San Andreas independent., 1860-12-22

not friend near him to whom he might open
his heart, and entrust with some sacred COM
nilsson to discharge when he should be no
more. If thou wilt accept me, will be to thee
that friend.p
81 thank you, comrade," replied Pierre.
Why hast thou nothing to say to me?"
"Nothing."
"What! not one word of adieu to thy sweet
heart ?-to thy sister2"
IA sweetheart2 sister? l never had
either"
"He is no more. Two months ago he died
in my arms"
"Thy mother, then ?"
My mother p'-and Pierre, whose voice
suddenly and totally changed, repeated" my
mother Ah comrade, do not utter that name,
for have never heard that name-I have never
said it in my heart-without feeling melted
like child and, even now, methinks, if
were to speak her -"
"What then?"
"The tears would come-and tears do not
become man. TearsI" continued
he, "tears, when l have but few hours to
live! All there would not be much courage
in that"
"Thou art too stern, comrade. l think
have, thank God, as much courage as other
people and yet would not be ashamed of
weeping were to speak of my mother"
care you serious ?" said Pierre, eagerly
seizing the officers hand. "You, man and
q soldier, and not ashamed to weepr
"When speaking of my mother? Certainly
not. My mother is so good, so kind. She
loves me much, and I, too, love her dearly"
"She loves you, and you love her OH
then, ] may, indeed, tell you all. My heart is
/ full--it nuct ha and h0xunvar ctr nnra
my feelings appear to you, am sure you will
not laugh at them. Listen, then for what
you said just now is quite true. A man is
glad, when about to die, to have heart into
which he can pour out his own. Will you
listen to me, and not laugh at me?"
"Surely will listen, Pierre. A dying man
must ever excite compassionate sympathy"
"You must know, that since / came into
this world, l never loved but one being that
being was my mother. But her loved as
none loved-with all that was in me of life
and energy. While yet babe used to read
her eyes, rs she read mine : guessed her
thoughts, and she knew mine. She was the
heart of my heart, and the heart of hers.
have nerer had either sweetheart or wife
never had friend; my mother was everything
to me Well, was summoned to take up
arms and when they told me must leave
her, in paroxysm of despair declared they
might drag me limb from limb, but never
should they take me from her alive. With
one word, spoken in her holy fortitude and
strong courage, she changed my whole pur-
pose"
"'Perre,' said she, you must go-it is my
wish.'"
81 knelt before her, and said, 1 will go,
mother"
60 Pierre she added, thou hast been good
son. apd thank God for it; but the duties OF
a son are not the only ones a man has to fulfil.
| Every citizen owes himself to his country: it
calls thee-obey! Thou art going to be a SOL
dier. From this moment thy life is no longer
thine own; it is thy country's. If its inter-
ests demand it, lay it down cheerfully If it
be the will of God that thou shouldst die be-
fore 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 7,
Go, now, and ii 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 of soldier was al
ways, and in all things, to obey and in all
things, and always, l obeyed. 1t was to go
straight forward-to face danger without hes
itation-without second thought. Those who
saw me thus, as it were, seek to meet the bull
|
might have better said, There is a man who
loves his motherp"
"One day letter brought me the tidings
that she was ill-my own poor motherl-I
| longed to go to her. | asked for leave of alb
sence; it was not granted. l remembered her
last words IF thou love thy mother, do thy
duty l submitted. A little after, heard
she was dead. Oh then my senses forsook
me; at any risk determined to travel to the
country. Whence proceeded so ardent so i'm
petuous desire to see once more place
where my mother had just died? | will tell
you; and as you have a mother and as she
loves you, and as you love her, you will un-
derstand me-"
"We peasants of Morvan are simple and
confiding race. We have not received the in
struction, nor attained the knowledge that they
have in the cities; but we have our beliefs,
which the townsfolk call superstition. What
matters the name? Be they superstitions 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 virtue that
he who gathers it is certain of never forget
ting the dead, and of never being forgotten by
them. Belief, how deer, how sweet With it,
4 NS"eh hoo Ao sSAiOAS iOt uCdtuj W1tLOuL lOT-
getting, or being forgotten, is but sweet
sleep, but calm repose after long trial That
hower-I painted to see it bud-I painted to
gather It'll abandoned 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 l saw little blue flower
forget me not AS plucked it | shed glad
tears, for methought 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 had plucked my
precious flower; what more did | want?
remembered my mothers charge: Do thy
dutyp / sought the gems darmes, and said,
Il am deserter-arrest me-
And now am to die; and it, as you assured
me, have in you friend, die without re-
| gret, for you will do for me the only service |
require. The flower which, at the risk of my
life, plucked from the grave, is here, in a lit
tie 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! |
should not have the courage to die.
Cav do vo,, rrauoiea In do M hot oh of vr,,