The southern press., 1851-10-27
IRE viVsu1i<rs

the Paris correspondence OF lhe d. LOUIS nc
publican
few days ago appeared in the list of deaths
in the morning paper, the name of Widoio Com
stance Few took notice of this simple an
nouncement and fewer still know the incidents
| of the beautiful life that has Just closed ! aul
sure your readers will be interested in the short
sketch am going to give them, and which has
/ been furnished me 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 of brave officer,
killed at the opening of Napoleon's Italian cam
paign. Left alone at the age of seventeen, with
out any other support than her courage, her
beauty, and her virtue, she became the vlvan-
diere of her fathers regiment, the 10th of the
! line. For the benefit Of those of your readers
who may not be informed Oh the subject will
explain that viyandiere is woman who fol-
lows a regiment, sometimes on foot, and some.
| times in little cart, and sells liquor to the sol
diers. She always has on hand, too, surply
of little delicacies for the sick and rolls OF linen,
and an assortment Of balsams and salves for the
wounded She is almost always brave, noble
! hearted woman, Drawing fatigue and difficulties,
dangers, and even death itself, with equal cour-
age and cheerfulness The vvandiere 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 vvandiere.
| The dress of The yiyaniiere is generally red
pantaloons, short blue cloth skirt, bordered
with red, and a tight-ftting jacket, similar to
the uniform coat of her regiment, and little
military hat, adorned with the rcolored cock ade,
set jauntly on the side Of her head Across her
shoulders is swung a 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 vvandiese, dis
pensing excellent liquor 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 enough
upon the marriage point, she found that there
remained ten. Constance was in quandary
for she liked them all, and shuddered at the idea
| OF wonnding the feelings Of any Of them. Pres
sed at last to make 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 be said, not one of
those soldiers, in accepting this meeting, dis
honored her with a suspicion unworthy of her
pure life. However, upon finding themselves
to the number of ten, all sub-otficers of the
same corps and nevertheless all rivals, the as
tonishment OF these men made the horizon
black with tempests already looks OF defiance
were passing between them, when the VIVIAN
diere made her appearaLce.
"You have been faithful said she to the rem
devious; thank you for it; also let there
aft arE I,,
u.s. 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 advise, All,
let US say the word, you have addressed me
declarations of love! Deny it who will! Is that
true?"
eyes" loudly answered the ten lovers.
!" ana You al really wish to marry ME 2"
added she, Nth a roguesh smile g is it true %
"fes| was again the grave and resolute
answer
"Very WELL" replied Constance, in tender
and playful tone, you are all alike. it seems
However can only marry one, and you leave
all equal rights to my gratitude, and what is
gratitude, is love, in the heart of her whom Won
call Constance the Vrtuous."
you, my brilliant quarter-master, you loved
me the first-that is worth good mark for Won
fou, my valorous adjutant twenty-five wears
and the cross of h3nor-that would tempt
Duchess, if | am not mistaken. You, my young
sergeant, brave and gallant you saved me from
the hands or the Austrians-my honor owes You
something for that. You, head of the file ofthe |
god Mars, could you be overlooked, suberb |
drum major, whose seven feet remind me of the
ehurch-steeple Of my native villagew ~
The soldiers all laughed at these Joyous sal
lies OF the young GIRL who, after havirg thus
passed in review the titles of all her pretendants
cried, =" You see il is impossible to choose, for
do not wish to be a subject of dscord between
YOU But will do better, she FASTENED 10 a I'd
the war is about TO begin the little corporal has
sworn that before the end of the month he will
enter Vienna. Ii is then at Vienna that will
become the wife of him who, during the cam
paign, shall have performed the most brilliant
action. My heart, my life the only treasures of
the poor orphan, shall belong to him without di.
vision. Let all to whom this decision il ae
ceptable touch that"-and she held out her rttIe
white hand
AT these chvalrous words. thunder of an
plause burst forth hands were shaken all ropnd
ana the corks sprung from the bottles, which had
oeen brought for the occasion. They drank 10
glory, and TO love, henceforth inserarable. A,
Vienna, the soldiers once more shouted. and
then separated.
Two months after this scene, the grand army
"''No t7 uiumpual entry into the capital of Aus
trla ; but the rs had paid with blood its prodgies
OF yalor. The young quarter-naster, one of The
tenth lovers of Constance, had had both LEGS
carried away but in falling beneath the ewes
and almost in the arms Of the beautiful ylyan
diere, he had cried "Of the nine lovers who 70.
main Tor thee eight will be more pitied than ,
Tor they will live" These simple words com. ,
prlslng whole drama of love, did not eseana
the young girl.-She saw him safely off The 6eId
and carried TO the hospital.
a few days after that table for eleven per. a
sons waS spread in little restaurant of the
iaubourgs of Vienna. Falhful to her engage. l.
-i!., constance, more beautiful than ever.
rom secret sadness winch yeiled her regard.
had invited her lovers to meet her there. She 5
was the first 10 arrive aud to salute, with tear
and regret, the unoccupied place Of the brother
N arms who had fallen In the battle. When tho 1
test were assembled, they went over, together. II
ne episodes of the campaign,-so short, yet so :.
glorious, aud then they discussed their hopes and q
he rights of each one to favors and rewards y
or each thus hoped to raise himself in the owes o