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

hePuDilCau
A few days ago appeared in the list Of
deaths in a morning paper, the name OF W.
doW Constance. Few took notice of this SIM
pie announcement, and fewer still knew the
Incidents of the beautiful life that has just
closed. l am sure your readers will be ln-
terested in the short sketch am going to give
them, and which has been furnished the partly
much by an eminent physician, who knew the
excellent widow, and indeed, closed her eyes
when they had looked their last upon earth.
Constance was the daughter ofa brave offi-
Ger, killed at the opening Of Napoleon's TIA
liam campaign. Left alone at the age Of Sc
venteen without any other support than her
courage, her beauty, and her virtue, she be-
came the yivandiere of her fathers regiment,
of your readers who may not be Informed on
woman who follows regiment, sometimes
on foot and sometimes in little cart, and sells
liquor to the soldiers. She always has on
hand, too, supply of little dclicaci les for the
sick, and rolls of linen, and an assortment of
balsams and saves for the wounded. She is
almost always brave, noble hearted woman,
Drawing fatigue and difficulties, dangers, and
even death itself, with equal courage and
cheerfulness. The viyandiere is indeed the
providence of the French soldier. On the
march, there is always place in her cart for
| the poor fellow overcome with fatigue, and
| credit for him whose purse is empty. In the
battle, amid the hail of balls, the first to raise
| fallen comrade, the first to close his bleeding
wounds, and drag him to place of safety, it
is always she, always the vivandicre.
The dress Of the yvandiere is, generally,
red pantaoons, short blue cloth skirt, bor-
dered with red, and tight-ftting jacket, SINH
lar to the uniform coat of her regiment, and
little military hat adorned with the tri-colored
cockade, set jauntly on the side Of her head.
Across her shoulders is swung little barrel
full of the soldiers consolation. And her
large pockets are filled with goodly number
of small glasses.
But to return to Constance. She could not
| long remain in the situation of vivandere, dis
pensing excellent liqnor and sweet smiles, with
equal liberality, without attracting attention
| One day, the young girl sat down to count the
| number of her adorers, and after throwing
| those who did not explain themselves clearly
upon the marriage point, she found that there
| remained ten Constance was in a quandary,
| for she liked them all, and shuddered at the
idea of wounding the feelings of any Of them.
Pressed at last to make a choice, she secretly
| gave each one rendezvous in the same place,
and for the same hour. Not one failed; but,
to the credit of the brave girl, let it lie said, not
one Of those soldiers, in accepting this meet
ing dishonored her with suspicion unworthy
of her pure life. However, upon finding
themselves to the number of ten, all sub-ofi-
GERS Of the same corpse and nevertheless all
rivals, the astonishment of these men made
the horizon black with tempests; already looks
Of defiance were passing between them, when
the viyandiere made her appearance.
"You have been faithful" said she, to the rem
devious; Il thank you for it; also, let there be
no nonsense, no coquetry, no perfdy among
US; all must pass here as if on parade. Be-
sides, you are my only friends, and it is from
you alone that wish to take advice. All, let
us say the word, you have addressed me de-
clarations of love! Deny it who will Is it
true?''
ayes" loudly answered the ten lovers? ?".
"And you all really wish to marry me :" ad-
ded she, with rogueish smile; "is it true g.
"Yes!" was again the grave and resolute
answer.
sVery well,' replied Constance, in tender
and playful tone, ''you are all alike, it seems
However, can only marry one, and you have
all equal rights to my gratitude, and what is
9raLltG0e Is love, III Tue AesiIt VI ueI WAoM you
call Constance the Virtuous."
"You, my brilliant quartermaster, you loved
me the first; that is worth a good mark for you
You, my valorous adjutant, twenty-five years
and the cross of honor; that would tempt 8
Duchess, if l am not mistaken. You. my
Young sergeant, brave and gallant-you savet
me from the hands of the Austrians; thy hono
owes you something for that You, head O.
| A. e L. oou1H 10
looked, superb drum-major, whose seven fee
remind me of the church-steeple Of my native
village?"
The soldiers all laughed at these joyous sal
lies of the Young GIRL who, after having thu
passed in review the titles of all her preten
dants. cried, "You see it is impossible to choose
for | do not wish to be subject Of discord be
, tween Won. But will do BETTER" she hasten
, ed to add; athe war is about to begin; the lit
tie corporal has sworn that before the end O.
the month he will enter into Vienna. 1t i
then at Vienna that I will become the wife O
him who, during the campaign shall have per
, formed the most brilliant action. My heart
my life, the only treasures Of the poor orphan
shall belong to him without division. Let al
) to whom this decision is acceptable touc
, thai" " and she held out her little white hand.
At these chlyairous words, O tnuudeF OF az
plause burst forth; hands were shaken Al
around, and the corks sprung from the bottle
: which had been brought fQr the occasier
They drank to glory and to love, hencefort
: inseperable. At Vienna, the soldiers one
more shouted, and then separated.
Two months after this scene, the grand al
my made its triumphal entry into the capital Q
! Austria; but the 10th had paid with blood il
: prodigies Of valor. The young Quarterma.
. ter, one of the tenth lovers of Constance, ha
| had both legs carried away; but, in falling b
: meath the eyes, and almost in the arms Of tn
T beautiful yiyandiere, he had cried: "Of th
nine lovers who remain for thee, eight will !
more to be pitied than !, for they will live
| I,hosa sinnnla words cnnnrisinp i who