, 1859-08-26

| tol sui graSped 10 MS iron nand-the 0lsngured
corpse its white hairs dabbled in blood-the fran
tic woman, careless Of all the conventionalities
Of her sex, though surrounded by horde Of
ruthless sOldierySthe child, pale but fearless cali
ing to his father to awake from the dreamless
sleep from which there Is no waking upon this
earth. Alter one rapid eagle-like glance, he un.
derstood Il all, and at once felt that there was
room neither for doubt nor justification. His eye
flashed as he crushed his glove in his clasped
fingers, and turned abruptly toward the murder
er,who stood before him trembling, stupe6ed, and
stammering out few inchOrent words Of expla-
nation and excuse.
"You are coward, sirl" he exclaimed, ,vehem.
entity. "You have assassinated . wounded and
defenceless man-a brave sOldier-in the pres
ence Of his wife, who cried to you for mercy. II
was the action Of ielon"
"General @," gasped the culPrit, who felt
that he was lost
"Can you deny the charge that have brought
against your Can you produce one witness to
prove that have accused you wrongfullyi o,
do Il, sir; do It; that may be spared the shame
Of knowing that murderer has for fifteen years
been sheltered beneath the flag Of France"
"General, was ordered to perform my duty in
face Of the enemy, and have performed it. He
would have taken my life, and have taken his
The game was an even one"
| olienceI Stf, slience! was uie sbefu reply
"a fallen foe should be rs sacred as q friend
Face to face, and foot to foot, every loyal soldier
should meet his foe; but to shoot down an un-
armed man--to murder in cold blood one who Is
incapable Of Tesistancei Pahl 1t Is sickening
You are no longer worthy to serve the Repub-
lie; nor shall you do 80 another hour Deliver
to me upon the instant your sword, your epau-
lettes, and your decoration. From this moment
you cease 70 belong to the twenty-second demi.
brigade; you cease to belong to the army Of
Italyp
The major looked up haughtily.
"GeneTal," ," be exclaimed steadily, but with the
concentrated emotion Of one who was yielding
up the better portion Of his existence, here are
my cross and my sword. lnCw demand court
martial" r
"You shall have one, sir; you shall have one;
and no later than tomorrow" was the rejoinder.
Then turning toward the officers, who had re-
NAMED silent spectators Of this exciting scene,
the general approached the corpse Of the Aus
trian veteran, and removing his hat, said SOL
emnly, "FollOw my example, gentlemen; too
much honor can never be paid to the ALLEN
brave"
During the remainder Of this frightiGl day, the
young widow became prey to the most agOniz.
| ing despair After having seen her husband laid
in his grave with all the impressive ceremonies
Of military funeral, the unfortunate woman who
had lost in one hour all that she had loved on
earth, except her child, fell into perfect state Of
apathy-that apathy alike Of soul and body,
which Is not fatigue, which Is not terror, which
Is not madness, but the utter apathy Of despair.
Not even the tears or caresses Of her son, the idol
of her maternal heart, could rouse her; she felt
not the kisses upon her lips; she was uncon-
scious that bis loving arms were clasped about
her neck; she breathed, but that was all her
inner life was extinct
SoIong as she bad husband 10 avenge, child
10 defend, she had retained strength and courage
to speak and to act; but now that the assassin Of
her husband had undergone the disgrace Of .
public degradation, while the prompt and fearful
retribution Of military tribunal threatened his
life, she remembered only the immensity Of her
loss, the depth Of her bereavement; and she was
consequently more astonished than alarmed, when,
early on the following morning, French aid-de-
camp came to apprise her that the geneTal-in-
chief desired an interview with her at the town
hall, in which he bad established his headquar-
teFs.
Without the hesitation Of moment. the newly
made widow took her child By the hand, who
was pale and feeble with terror and want Of rest,
and then lifting him in her arms, she followed the
messenger with frm step, but without having
uttered syllable.
Introduced At once into the cotnc1 chamber,
she found herself In the midst Of Ill the most
celebrated generals Of the French army those
men who were subsequently, TO fulfil such differ.
ent observation-disclosures to gain OF TO lose thrones;
and 10 leave upon the field Of battle, or In the
intrigues Of Courts, or amid political consplra.
eies, some their honor and others their heads
There were assembled MuFat, Duroc, Lannes,
Dessaix, Mathieu, Dumas, Massena, Hoche, Co
chet, Bernadotte, and many others, who were
subsequently to become famous; while In their
midst stood the general.n-chief, his arms folded
lightly across his breast and his eyes bent upon
the ground.
As the lady entered, he looked toward her,
advanced in silence and led her to her seat passed
his hand with melancholy smile over The fair
curls Of her boy, and then commenced slow and
measured walk from end to end Of The apart
ment
This sudden summons, this strange reception,
and the deep silence which reigned around her,
at first astonished and finally alarmed the un-
happy woman. A vague feeling Of terror stole
over her; but she could not articulate one sen.
tence to inquire Of those with whom she had
been so strangely brought into contact, what she
had TO fear or hope.
Suddenly, the roll Of mufied drum icll upon
her ear-a discharge Of musketry followed it
and the report had no sooner died away, than
the general-in-ehief stood motiOnless for an in
Stant and then approaching her, took her hand,
and led her 10 q window from which she looked
down upon the melancholy close o. military
execution.
"Shrink not, Madame" he said, as with nat.
ural horror she averted her head from the pain
fal spectacle; "the dead man lying yonder was
French officer, whom his eountrymen and com
Tades have just shot, for having, In town taken
| By asnult murdered an Austrian"