Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1861-09-14
"And what do you want with me until

less warm than sincere. Yesterday, ON my
arrival at Strasburgh, l learned thy crime and
condemnation. | have prevailed on the .jailor,
who is Il relation OF mine to allow me to see
thee. And now that | have come, / would
say to thee, Pierre, it is often sad thought for
a man about to die that he has not friend
near him to whom he might open his heart
and entrust with some sacred commission
to discharge when he should be no more. If
thou will accept me | will be that friend"
81 thank you, comrade," replied Pierre.
"Why, hast thou nothing to say to me o.
"Nothing"
"What not one word of adieu to thy
sweetheart ITO thy sister,"
"a sweetheart? a sister? l never had
either"
"To my father 2"
ole is no more. Two months ago he died
in my arms"
"Thy mother then 2"
"My mother land Pierre, whose syoices
suddenly and totally changed, repeated-my
mother All, comrade, do not utter that
name, Tor | have never heard that name-I
have never said il in my heart-without feel.
ing melted like a child and even now me.
thinks, if were to speak her -"
"What then ?'
'rhe tears would come-and tears do not
become man. Tears 2" continued he,
clears, when have but a few hours to live I!
All! there would not be much courage in
that
Thou are too stern, comrade. 1 think |
have, thank God, as much courage as other
people, and yet l would not be ashamed of
weeping, were | to speak OF my mother"
Are you serious! !" said Pierre, eagerly
Selling the officers hand You a man and a
soldier, and not ashamed to weep 2"
'W hen Snpa kim of my mOthpr2 Certainly
not. My mother is so good, so kind. She
loves NE much, and |, too, love her dearly"
"She loves you, and you love her? Oh
then | may, indeed, tell you all. My heart is
ful-it must have vent and, however strange
my feelings appear to you, | am sure you will
not laugh at them. Listen then for what
you said just now is quite true. man is
glad, when about to die to have heart into
which he can pour out his own. viii you
listen to me and not laugh at me %
"Surely will listen, Pierre. A dying man
must ever excite compassionate sy mpathy.'
You must know, that since ! came into
this world | never loved but one being-that
being was my mother But her | loved as
none lOyed-with all that was in me of life and
energy While yet babe, l used to read her
eyes as She read mine, guessed her thoughts
and she knew mine She was the heart of nv
heart and the heart OF hers | have never
had either sweetheart or wife l never had
a friend my mother was every thing to me.
Well, was summoned to take up arms and
when they told me | must leave her. in par
oXysm of despair declared they might drag
me limb by limb, but never should they take
me alive. With one word spoken in her holy
tortitude and strong courage, she changed my
whole purpose.
"Pierre," said she, ''yOu must go-it is my
wish"
81 knelt before her, and | said, | will go,
mother"
"Pierre" she added "tbou has been GOOD
son, and I thank GoJ for il bnt the dnties of
a son are not the only ones man has 10 M
fill. Every citizen owes himself tn his conn
try; II calls thee-obevI Thou art poino IN
be a soldier. From this moment INV lie il
not longer thine own; it is thy country's. Ii
its interests demand it law il down cheeitulIv
If if be the viii of Cod IIat thou shouldst dc
before me, | should weep for tbee NV hearts
tears ; but would saw. HE gave. and he has
taken away blessed be the name of the Lord
Go now and if thou love thv mother do thv
duty" OH how precious those holy words
have never torooften tben,. "Do t6v dutv D
she said Now The dutv Of a soldier ,yas 81.
wa, : and in tbIngs 10 obey and in all things
and always I obeved If was ia 90 strcigbt-
tnrward-to face DANCER without Hnsitatinn-
witbont snrond thougfI and I went stroinht
torrarI-tac.d d,1,7,or ,v;tho,, Lasitatin9
withouf serond thnnght Those In saw mo
fine ne r. yare sal, m r,aot ia hnllots sad
stInra is hrave felIov 'rLav r,i,Tht ~,
bsttar said s,rbera is a pio,, yyho Tvs liz
n,o,har
"0na dav q Iettor hro,oht mo tho tidi,rs
that sh, was iIIN-mv own moor mo,barIT
Inmged n ON to her 7 asked tor lave nf oh.
seu7. II Sas NOT g,an,eJ ramon,hered Lar
last words III th0,, lova M, ,,nthar do ~,
dmt, subnirted Iitt1a oftar GoarJ
,baI She was dead ON than NV s1nsos tnr'
SOIL, mo at ,,,v risl, datarn,;na1 IN tro,oI to
ths ronni,v Vhenre ,,ro,.ao,iod 81 or,Iart -,
;mnetnnns a desire IN see ooco more !. nI,co
w bore NV mother had Isst Jiedq w,i toll
vou. and as vou bava n n,ntber and as s,a
inves Won and as Won love her yom viii mn.
dsrstand me ="
"XVa neasapts of Norvap are a sip,nIa and
corfi1ing race We have NOT rereivad the in
strurtioH nor attained The knnwledge ,Lot
the have in the clties. but we have 1nr he
lief which the towns fnll call sunerstitinn
What matters the namaa Re thav sunersti-
tious or beGefs we have Them and clever
would be the man that could uproot them.
Now one of these beliefs TO which we rlinu
the most is that which attributes 10 the first
flower that blows in the grave mould such a
virtue thar he who gathers if is certain of new
or forgetting the dead. and of never being ior-
potten bv them. Belief. how dear9how
Sweat Win if death has no terror for
dsath yitbout foroetting mr. being forgottan
- hnt sweer sIeen bnt p calm ,renosp af,er q
limo trial Thai fower-I pan;ed TO see il
bnI-I nanted to Gather iii / abandoned NV
nost and went m NV way Alter FEN DAVIS Of
fS