Columbia Democrat and Bloomsburg general advertiser. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1850-1866, 1857-05-02
The Boatman's Daughter.

During the year 1914, while the allied
armies were concentrated about Paris, the
following remarkable incident, possessing
oil the interest of romance, occurred. II
is strictly true, and the parties are still
living.
A young lieutenant of dragons was
engaged with three or four Hungarians,
who, after having received several smart
strokes from his sabre, managed to send q
ball into his shoulder, to pierce his chest
with a thrust from lance, and to leave
him for dead on the bank of the river.
On the opposite side of the stream, .
bostman and his daughter had been watch.
ing this unequal fight with tears of despe-
ration. But what could an old unarmed
man do, or pretty child Of sixteen .
However, the old soldier--for such the
boatman was--had no sooner seen the
officer fall from his horse than he and his
daughter rowed most vigorously towards
the other side.
Then, when they had deposited the
wounded man in their boat, those worthy
people crossed the river sgaip, but with
faint hopes of reaching the military hospital
in time. .. - I'D.
"You have been very badly treated, my
boy" said the old guardsman to him; but
here am l, who have gone further still, and
come home." ....... ....... ...
The silence and the fxed attitude of
Lieutenant S. showed the extreme
agony of his pains, and the hardy boatman
soon discovered that the blood which was
gathering about the wound on the left side
/ would CHI 10 hte
He turned to his youthful daughter. Wv.
"Mary," he said, you have heard me
tell Of my brother, who died of such ano,
ther wound as this here. Well, now, had
there only been somebody by to, suck the
hurt, his life would have been saved"
The boatman then landed, and went to
look for two or three soldiers. to help him
|, to carry the officer, leaving his daughter
in charge Of him. The girl looked at the
sufferer for O second or two. What vas
her emotion when she heard him sigh go
deeply, not that he was resigning life in
the first flower Of his age, but that he should
die without a mothers kiss.
any motherl-my dear mother" h
said, die without"
Her woman's heart told her what b
would have said. Her bosom heaved Wit
sympathy, and her eyes ran over.
Then she remembered what her fathe
had said, and thought how her uncle's lit
might have been saved. In On instant
= quicker than thought, she tore open tn
officers coat, and the generous girl recall
ID life with her lips.
Amidst this holy occupation the SCUM
Of footsteps was heard, and the blushin
|. heroine fed to the other end of the boa
. Judge OF her fathers surprise, as he cam
4 up with two soldiers, when he saw Lieu
tenant s., whom he expected to fin
j. dead, open his eyes, and ask for his del
of yerer.
The boatman looked at Ills child al
saw it all. The poor girl came to hi
10 with her head bent down. She was abol
Re to excuse herself, when her father, embra
d cling her with enthusiasm, raised up ht
d spirits, and the officer thanked her
IA these prophetic words
- "You have saved my life; it belongs
IL you"
After this she tended him, and becan
If his nurse nothing would he take but fro
:, her hand No wonder that with such
" nurse he at length recovered.
&c Meanwhile, Master Cupid, who is We
70 busy in such cases, gave him snoth
10 wound; and there was only one way
ID cure it. so very deep it was.
~ The boatman's daughter became Mads'