The weekly Anglo-African., 1860-03-17

words not to be mistaken, clairvoyant
flash of hidden meaning rad down the line
and the men understood him. Then came
the last command: "FireP-but in the
second which interviewed between the word
and the ringing volley the ten were al.
ready falling. The crack of muskets and
sound of their bodies were simultaneous.
Without pausing an instant the Lieutenant
cried: Fright about WHEEL" Forward
and the measured tramp of the soldiers
rang down the narrow village street.
The women uncovered their eyes and
gazed. There laythe ten men, motionless
and apparently lifeless. 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 followed
weeping, embraces-as all arose from the
granddaughter, and sobs of hysterical
joy. The pastors son, uncovering his
head, knelt down, while all reverently fol-
lowed his example, and uttered an eloquent
prayer of thanksgiving for their deliver
ance.
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 a clergyman,
filling for while his fathers place for the
people he had saved, but was afterwards
led to wider and more ambitious sphere.
He was called to Leipzig, received the de-
gree of Doctor of Divinity, and finally be-
came known throughout Germany as the
founder of the GustaU adolf Verein Gus
tavus Adolphus Union, which has for its
object the dissemination of Protestant prin-
ciples by means of voluntary contributions.
In some respects it resembles the home
missions of our country. Many churches,
built by this association, are now scattered
throughout the United States.
1t 1856, three out of the ten pseudo vic
Tins of Davoust were still living in their
old homes, and the people bethought them
that the semi-centennial anniversary of
such an event deserved special celebra-
ton. DIR. -, of Leipzig, formerly the
pastors SOM was invited to be with them.
He came-he would have come from the
ends of the earth-and after solemn, reli-
gious service in the church, proceeded to
the very spot on which he had stood and
faced the French muskets, and there rela.
ted to the children and grandchildren of
those he had saved, the narrative which l
have here given in less moving and elo-
quent words. Those who were present
described the scene as singularly impress
sive and affecting The three old men sat
near him as he spoke; and the emotions of
that hour of trial were so wildly repro
duced in their minds that, at the close they
laughed and wept as they had done on the
same day fifty years before.
In conclusion, the speaker referred to
the officer whose humane stratagem- had
preserved their lives. "Since that day."
said he, II have never heard of him. l
did not even learn his name; but he is ever
remembered in my prayers. Most proba-
bly, he died soldiers death on one of the
many fields of slaughter that interviewed
between Jena and Waterloo; but if he
should be living, it would cheer my last
days on earth if l could reach him with a
single word of gratitude"
In the same year there ived-and, no
doubt, still is living, in Lyons, an invalid
and pensioned captain of the Napoleonic
war After life of vicissitudes, he found
himself in his old age alone, forgotten, and
poor.
One day in November, 1856, he entered
the cafe as usual, took his accustomed seat
as he was wont to do, and picked up the
nearest paper. 1t happened to be the
Augsburg 'Allegemeine Zeitung;" but he
had spent some years in Germany, and un-
derstood the language tolerably. His at
tention was attracted by letter dated Je-
ma. "Jena !" he thinks, II was there too
4 was there too; wha: is going on there
now 2" He reads little further. "Cele-
bration of Waldorf" Waldorf The
name is familiar; where have heard of
itr AS he continues his perusal, the old
captains excitement, so unusual circum-
stance, attracts the attention of all the other
habltueS of the cafe. "Grand Dieu Da-
voust-W aldorf-the ten men-the pas
tors son Did l dream such thing, or is
this the samer Forgotten for years and
years-effaced by hundred other military
adventures-overlaid and lost in the crowd
ed store of soldiers memory, the scene
came to light again.
That evening he wrote to Dr. -, in
Leipzig. He was i'll, and but few months
distant from his last hour, but the soldiers
letter seemed like providential answering
to his prayers, and frightened the flicker
ing close of his life A manly and afec-
tomato correspondence was carried on be-
tween the two while the latter lived. The
circumstance became public, and the deed
was officially recognized in way that was
most fattering to the pride of Captain La
motto The Grand Duke of SAKE Weimar
and the King of Saxony conferred upon
him the orders of their respective houses,
which were followed soon after by the cross
of the legion of honor, from Louis Napo-
leon, and an increase of his pension, which
assured him ease and comfort the rest of
his life. A translation of the Doctors mar
rative, published in the French papers,
drew attention to him, and he was no long
err neglected frequenter of the cafe. he
was known and honored, even without bis