New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1856-12-15

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There-yet his deeds are trumpetsounded-
There, upon silken seats recline, -''n
Maidens as fair as the summer morning,
Watching him rise from the sparkling wine.
Mothers all prolfer their stainless daughters,
Men Of high honor salute him s'friend !"
Skies Oh where are your cleansing water!
World Oh where where do thy wonders end
Live Usefully.
soldiers widow lived in a little hut, near noun
tain village. Her only child was a poor cripple Hans
was kind-hearted boy. He loved his mother, and
would gladly have helped her to bear the burdens OF
poverty but his feebleness forbade it, He could not
even join in the rude sports of the mountaineers. At
the age of fifteen years. he felt keeny the fact that he
was useless to his mother aud to the world.
twas at this period that Napoleon Bonaparte was
making his power felt throughout Europe. He had
tecreed that the Tyrol should belong to Bavaria and
not to Austria, and sent French and Bavaran army
30 accomplish his purpose. The Austrians retreated
The ryrolese resisted valiantly. Men, women and
children Of the mountainland filled with zeal in
defence of their homes. On occasion, ten thou
sand French and Bavarian troops were destroyed in
single mountain pass, by an immense avalanche of
rocks and trees, prepared and hurled upon them by
an unseen foe.
A secret arrangement existed among the T7rolese
hy.which the approach of the enemy was to be COM
sauncated by signal fires, from village village from
one mountain height to another; and combustble
materials were laid ready to give an instant alarm
The village in which Hans and his mother lived
was in the direct line of the route the French army
would take, and the people were full of anxiety and
fear. All were preparing for the expected struggle.
Ehe widow and her crippled son alone seemed to have
no part but to sit still and wait All Hans,' she
said evening, il is well for us now that you can
be Of little use; they would else make soldier of
you" This struck a tender chord. The tears rolled
down his cheek Mother, am useless" cried Hans,
IN bitter grief Look round our vllagc-all are busy
all ready to strive for home and fltherland; l am
useless"
my boy, my kind, dear son. you are not useless to
q Yes, to you; cannot work for you cannot sup
port you in your old age. Why was | made mother p
Hush, Hans" said his mother L" these repining
thoughts are wrong You will live to find the truth
ofour old proyerb:
God has his plan
-.5= 'r..., For every maIlp
Little did Hans think TINT ere few weeUs should
have passed, this truth was to be verified in a re-
markable manner.
Easter holidays, the festive season of Switzerland
came.
The people lost their fears of invasion in the sports
Aof the season. All were busy in the merry makng-
all but Hans. He stood alone on the porch of the
mountain hut, overlooking the village.
Toward the close of Easter day, after his usual
evening prayer, in which he breathed the wish that
the Father OF Mercies would in his good time afford
him some opportunity of being useful to Others he
fell into deep sleep.
He awoke in the night as if from dream, under the
strong impression that the French and Bavarian army
was approaching. He could not shake off this I'M
preston but with the hope of being rid of it he rose
hastily dressed himself and strolled up the mountain
gath. The cool air did him good, and he continued
his walk till he climbed to the signal pile. Hans
walked around the pile but where were the watch
ers? They were nowhere to be seen, and perhaps
they were busted with the festivities of the village.
Near the pile old pine tree, and in its hollow
stem the finder was laid ready. Hans paused by the
ancient tree, and he listened singular sound caught
his attention, now quickened by the peculiar circun,
stances in which he found himself and by the percep-
ton that much might depend on him. He heard q
slow and stealthy tread then the click of muskets
and two soldiers crept along the cliff Seeing no one
for Hans was hidden by the old tree they gave the
signal to some friends in the distance.
Hans saw instantly the plot and the danger. The
secret of the sgnapile had been revealed to the
my party had been sent forward to destroy it, the
army marching to attack the village. With nc
thought of his own peril, and perhaps recalling thu
pFoverb his mother had quoted be seized the finder
struck the light, and flung the blazing turpentn'
brand into the pile.
The two soldiers whose backs were then turned tt
the pile waiting the arrival Of their comrades, wer
seized with fear but they there were no foe
in ambush only single youth running down tn
mountain path. They fired, and lodged bullet il
the boys shoulder.
Yetthe signal fire was blazing high and the Who'll
country would be aroused. 1t already arouse
from mountain top to mountain top. The plan of tn
advancing army was defeated, and hnsty retreat fo
lowed.
Hans, faint and bleeding, made his way to the vii
lage. The people, with their arms, mastering THO
and fast. All was CONSERVATION. Inquiry was every
where heard, who lighted the pile?'' 1t was !,
said at last a faint, almost expiring voice. Pool
crippled Hans tottered among them, saying, Tn
enemy-the French-were there He filtered an,
sunk upon the ground. "Take me to my mother,
said he; " at last l have not been useless"
They stopped to lift him. What is this ?" the
cried; " he has been shot. It is true; Hans, tn
cripple, has saved US"
They carried Hans to his mother and laid him be
tore her. AS she bowed in anguish over his pal
face, Hans opened his eyes and said 1t is not now
dear mother, you should weep for me am happ
now. Yes, mother, it is true,
God has his plan
For man.
You He had it for me, though we did not kuo,
exactly what it was'
Hans did not recover from his wound but he live
long enough to know that he had been of use to h
village and his country he lived to see grutcf.
mothers embrace his mother-to hear that she woul
be revered and honored in the community which hi
son had preserved at the cost of his own life.
Great emergencies like those which met Hans cal
not exist in the history of all. To all. however Il
Iyrolese motto may speak, and all will experience il
truth. None need stand useless members of God
great family. There is work for every one to do,
he will but look out for it, So long as there is ign
rance to instruct, want to relieve, sorrow 10 sooth
let there be no drones in the hive, no iders in IL
great vineyard of the world.
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