The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1859-05-28
Tho Deserteri or. Blucher's Judg,
mont.

FEw were tho ysuths throughout the king
dom Of Prussia that were allOged 20 stay al
home In the eventual year Of 1919. a war
more terrible, more yindictiye than any one
that had ever visited the continent Of Europe
was raging through the land and the country
could spare none Of ita deieHdera, Also the
King had called his people 10 aTms by mean,
OF that famous proclamation which will be
ruUslnFTtd Tor bNermnfe "a one ~ the no
blest documents in German history. They
we're irue 90 the oall-old and young, they
leil their homes, rushed 10 their oolors, took
up arms, and never laid them down till they
had driven the enemy under the very walls
Of Paris,
The inhabitants Of silesa, well known for
their loyalty and patriotism, had not stood
behind nmidst the general enthuslasm,-
/ There was not q family In the province that
had not contributed its contingent 20 the ma
\ lionnl affair and many heart was throb,
ing painfully whenever new intelligence
was spread Of another Of those terrible bat
! ties, which, by TiGdinR the country from an
odiOus enemy, threw sorrow and afiliclion up
on many a quiet and peneeabe home,
On a sultry summer evening" In the year
before mentioned, an old woman was sitting
before her humble cottage in the little Silo-
sian village Of burnhoim, She had put the
distaH aside. aud was reading the Bible
which lay opened on her knees. Whilst ahe
was repeating the holy words In an under
tone to herself, her ears caught the sound
Of quick footsteps, and long shadow emerg.
cd from behind the cottage, The old woman
tTembled violently the moment afterwards
i-l1-t't'et- -Gr-r--rfu-
handsome and wellmade lad, 10 military at
tire.
GLOW are you, mothrr9"
"Sho rose, aud threw her trembling arms
around his neck. "God be thanked, my boy.
that sue thee again But how pnlo and
haggard thou lookcst," She went on, after
pause ITO be sure, thou must be very
tired, ond very hungry too ?"
She led him into the room by the arm, and
urged him TO sit down and repose himself a
little, while she herself would prepare him
some supper.
What did he like bcatp Should she
make him an omelel, or roast O chicken? O,
IL was no trouble NJ ALL Dear me, how
could hc talk of trouble she was but too
glad TO do anything Tor her own dear boy
Yes she would 30 and get him a chicken"
The Old woman, all hustle aud activity,
left the room.
The Youth did not bctray so much pleasure
at this hearty reception from his aged parent
ns might have been expected. lie Was rest /
less aud III at easel l. seemed as IL some |
thing was heavily weighing upon his heart /
and when his wandering eye fell upon the |
portrait Of his deceased father which was
hanging right over the chimncy-prcc, pre- /
scnlng that worthy gentleman la the hn |
uaifarn Wasn hy tha kiag,s -g..y.le- de- eo,t,-r
half century ago, be felt as if the old ser /
geant was looking at him with grim frown ,
upon his honest counienancci just as II he I,
cyucrienGGd pahar-iustNCtim 'uumr, 90 seize |
the old knottcd stick in the corner, with the I
IL 4 nnI - la lhst
back orhis Offspring FOR half an hour or 40 !
as, in fact, re had been in the habit Of doing |
many day in his lifetime, some eight or ten |
years ago. His restless son felt so much !
overcome by this latter reflection, that, when !
the old woman came bustling in again, after
the lapse Of some minutes, with the chicken I
under her apron, she found her own dear
hoy with his head in his hands, leaning list /.
lrssly upon the table.
lie snt up when she came in hut did not
look at her. The old womun became atten-
tive. In the Joy Of her heart, she had new
er thought yet of asking him any questions
except those concerning his appetite, Now,
it began to strike her thu; the present peri
od-was rather a strange time for soldier to
be on leave Of absence,
"Charlesm
No answer.
The old woman .trembled violently. She
dropped her burden, and wQlked -s,rnight up
him. ller--4purst, neutrality-suspicious.
was full OF anxiety and Apprehension. Look
ing him full in the face, and clapping her
tuutv tuErtiTrr' stTr rTIryf-u out IN nm uguUy'
$50 help me God, Charles, you are a desert
err"
81 couldn't stand il any longer, mother"
uttered her wretchcd son, in n broken voice,
by way of apology.
"Y ou couldn't stand il" said the old wo-
man, cxasperuted beyond plr measure; "you
couldn't stand il aud hundreds OF thousands
l'N your brethren do Eye, for shame (" and
With her old, honest, trembling hand she
gave him q smack on the face.
Mother" exclaimed the young man.
starting up, with the blood rushing to his
face.
needing him in the least, "to bring such A
disgrace upon the whole yillage What
would he say ?"
1 She pointed to where the old warrior was
} hanging over the chimney-pirec, whose stern
countenancr illuminated by the rays OF the
evening sun, seemed indeed TO assume an
unusuul expression Of solemn Indignation.
"Sit down. sit down, | sny you deScrter
| Il shall not be said that your dead fathers,
house, in the village Of Burnheim, is place
of refuge for ruuaways, whilst the whole
I country IL up III hlnhs lfbu you hAi'i h'
I'll be back in minute y and with this, the
brave old woman left the room locking the
door after her.
She was not alone when she came back
about hhf an hour afterwards; the country
Iparson, the schoolmaster. the country judge,
and halfa-dozen more of the dignitaries OF
the village, were with her. The little room
was quite fun when all these distinguished
visitors had entered il. Charles sat in the
! old armchair, quite motionless, his face Gov
cred with both his hands.
The honest villagers had made up their
minds ut once what to do with the deserter,
they looked upon his crime as an ignominy,
by which he had not only disgrnced himself
but also their community at large, and they
we're not the men TO put up with such an at
front. The schoolmaster, who was politi-
clan, and subscribed for a newspaper, having