between our tu
y heroes. They went out, took some 7
freshment, the stranger returned to h
J. ! company, and the old soldier went
: the lawyers office and paid his debit
= He then went into the tailor's and pr
: cured suit of clothes. The next da
= = the old soldier and stranger departs
!. together, leaving the old people to CO
. lecture the cause of the metamorphos
y y Of one, and the strange conduct Of Il
other.
J The old soldier, however, returned
the village in few weeks, and the pc
= pie who before would scarcely speak
:, him, unless it was for the purpose
!, !, telling him to get out Of the way, we
= all glad to see him.. He neyerthele
- pursued the aeven tenor of his way
g g The stranger was Gen. Lafayette.
d
Mrnrc.r s-Wpare indebtl