Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1860-12-21

/ lohgeu 10 g2 10 her. | asked for leave
of absence; it was not granted, Iremem
bered her last words-If thou love Thy
mother do thy duty. I submitted. A lit
tie after, heard that she was dead Oh
then my senses forsooB me; and at any
risk | determined to travel to the country
Whence proceeded so ardent a desire t.
sec. once more the place where my mother
had just died? | will tell you and a,
you have good mother, and she loves yor
and you love her, you will understand me
We peasants of DIorvan are simple
and coniding race. We have not received
the instruction, nor attained the knowl
edge that they have in the cities but wt
have our beliefs which the townsfolk cal
supcrStitions. What matters the name /
Be they superstitions or beliefs, we have
them and clever is the man that could up
root them. Now one of these beliefs tc
which we cling the most, is that which at
tributes to the first flower that blows in
the grave mould such a virtue that he
who gathers it is certain of never forget
ting the dead, and Of never being forgot
ten by them. Belief, how dear, how sweet ?
With it death has no terrors for death,
without forgetting, or being forgotten, is
but sweet sleep, but calm repose after a
long toll. That fower-I painted to see
it bud-I painted to gather it! | aban-
doned my post and went on my way. Af-
ter ten days Of long and weary travelling,
reached my mother S grave. The earth
seemed yet fresh--no flower appeared |
waited. Six weeks elapsed, aud then one
lovely y morning | saw little blue flower
'forget-me-not.' As I plu:ked it, | shed
glad tears, for methought that 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 her
self to my heart once more. .......
There was nothing now to detain me in
the country, for my father had soon fol-
lowed my mother to the grave, and | had
plucked my precious flower; what more
did | want? | remembered my mothers
charge-'Do thy duty J l sought the
gems d'aynas, and said, am deserter. ar
rest NE. .
And now [ am about to die and if, as
you assured me, ] have in you a friend,
die without regret, for you will do for me
the only service | require. The flower
which, at the risk of my life I pluel1ed
from the grave, is here in a little case next
to my heart. Promise me that you will
see that they do not take it from me- It
is link which unites me to my mother !;
and if I thought it would be broken-oh
| should not have the courage to die,
Say, do you promise to do what
| ask of you? 9'. 9e- aa
I do, he said
Your hand, that I may press it to my
heart. You are very kind to ME and if
the Almighty God were inbs Omnipotence
to give me my life second time. | would
devote it to you.
They parted. E.l adj rG-
The next day 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 an almost deafening shout.
The Emperor The Emperor Long
live the Emperor @
He dismounted from his horse and then
with his quick step, he walked up to the
condemned @ lf-
Pierre, he said to him. Pierre gazed at
him, and made an effort to speak, but a
sudden stupor seemed to overwhelm him.
Pierre, continued the Emperor, remember
your words of last night God gives thee
life second time devote it not to me,
but to France! She to is kind mother
Love her as thou didst thy first.
He turned to depart, and greeting shouts
of admiring love followed him till he was
out of sight. ~ t
Some years after this, captain Of the
Old Guards fell, mortaily wounded, on the
field of Waterloo.
Amid the din of battle, he was heard to
shout in his death pangs:
Long live the Emperor France for
ever My mother .-.r.--
It was Pierre Pitois.