Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1856-04-30

were busted with the festivities of the village.
Near the pile, was an old pine tree, and in its
hollow stem The tinder was laid ready. Hans
paused by The hollow tree, and as he listened
singular sound caught his attention. He heard
slow and stealthy trend, then the click Of mus
kets, and two soldiers crept along the cliff See
ing no one, for Hans was hidden behind the old
tree, they gave the signal to some comrades in
the distance.
Hans saw instantly the plot and the danger.
The secret of the signal pile had been revealed
to the enemy party had been sent forward to
destroy it; the army was marching to attack the
village. With no thought of his own peril, and
perhaps recalling the proverb his tHother had
quoted, he seized the finder, struck the light,
and flung the bacing turpentine brand into the
pile.
The two soldiers, whose backs were then
turned to the pile, waiting the arrival of their
comrades, were seized with fear; but they soon
saw there were no foes in ambush-none but
single youth running down the mountain path:
They fired, and lodged bullet in the boys
shoulder. Yet the sigual-fre was blazing high,
and the whole country would be reused. 1t
was already aroused from mountain-topt 10 noun
tain top. The plan of tbs advancing army was
defeated, and hasty escape followed.
Hans, faint and bleeding. made his way to the
village, The people, with their prms, were
mastering thick and fast All was consterna.
lion. The enquiry was everywhere heard, 'Who
lighted the pile 7
"l 1t was J." said at last faint, almost expir-
ing VOICE. Poor crippled Hans tottered among
them. saying, The enemy-the French were
there" H. f,lteted and sank upon the aground.
{" Take me to my mother" said he; at last |
have not been useless"
They stopped to lift him. a What is this 2"
they cried !; he has been shot. It's true Hans
the cripple has saved US" They carried Hans
10 his mother, and laid him before her. As she
bowed In anguish over his pale face, Hans OPEN
ed his eyes and said sit is not now, dear moth
er, you should not weep for ME; am happy
now. Yes, mother it is true,
"God has his pah
For every man."
You see he had it for me, though we did not
know what it was"
Hans did not recover from his wound, but he
lived long enough to know that he had been OF
use to his village and the country; he lived to
see grateful mothers embrace mother, to hear
that she could be considered a sacred and hon
ored bequest to the community which her son
had preserved at the cost Of his own life.
Great emergencies like those which met Hans
cannot exist in the history of all. To all, how
ever, the Tyroese motto may speak, and all will
experience its truth None need stand useless
members of Gods great family There is a
work for every one to do, if he will but look
out for it. So long as there is ignorance to in
s,ruct, want to relieve, sorrow to soothe, let
there be no drones in the hive, no idlers in the
great vineyard of the 1
/. IN me aO0ve narrative, which was the more
useful to his country, the poor crippled boy who
lighted the fire on the mountain .OP,br common
able. bodied soldier?
2. If any one feels very anxious to be useful
in some way, and labors very diligently for this
object, may any one be successful!
g. Should persons choose a useful occupation
because they love to be useful, or will it answer
just as well, 10 choose useful employment be-
cause we can make more money in such IN em-
puyment!