Southern sentinel. [volume] (Plaquemine, Parish of Iberville [La.]) 1848-1858, 1851-11-22

She saw him safely off the field and carried to

She saw him safely off the field and carried to
| the hospital.
A few days after that, table tor eleven
persons was spread in little restaurant Of the
faubourgs of Vienna Faithful to her en-
gagement, Constance, more beautiful than
ever, from secre: sadness, which yelled her re-
gard, had invited her lovers to meet her there.
She was the first to arrive and to salute, with
tear, and a regret, the unoccupied place OF
the brother-in-arms who had fallen in the bat
tie. When the rest were assembled, they went
over, together, the episodes of the campaign
so short, yet so glorious, and then they dis
cussed their hopes and the rights of each one
to favors and rewards, for each thus hoped to
raise himself in the eyes of the young girl:
But spirit was wanting to the scene. Con-
stance had lost her gaiety, her repartees, gem
orally so lively, so jovial and quick, langulshed,
and were given slowly and with difficulty. At
last came the desert. Without waiting for
the other to speak, Constance, after having I'LL
led her glass, arose-"Brothers," said she, "you
are all young and brilliant officers of the fu-
ture Listen for the last time, and without
interruption to the viyandiere OF the 10th. Let
us speak with open hearts, what would be tor
you with the title of wife, the poor uneducated
young girl! An obstacle to your fortune;
more than this, Il humiliation and :emorse:. l
have seen my mother ween, and remember
it. This hand, which you have done me the
honor to seek, give it to him who will have
need of it to sustain him, and perhaps to earn
his bread The choice Of Constance is yet an
homage to the fraternity of arms, for it fixes
itself upon the most unfortunate among you
let US drink then to the poor mutilated COM
rade, extended on his bed of pain, at the hos
ptal of Vienna, where am going to shut my
self up, to die Sister of Charity, or to leave it
the wife of the wounded soldier
She put her glass to her lips, but bending
beneath the weight of her emotions, for in this
sublime decree she was pronouncing an eter-
nal separation from the regiment she loved so
we'll, she fell fainting in her chair. Not sin
gle voice protested against her noble devotion
--sobs alone replied to her. When she recov-
cred her consciousness, she found her nine
lovers, their bayonets on their shoulders ready
to conduct her to the hospital. Arrived there,
she placed herself by the bedside OF the lnva-
lid soldier, and renewed the vow she had made
at the restaurant. Ten days afterwards, let
ter with the Imperial seal was placed in the
hands Of the ex-viyandiere of the 18th. He of
the eagle-eye, who knew how to find out and
reward every virtue, endowed the young girl
with an annuity of 1900 francs, reversible to
her children, for said the letter, "you deserve
to be a mother"
Five months later, Constance left the hospi-
tai the wife of the mutilated quarter-master,
and during the eleven years they lived to-
gether; she never had cause to regret the choice
she had made Her ancient lovers often came
to see her, and though they had become off,
GERS, and had nearly all married rich wives
and lived in luxury, they spent many pleas
ant hour in the yivandiere's cottage. The nine
became, each in his turn, god-tathers to the
nine children Of whom Constance became the
happy mother. At last her husband died,
blessing her with his last breath; then, one af-
ter the other, her children passed away also.
Two died fighting for their country. Three,
two daughters and a son, were killed by a
dreadful railroad accident, which occurred some
twelve years ago, and within two years after
wards the unfortunate mother buried her other
four, and was thus left alone upon the earth.
But her noble courage did not forsake her.
She turned her thong hits to God, and gave her
occupations to the poor and sick. 1t was prin-
cipally among the soldiers that she exercised
the most good, and within the last few years
her little house in the Montmartre had beceme
veritable private military hospital. Here. ma.
nv poor soldier, without parents, friends OF
money, came to receive the motherly cares
and counsel of widow Constance. She pre-
served all her faculties to the last, and died as
beautifully as she had lived, leaving her little
annuity to her achildren" the sick soldiers o.
the French army.