Southern sentinel. [volume] (Plaquemine, Parish of Iberville [La.]) 1848-1858, 1855-05-26
THE SOLDIERS vow.
4 TRUE TALE,

village boys, who amused themselves by insuI
ting him with coarse Jests and personal indig
nitles He bore their abuse with exempIar
patience, and begged them TO wait till he felt
little better, and he would sing them fine SONG
his voice was thick with unnatural excess, an,
Re was too weak to protect himself from th
rude jostlings Of the crowd, yet he smiled o,
the tormentors, and exhibited no other sens
of his helpless and forlorn condition than ,
look of grief and shame, which despite his ef
forts and smiles, would occasionally oyerspreat
bis cOuntenance.
Late in the afternoon, the writer, then stu
dent, passed him in company with friend, wher
our attention was arrested by voice of unu
sual power and beauty, singing the favorte ma
tionai air OF France. La Parisienne AS he
proceeded great number of students from the
college gathered around him, and at the conclu.
sion an involuntary expressian OF delight broke
from the entire mass. He was euthusiastical-
ly encored and afterward the Marseillaiss called
for. The same rich, clear voice, rang out that
wild melody in the very words which are wont
10 arouse the spirit OF the French soldier to
frenzy. The admiration Of the poor ene5ri-
aie's auditory was now raised to the highest
pitch. Despite his tattered and filthy garments,
his squalid beard and brimess hat, now that
the tume of liqnor had subsided bis form ap-
peared symmetrical and manly; and his face
growing with the sentiments Of the patriotic
song, and flushed with excitement at the uDex-
pected praise he was winning, assumed an ex
preston Of intelligence and joy that beautiful.
ly set Oft his really fine features. "What and
who is this stranger was the universal INQUIRY.
Ellis singing is incompatible, and his Eng
lish and French are faultIess."
"Yes," said he, dropping his eyes, 81 can give
you German, or Spanish, or italian, as well, or
Latin and Greek either" he added careIessly,
In reply to the many questions that were
showered upon him with the coin he so much
needed, he at length said, in sad tone, and
slowly endeavoring to push his way through
the crowd: "Gentlemen, am poor vaga>
bond, entirely unworthy your kind sympathy.
Leave me TO rags and retchedness, to 20 on
my way
Our curiosity was too much exacted TO allow
this, and, amid loud cheers, we escorted him to
a room, where he was fsrnsed with water and
good clothes, and the barbers art put in requisi.
tion, and after an incredibly short time, he reap
peared upon the college steps, smiling and
bow'ng gracefully, man of as fine appearance
and noble bearing as eyes ever beheld. The
delight and repeated shouts rent the air: "Give
Us La Parisienne!" echoed from all sides, and
Is soon as silence could be obtained again, that
'lear, rich voice uttered these inspiring words:
"Penple Francais, peuple de braves,
La Libe,te r0uure Sc brGs"
He was then conducted to the spacious chap |
j, and there he held an audience of one thou. |
and persons spelI-bound for two hours, by
me of the most interesting autobiographies
hat it was ever our lot to hear. Born in Par.
), of wealthy parents, be had in early life been
thoroughly educated at the university Of Wir.
emburg, and received the Masters degree He
Don after joined the fortunes of Napoleon,
nd with the rank OF lieutenant, he was with
i'm during all his campaigns in Egypt, in Italy,
! Austria, 10 Russia, and at Waterloo.
His account Of scenes in these battles, and
is description Of places and cities were ex.
ressed in choice and graphic terms; and, on
eing compared with history, were found to
orrespond in every particular. He related many
Ewritten and curious incidents in the life Of
apoleon, which had come under his 0bserva.
on, aud finally closed with touching account
his own career after the bate of Waterloo.
] the terrible route that followed that mem
rabie event, bis detachment was chased BY
ody of Prussian hussars, aud, becoming seat.
red in the night, he wandered for three days
I'd nights in the woods and by places without ,
od or drink.
The chase being at length given over, the
,or Frenchman sat down weary and sick with
. wounds, and ready to die by the road side. I
humane Dutch girl, discovering him in this I
uation, brought him refreshments and cor.
ais. and among the hitter flask Of brandy.
iere." said the old soldier, twas the begin. 9
ng Of my woes. That angel of mercy, with )
, best Of motive, brought me in that flask y
adly foe, which was to prove more potent b
! evil to me than all the burning tolls Of the
yyptian campaign, or the intolerable frosts 4
d SHOWS Of the Russias- more fatal thar. the 4
mon Of 73 battles-- which kindled in me . ,
rst more lnsatiable than that which forced Il
} to open my veins on the desert sands Of the
st. Till that day / had never tasted strong
nk. ] had uttered 10 my youth to
stain from il, and. to that VOW Owed my !.
J. For not one Of oil my comrades who in !. !:
lged in the use Of it, survived the horrors Of !. :
J Egyptian Campaign. sa' ssa - -
Bat - Hay in anguish, longing for desth. !.
] momertarily expecting his approach, Z !
eet face appsared to me, wearing an sxpres- n,
Q Of deep pity and sympathy for nv suffer. -
., and could bat accept without inquiry e
ateves she gave. She gently raised nv head : :
wiped with her handkerchief the dsmpness :,
ny brow and administered the cordial to nv 4
J. It relieved me; looked around, nv cour. =,
J. my love Of life returned. poured forth e, =
gratitude in burning words, and called :,
rn the hlo..:o~. 81 r ill.,. .zT--x = | "