The Union and journal. [volume] (Biddeford, Me.) 1858-1882, 1860-01-13
Tho inhabitants of Waldorf never forgot

Tho Inhabitants of Waldorf never forgot
their pastor, nor he them. lie came back
from time to time to spend few days in the
quiet little village OF his youth and where the
most eyentful crisis of his life was passed.
In 1856, three out of the ten pseudo
victims of Dayoust were still living In their
old homes, and the people bcthought them
that the sciniccntenni,l anniversary of such
an event deserved special celebration.
DR., of Leipzig. (iorm rly the pastors
son,) was invited to be with them. llccamc
he would have come from the ends of the
carth-and after solemn religious service
in the church, proceeded to the very spot on
which he had stood aud faced the French
muskets, and there related to the children
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 sccne rs singular
ly impressive and affecting. The three old
men sat near him as he spoke; and the
emotions of that hour oftrial were so yiyidly
reproduced in their minds that, at. the close,
they laughed and wept rs they had done ON
the same day fifty years before.
In conclusion, the speaker referred to the
officer whose humane stratcgem had preserved
their lives. 'Sincc that day. said he, Il have
never heard of him. ] did not even learn
his name but he is ever remembered ip my
prayers. Most probably he died a soldier 8
death on one of the many fields OF slaughter
which interyened between Jena and Water
loo {; but if he should be living, it would
cheer my last days OH earth If could reach
him with single worl ofgratitudc.'
Inthc same year there liycd--and no
doubt, still is livinc-in Lyons an invalidcd
and pensoncd captain of the Napoleonic
wars. After life of vlcissitudcs, he found
himself in his old age, alone, forgotten, poor.
Men no better and Drawer than he, had
achieved distinction by some lucky chance ;
fortune had come to Others and Others had
begotten children TO cheer and vitalize their
declining days. Him the world passed by,
and for years he had been living quiet,
silent pinchcd life, by the aid of his scanty
pension. His daily resort was where he
could see and read the principal European
journals, and perhaps measure the changing
politics of the present time by the experience
of his life.
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 Augs-
burg Allgemeinc Zeitung; but he had spent
some years in Germany, and understood the
language tolerably. His attention was at
tracted by letter dated jena. Jena = he
thinks,-I was there too; what is going on
there nown lie reads q little further
Celebration at Waldorf Waldorf-thc
same is f,miliar-where have heard it ?
As he continues his perusal, the old captain
excitement, 20 unusual circumstance ut
tracts the attention of habitucs ofthe cafe.
Grndd diei, Davoust- aldorf--the ten men
the pastors son Did dream such a
thing, or is this the samo?' Forgotten for
years and ycars-cilaced by hundred mill
tary dycnturcs-ovcrlaid and. lost in. the
tcrowded stores of soldiers memory, the
scene came to light again. The pastors son
still lived, still remembered and thanked the
prescrvcr of his native village! Many a
long year had passed since such q glow
warmed the chambers Of the old mans
heart.
That evening he wrote to DR., in
Leipzig. He was i'll, and hut a few months
distant from his last hour; but the old sol
dicr's letter seemed like q Providential
answer TO his many prayers, and Frightened
the Ackering close ofhis life. A manly and
ancctionatc correspondence was carried on
between the two, while the Doctor lived. The
circumstance became public, and the deed
was officially recognized in way most fiat
tering to the pride of Captain Lamottc. The
Grand Duke at SAKE Wcimar and the King
of Saxony conferred upon him the orders OF
their respective houses whichwere followed
soon afterwards by the cross of the legion OF
honor from Louis Napoleon, and an increase
of pension, which assured him ease and COM
fort the rest of his life.
a translation of the Doctors narrative,
published in the French papers, drew atten-
ton to him, and he was no longera neglec-
ted frcquenter of the cafe. He was known
and honored, even without his threo orders.
Cast thy bread upon the waters, and thou
shalt find it again after many days