The Oxford intelligencer. (Oxford, Miss.) 1860-18??, 1860-12-05
a.Pierre she added. .tbou hast been a /

10 1ulnll. Every cltlzen owes nlmSet 10 Ills
country; it calls thee-obey! Thou art 60
ing to be soldier. From this moment thy
life is no longer thine own; it is thy coun.
try's. II its interest demand it, lay it down
cheerfully. Ifit be the will of God that thou
shouldst die before me, should weep for
thee my hearts tears but would say, "He
gave, and He has taken away, blessed be the
name of the Lord!" Go, now, and if thou
love thy mother, do thy duty Oh! how
precious those holy words have never
forgotten them. Do thy duty she said.-
Now, the duty ola soldier was always, and
in all things, to obey; and in all things, and
always, obeycd. twas to go straightfor-
ward-to face danger without hesitation
without second thought Those who saw
me thus, as it were, seek to meet the bullets,
said, There is brave fellow!' They might
have better said, There is man who loves
his mothern
"One day letter brought me the tidings
that she was ill-my own poor mother Il
longed to go to her. asked for leave of alb
sence; it was not granted. | remembered
her last words If thou love thy mother, do
thy duty Submitted. A little after
heard that she was dead Oh ! then my SEN
ses forsook me; at any risk determined to
travel to the country. Whence proceeded
50, orIont on i,nnatnnns Iasira 70 eaa nnoa
more place where my mother had just died!
will tell you; and as you have mother,
and as she loves you, and as you love her,
you will understand me.
1--WE peasants of Morvan are simple and
confding race. We have not received the
instruction, nor attained the knowledge that
they have in the cities but we have our be-
iefs, which the townsfok call superstitions.
What matters the name' Be they super
stitions or beliefs, We have them, and clever
would be the man that could uproot them.-
Now, one of these beliefs to which we cling
the most, is that which attributes to the first
flower that blows in the grave mould, such a
virtue that he who gathers it is certain of
never forgetting the dead, and of never be-
ing forgotten by them. Belief how dear,
how sweet With it, death has no terrors !;
for death, without forgetting, or being for
gotten, is but a sweet sleep, but calm repose
after long toll. That hower-I painted to
see it bud-I painted to gather it !! | aban-
doned my post and went on my way. After
ten days of long and weary march, | reached
my mothers grave, The earth seemed yet
fresh-no flower appeared. | waited. Six
weeks elapsed and then one lovely morning
/ saw little blue flower forget-me-not.'-
AS Ipucked.it, | shed glad tears, for me
thought that little flower was my mothers
soul that she had felt that was near, and
that, under the form of that flower, she had
given herself to my heart once more.
"There was nothing now to detain me in
the country, for my father had soon followed
my mother to the grave, and l had plucked
my precious flower What more did | want
remembered my mothers charge Do thy
duty l sought the gems darmes, and |
said, Il am deserter-arrcst me- =
And now l am to die; and if, as you as
sured me, have in you friend, l die with
out regret, for you will do for me the only
service l require. The flower which, at the
risk of my life, plucked from the grave, is
here, in little case next to my heart
Promise me that you will see that they do
not take it from me. 1t is the link which
unites me to my mother; and if thought it
would be broken-oh l should not have
the courage to die. Say, do you
promise to do what | ask ofyou!"
al promise" said the officer.
"Your hand, that may press it to my
heart You are very kind to me; and if the
Almighty God were in his omhipotence to
give me my life second time, | would de-
vote it to YOU"
The friends parted.
The next day had dawned. They arrived
at the place of execution; and already had
the fatal sentence been read, when the low
murmur that ran through the ranks changed
into almost deafening shouts:
"The Emperor! the Emperor! Long live
the Emperor"
He appeared, dismounted from his horse;
and then, with his short, quick step, he walk
ed up to the condemned.
"Pie1e,1 said he to him. Pierre gazed
at him, and made an effort to speak, but a
sudden stupor seemed to overwhelm him.
" Pierre" continued the Emperor, remem-
Der your own words of last night God
gives thee life a second time devote it not
to me, but to Francel She, too, is kind
mother! Love her as thou didst thy first
thine own"
He then turned to depart, and greeting
shouts of admiring love followed him till he
was out of sight,
Seine years after this, a captain the Old
Guards fell mortally wounded on the field of
Waterloo.
Amid the din Of battle, he was heard to