The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1853-08-24

took rue into the recess of the window o.
the house where we changed horses, and
informed me that he was on a visit to his
uncle who hat a small estate and chateau
just off the high road; and he first inyi.
ted, then pressed, and at last insisted that
should accompany him, and stay two
or three days with "the good old man."
In vain urged the necessity of my mer-
camille affairs, and my anxiety to get back
to my counting house at Baltimore. The
officer repeated, mysteriously:
II am gentleman and soldier; ac-
cept my invitation, or you'll repent it."
was at last reluctantly overcome, and
the officer sent a boy off to his uncle with
the news, loudly delivered, that he and
his old friend had at length arrived at the
inn, and would be with him in an hour.
was very Hospitality received by a
venerable old lady and gentleman, in a
house of some grandeur. One fortnight
elapsed, nor could get away from my
kind hosts, in spite of my palpable and
uncomfortable anxiety to depart, and nv
lnccssant fear of being detected. At last,
at night, after the old lady and gentleman
had retired to rest, my friend, pouring out
the last glass Of n bottle Of fine old claret,
said without any preface or apology:
You must go 10 Bordeaux to morrow
i have ordered my uncle's carriage and
horses Tor YOU precisely at six"
"ShalI / not take leave Of the family p
decidedly not. My uncle and aunt
are iuvahds, and cannot be disturbed SO
carly, and they will dispense with the
cereuony; so good nightw
was bowed out Of my room and light
cd to my chamber ia a very summary
way; and l was much perplcxed and not
alittle annoyed at so much kindness, mixed
with sirgu;arity which became almost
insulting.
The next morning at six, found an open
carriage at the door, with my friends
horses and liveries, and my friend himself
awaited me in the hall. -...
Taking me into little boudoir, he
briefly aud abrubtly said, in the style Of
his master, Napoleon:
"fou have been pcrplexed at the sin
gilaritv at my manners-at my taciturn.
ti--and reXcd at Your detention from
your counting. house ut Baltimore! Ny
friend, you are not an American returning
To your country; in plain terms you are
an English prisoner, cscaping from Yer
dun! DO not start or turn color-I pre-
sltme you are DR.. -. You were not
on your parole when you escaped, but two
ofyour countrymen who had their parole,
have shamefully violated it, and they es.
caPcd from Verdun eight-and-forty hours
after you left it. The emperor was vexcd
at this dishonor, and the police on the
coast were using their utmost vigilance
That pretty woman in the Diligence, with
wlIpui you seemed so much inclined to
bee qpnn intimate, is the wifr Of police
agait at Bordeaux. The only way to
save you was, to treat you as my old IA
miliar friend, travelling with me to my
unck's chateau--now all is explained
EntSing Bordeaux in this equipagc, and
withia passport from this house, you will
excitt no suspicion. need not say the
injury | shall suffer, il you bctray the SER
vice have rendered to you. But, no
you cannot-you are man Of honor
arc now, my friend, do not imbibe the vul-
gar prSudices insti!Ied into your country
nen 10y your press, that the French Off
GERS ard ferocious caaaiile. We fight for
military glory, whilst the personal malig-
nifty Of your officers against us strips war
Of all il p'ide and magnanimity. Fare
well, and let us exchange these snuff-boxes
IS memdial of this scene but have one
favor to ssk Of you: Do you know nm
English own called Reading?"
"IntimAcly; it lays on the high road
between the metropolis and my paternal
property. ! pass through it five or six
times every year."
"Tben do ne this sacred office Of friend
ship. haFc young brother, q Reuten-
ant de vas$da, who was badly wounded
and captured by one Of your ships Of war.
He is a prisoner at Reading; have new
er relieved his necessities, partly from the
want Of means, and partly from my alb
sence with The Emperor at Austsrlitz,
Wagram and Jena. Take these seventy
Napoleons; deliver them to my brother,
and console him by telling him what you
know Of me and Of his kind old uncle and
aunt"
We parted: was but eight-and-forty
hours at BORDEAUX, when / obtained a
passage on board ship bound to Charles.
ton, South Carolina. In the night, when
out Of sight Of land the Captain put the
helm up, and st.ered due north. On my
expressing my ,stonishmcnt, he frankly
told ine that hls American paper were all
forged. aud that h, was bound to the poit
Of London, add
"Yoa need pI yhe nothing for your
passage, since Was obliged tn deceive
you; and from Andon you may get a
passage 10 Bal More any day in the
week
I became eikally confidential to his
equal astonishmest.
In three days We had passed through
the Enqlish Rochsbrt squadron and Chan.
mel feet, and I went on board the Vile
de Paris, where had q long interview
with the Aduirsl In Chief the Earl 81