Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1856-01-26

~ on Its hinges, and a subaltern
officer advanced to the side of the camp
bed in which the condemned was tran
gully sleeping, and after gazing on him
sometime in silence, awoke him.
Pierre opened his eyes, and staring
about him, said, 1.-The hour then, has
come at last?'
No, Pierre" replied the officer, ut
is not yet the hour; but it will soon
come"
"And what do you want with me
until them"
"El5t thou not know me, Pierre
Nomah'er, | know thee well, saw thee
at Eusteriitz-and braycly didst thou
bear thyself. From that day, Pierre !
have had for thee n regard no less warm
than sincere. Yesterday, on my arrival
at StrasbuRg, I learned thy crime and
condemnation. | have prevailed on the
goaler, who is relation of mine, to al
low me to see you. And now that !
have come, [ would say to thee, Pierre,
it is often sad thought for a man about
to die, that he has not friend near him
to whom he might open his heart, and
cntrust with some secret commission to
discharge when he should be no more.
If thou wilt accept me, ! will be to thee
that friend"
Il thank you, comradc," replied
Pierre.
why, hast thou nothing to say to
me p
Nothing"
What. not one word of adiou to thy
swectheart--to thy sistcr?'
" A sweetheart? Il sister? | never
had either"
1" TO thy father p
/" He is no more. Two months ago
he died in my arms"
FLY mother. then p
Ny mother and Pierre, whose
voice suddenly and totally changed, re-
peated, my mother! All, comrade, do
not utter that name, for have never
heard that name-I have never said il
in my heart-without feeling melted like
a child and even now, methinks if
we're to speak of her"
"What then Z"
"The tears would come--and tears dc
not become a man. Tears !" continued
hc---"tears, when have but few hours
to live All, there would not be much
courage in thatp'
Thou art too stern, comrade. |
think / have, thank God, as much cour-
age as other people; and yet | would
not be ashamed of weeping, were | to
speak Of my mother"
F." Are you serious?" said Pierre,
eagerly Selling the officers hand "You
a man and a soldier, and not ashamed to
weepP
When speaking of my mother p
Certainly not. My mother is 50 good
so kind; she loves me so much, and !,
too, love her dearly
" She loves you, and you love her Z?
Oh, then, | may indeed then tell you
all. My heart is full-it must have
vent; and however strange IT may APP
pear to you, am sure you willnot laugh
at them. Listen, then, for what you
said just now is quite true. A man is
glad, when about to die, to have a heart
into which he can pour out his own
VIII you listen to meY'
"Surely, / will listen, Pcirre. A
dying man must ever excite sympathy"
" You must know that since came
into this world / never loved but one
being -that being was my mother. But
her loved as none love with all that
was in me of life and energy While
yet babe | used so read her eyes, as
she read mine. ! guessed her thoughts
and she knew mine. She was the heart
Of my heart, and / the heart Of hers.
never had either sweetheart or wife
never had a friend; my mother was
everything to me. Well, | was sum-
moned to take up arms; and when they
told me must leave her, in paroxysm
Of despair ! told them they might drag
me limb from limb, but never should
they take me from her alive. With one
word, spoken in her holy forliiudc and
strong courage, she then changed my
whole purpose. Pierre, said she, you
must 60, it is my wish : / knelt before
her, and said IL will 90, mother
Pierre she added, thou hast been a
good son, and thank God for it; but
the duties Of son are not the only ones
a man has to fulfil. Every citizen owcs
himself to his country; it calls thee