Monmouth weekly herald. [volume] (Freehold, N.J.) 1854-1860, 1859-12-15

out of sight"
These words were instantly translated
to the people, but so great was their panic
that no one offered to move. The pastors
son then took his place, alone, in the
vacant space before the line of soldiers.
l offer my self, " said lie, :" as one trusting
in God that we shall all be saved and /
call upon those Of yod Who have the hearts
OF men in your bodies to stand beside
me-" Young Conrad, a sturdy farmer,
and but newly bridegroom, joined him
casting as he did so single encoura
ging look upon bis future wife, who
turned deadly pale but spake nota word.
One by one, as men who have resolved
to face death-for the most of them had
but trembling half confidence in their
escape-eight others walked out and took
their places in line. The women shud
dered, and hid their eyes; the men looked
steadily on in the fascination Of terror
and the little children in awed but igno
rant curiosity. The place was as silent
as if devoid of life.
Again the Lieutenant surveyed his
men. Take aim !" he commanded He
contlnucd-"aim at their heads. that their
work may be we'll done p But though
his voice was clear and strong, and the
tenor of his words not to he mistaken, a
clairavoyant flash of hidden meaning ran
down the line, and the men understood
him. Then came the last command i:
Fire but III the second which inter.
vened between the word and the ringing
volley the ten men were already falling
The crack of muskets and sound OF their
bodies we're simultaneous. Without
pausing all instant the lieutenant cried /.
Right about wheel |" Forward f.
and the measured tramp of the soldiers
rang down the narrow village street.
The women uncovered their eyes ana
gazed. There lay the ten men, motion.
less and apparently lifelsss. With wild
cries they gathered around them, but ere
their Explanations of despair had turned
into those Of joy, the last of the soldiers
had disappeared in the wood. Then fol
lowed weeping embraces, as all arose
from the granddaughter, and sobs Of
hysterical joy. The pastors son, uncov-
ering his hcBd knelt down, while all rev
erently followed his example, and uttered
an eloquent prayer of thanksgiving for
their herciful deliverance.
What this young man had done was
not suffered to go unrewarded. A bless.
ing rested upon his labors and his life
In the course of time he became cler-
gyman, filing for awhile his fathers
place for the people he had saved, but
was afterwards led to wider and more
ambitious sphere. He was called to LeiD
zig, received the degree of Doctor of
Divinity, and finally became known
throughout Germany as the founder of
the Gustav .Adott Verein (Gustavus Adolf
plus UnlonD which had for its object the
dissemination Of protestant principles by
means OF voluntary contributions. In
some respects it resembles the Home
Missions of our country. Many churches
built by this association, are now scat
tered throughout the United States.
The inhabitants of Waldorf never for
got their pastor, nor he them. He came
back from time to time to spend a few
days in the quiet little village OF his
youth, and where the most eventful crisis
OF his lille was passed.
III 1856, three out of the ten pseudo
victims of Davoust we're still living in
their old homes, and the people bethought
them that the semi.centennlal anuirersa
ny of such an event deserved a special
celebration DR.. @-, of Leipzig
formerly the pastors sony was invited
to be with them. He came-he would
have come from the ends of the earth
and after solemn religious service in the
church, proceeded to the very spot on
which lie had stood and faced the French
muskets, and there related to the chill
dren and grandchildren of those he had
saved, the narrative which | have here
given IN less moving and eloquent words.
Those who were present described the
scene as siugulariy impressive and affect
ing the three old men sat near him as
he spoke and the emotio s of that hour
of trial were so wildly reproduced in
their minds that, at the Close, they laugh
ed and wept as they had done on the
same day fifty years before.
In conclusion the speaker referred to-
the officer whose humane stratagen had
~ OoOA sOu IHOlI llf6b. OluCG tUat Jay,
said he, have never heard Of him. /
did not even learn his name but he is
remembered in my prayers. Most prob
ably he died soldiers death on one of
the mary battle fields Of slaughter " hich
interviewed between Jena and Waterloo
but if he should be living. it would cheer
my last days on earth if / could reach
him With single word of gratitude.
In the same year there lived-and, no
doubt, still is living-in Lyons an iuyal.
I'd and pensfoned captainof the Napoleon.
ic wars. After life of vicssitudes he
found himself in his old age alone, forgot.
ten, poor. Men no better aud drawer
than he achieved distinction by some
lucky chance F; fortune had come to 9th.
crs, and others had begotten children to
cheer and vitalizs their declining days.
Him the world bad passed by, and for