Mineral Point tribune. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1854-1858, 1855-09-11
Atislellallcous.
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I u E SOLDIERS VOW.
A TRUE TALE.

f'.oo1ioutioH. AS ne staggered along, he
was surrounded by a crowd of villige
boys, who amused themselves by incultine
him with coarse jests aud personal indig
| mites. lie bore their abuse with exem
pary patience, and begged them to wait
II be felt little tester, and he would
sing them fine song. His voice was
thick with unnatural exc .ss. and he was
was too weak to protect himself from the
rude jostlings of the crowd, yet he smiled
on the tormentors, and exhibited no other
| sense of his helpless and forlorn condition
than look of grief and shame. which des-
spite his efforts and smiles would occasion.
ally overspread his countenance
/ Late IN the afternoon, the writer. then
student passed him in company with a
friend, when our attention was arrested
by voice of unusual power and beauty,
singing the favorite national air of France:
La Par1ssenaae. AS he proceeded a great
number of students from the college
gathered around him, and at the conclu
sion an involuntary expression of delight
broke from the entire mass He was en-
! Enthusiastically encored, and afterwards the
-NarsesllatSe called for. The same rich.
clear voice, rang out with that mild mel
ody In the very words which are wont to
arouse the spirit of the French soldier to
frenzy. The admiration of the poor in
ebrlate's auditory was now aroused to the
highest pitch Despite his tattered and
filthy garments his sqalid beard and brim-
less hat, now that the fume of liquor had
subsided his form appeared symmetrical
and manly; and his face was glowing
with the excitement at the unexpected
praise he was winning, assumed an ex-
preston of intelligence and JOY that beau
tifully set off his really fine features
4" What and who is this stranger" was
the universal inquiry.
His singing is Incompatible, and his
English aud French are faultless.
Yes said he dropping his eyes, can
give you German, or Spanish. or italian.
as we'll, or Latin and Greek either, he ad
ded carelessly
In reply to the many questions that
were showered upon him with the coin he
so much need, d, he at length said, in
sai tone. and slowly endeavoring to push
his way through the crowd; Gentleman,
am poor vag .bond, entirely unworthy
of your kind sympathy. Leave me to
rigs and wretehedness to 60 on my way
Our curiosity was too much excited to
allow this. and, amid loud cheers, we es
corted him to large room, where he was
furnished with water and good clothes,
and the bar ber's art put in requisition
and after an inc .Gib' G sh ort time he reap
peared upon the college steps smiling and
b)wing gracefully, man of fine appear
auce and noble bearing as eyes ever be
held The delight of the crowd at this
| transformation was intense, and repeated
shouts rent the air :-'' La PdrlStn7ae ~
echoed from all sides, aud as soon as 81
lence could be obtained again, that clear
rich voice uttered these inspiring words :
Pet.ple Fraucais, peuple dc 6raves,
lie Liberte bras"
I He was then conducted to the spacious
chapel and there he held an audience of
one thousand persons spell bound for two
hours, by one of the most interesting au
| tobiographies that was ever our lot to
hear Born in Paris, of wealthy parents,
he had in early life been thoroughly edu-
Gated at the university of Wittemberg,
and received the Masters degree He
s Don after joined the fortunes of Napole-
on, and with the rank of lieutenant be
was with him during all his campaigns in
Egypt, in Italy, in Austria, in Russia.
aud at Waterloo.
His account of scenes in these battles,
and his description Of places and cities
were expressed In choice and graphic
terms, and being compared with history,
were found to correspond in every partlc-
ular. He related many unwritten and
curious incidents in the life of Napoleon,
| II l. ~. tin,,
and finally closed with touching account
of his own career after the battle of Wa
terloo La the terrible route that follow
ed that memorable event. his detachment
was chased by body of Prussian hus
sars, and, become scattered in the night
he wandered three days and nights in
the woods and by places without food or
drink
The chase being at length given over
the poor Frenchman sat down weary and
sick with his wounds and ready to die by
the road side A humane Dutch girl, dis
covering him III this situation, brought
him refreshments and cordlals and among
the latter a flask of brandy. Here,
said the soldier, was the beginning of my
woes. The angel of mercy with the best
of motives, brought me in that flask, g
deadly foe, which was to prove more po
tent for evil to me than all the burning
tolls of the Egyptian campaign, or the
intolerable frosts and SHOWS of the Rus
siaus-more fatal than the cannon of 75
battles, which kindled in me thirst more
Unsuitable than that which forced me tt
open my veins on the desert sand of tht
East Till that day I never tasted strone
drink | had uttered vow in my youth
to abstain from it. and to that vow owt
my life. For not one of all my comrades
who INDUCED in the use of it survived th,
horrors of the Egyptian campaign.
"But, as [ lay in anguish, longing fo1
death, and momentarily expecting his ap
proach, a sweet face appeared to me. wear
ing an expression of deep pity and sym
pathy for my suferings. and l could bu
accept without inquiry whatever she gave
She gently raised my head and wiped witt
bar han1tarobiaf tho daunnaSo of M