The prairie news. [volume] (Okolona, Miss.) 1851-1875, 1859-08-11
ME8ssBsT.T..AM .
The Effects of War.

1t is not merely what war does when
it has begun; it is what il does before it
can begin, which renders 1t so horrible.
1t will take from ten to fifty years to re-
pair the injuries which the Croats have
committed in the mere act of making
themselves at home and bivouacking
comfortably in the country favored by
their visit. When we say Croats, only
one, and perhaps the most hated, element
of the Austrian legions is mentioned.-
The very multitude of the annexed prov
inces reduces their army to an heteroge-
nous crowd, who do rot understand each
others tongue. They are the peoples,
nations, and languages of Nebuchadnez-
zar commanded b fall down altogether
and worship the golden image of despot-
ism set up ofore them. A Hungarian
prisoner, after much Interpretation, was
made to comprehend that Oeslriech had
other foes besides the Sardes to contend
with. In his amazement, he replied that
he did not know that if he had known
it, he would not have come to fight the
French; and he believed that not one Of
his countrymen would have come either.
Even the Croats begin to prefer their
own side of the water, and there is some
talk of the probability of their walking
quietly home without asking leave. But,
olive and mulberry trees cut down for
fire wood. vines grubbed up because they
impede transit, require many springs and
many summers to re-attain productive
growth. TO render resistance to the in
truder possible, the country insulted must
first be reduced to desert. Alessan-
dria, as far as the eye can reach, is sur
rounded with trees that have been felled
to within one or two feet of the ground,
and whose Topped branches are scattered
in disorder over the surface of the trod-
den down soil. The almond is no more
respected than the oak, the olive than the
elm. Wood and orchard, timber-tree and
fruit tree, alike fall victims to the patri-
otto axe, which must make clearance
to allow self-defensive bullets to reach
the enemy.
The trim villa, the happy country
house, is stoically swept away, if it can
afford any screen to the emissaries of
+" fortitAr-in-re." BY the employment Of
other means Of self preservation rich
province has become swampy lake. As
the Russians drove out the invaders by a
sacrificial fire, SO the Piedmontese have
met their enemies with voluntary inun-
dations. The Austrians caughtthe broth
or of a sluice.keeper, and sent word to
him who held the keys of the food, "Shut
your water-gates, or your brother is a
dead man instantly y The answer came
in the flash Of double tide. Sluices
and dikes are thrown up and broken
leagues and leagues of fertile land are
under water. The losses are inoalculable;
but the march Of Fortiter-in-re is para
lyzed. To confirm the check, Piedmont
deprived herself of more than field or
farm, Of vineyard or olive grove. The
spring flowers Of humanity, which cannot
be renewed on earth, are sacrificed, to- |
gether with blossoms which years will
not replace. Whole companies Of smooth |
faced, unmoustached lads are marched to |
the slaughter of the sufferings of disease |
which riust soon lay them low in death.
They maintain outwardly martial bear
ing; but they hastily brush the tears
from their eyes as the eddying crowd