Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1861-12-25
THE LEGION OF HONOR.
TALE FOR THE TINES.

"And you are willing he should go 20
land why not ~ answered the young wife
enthusiastically. ssI ahould despise myself,
Adele, if | were not willing to give my hus-
band to my country. France needs all her
sons in this extremity. l thank God have
Henri to offer on her ALTAR
Her sister shrugged her shoulders. "You
always were romantic, my DEAR" she said,
''for my part, if l had handsome husband, a
splendid estate IN Normandy, a hotel in Paris
diamonds, cashmeres, equipages, servants, az
youhave, should not be willing to risk them
so lightly. Suppose .Henri is killed. You
will be a widow, and for time at least can
enjoy none of these things
"Oh, Adele : how can you talk so Has not
the good father Lacore been telling us ever
since we were children, that the curse of mod
ern times was its materiaiStic view of life (?
That to eat, drink, and be merry, seemed TO be
the whole purpose of existence That luxury
had cOrroded national virtue That the DAYS
Of heroism had passed How often has my
heart swe He'd against these imputations, for
will not believe human nature has sunk so low
Ne, have often told him that the diyiner
parts of our race have not all died out. We
are still capable, we women. of making sacri-
hces for our country; and our husbands, faith
ers, brothers, sons, capable of dying for it.
could myself, if the occasion called for it, be
| hope, a second Joan of Arc. l never loved
other day and told me that the crisis of
frances fate, he had determined to offer her
his sword-if necessary, his life. We can die
but once. What more glorious than to die in
holy cause - and the young wife looked
sublime as she spoke it.
Natalie had been married but year or two.
Her beauty, accomplishments, and amiabtlity
had won for her, at eighteen, the heart OF the
young Count de Tankerville, the greatest
match OF the season. Passionately attached
TO each other, they spent the hours continually
together; they read, they rode, they did every
thing in company. The life they led was more
like an idyl than like liie in modern society
IN Paris. In the midst of this dream of bliss
came the news of the retreat from Moscow.
All Europe rose against Franch. The Emper-
or beaten back from Dresden to Leipsic, and
from Leipsic to the Rhine, was making last
desperate effort to retrieve the fortunes of the
nation. 1t was in this extremity that the
young Count stepped forward. His father had
been constitutional royalist in the last days
OF Louis XVI, and the family had never en-
igrated 1t had never, on the other hand at
tached itself to the fortunes of Nopoleon. So
long as the great Emperor pursued his con-
quests, SO long the TaDkervilles held aloof
from him. But now, when the question was
not Napoleon, but the nation, the young Count
felt that the time had come when the country
demanded bis services. In view of the dis
es, life itself ? ''Save the natiou!'' was the
cry that rose to every patriotic lip. Women
brought their jewels, men brought their lives.
Foremost among these, were Henri and his
wife.
''Well," said Adele, who had one of these
cold selfish natures that could not understand
how any body could do anything noblo or he
roic, 81 think you and your husband mad.
But GO your own wayS.''
Ssl wish YOU were mad in the same Way
We are mad as Leonidas was mad, as Tell was
mad, as Bruce was mad, every other hero
was mad who died for liberty. 1t is not now
a question of the Emperor. 1t is question
of the country. 1t is not whether Napoleon
shall reign, but whether France shall be dis
membered. 1t is whether the glorious flag of
the nation, that the glorious tri-color which
waved at Marengo and Austerltz, shall be
trailed In the dust, shall still bring tears to
the eyes of the Frenchman in foreign lands,
floating from the masthead 20
We will not dwell on the parting of husband
and wife. Natalie bore up heroically. Not
even lady Russell, when leaving her lord on
the sad morning Of his execution, controlled
herself more nobly than Natalie now. But
when the door had closed OR Henri, when she
had heard the clatter of his horses feet down
the street, then she flung herself on her bed
and wept as if her heart was breaking.
1t was an eventual winter. A battle was
fought almost daily. Like lion in the tolls,
Napoleon turned first on one and then on an
other of his foes, and always Unexpectedly.
In the brightest days of his intellect he had
never been terrible now. Henri was
foremost in all these battles. Once he saved
the Emperor'S life. The cross of the logion
of honor soon decked his breast. He received
the decoration from Napoleon's own hand, on
the very day Natelie had presented him with
a son. But the genius of the Emperor and
Af - A
Treachery was at work at Paris while Napo-
leon was absent in Campagne. The capital
was surrendered, the emperor was forced to
abdicate.
Every one knows what followed. The Bour-
bons came back, forgetting nothing, was
said, and forgiving nothing.
"Ah, my bleeding country" Henri would
cry to his young wife. At another time it was,
'sOh, for one hour by the old Emperor -
At last the nation could bear it no longer.
Napoleon landed the army rose in his favor;
the king fed constitution was proc claimed.
Once more the young Count buckled on his
sword.
s.Again L say go,'' was his wife's horoic
parting, ssand again and again. 1 will stay at
home and pray. think sometimes it is hard
er for women than it is for men. You have
the excitement of the campaign. But we can
only wait and wait, from one day to another;
We can only pray and pray through the
sleepless hours of the night. Do not sup
pose say this to keep you back. Go, and
may Cad crown you with victory or if
not
ssIf not," said her husband interrupting her,
ssI will stay on the battle ield.'
Alas it was prediction. A few days later
when the old guard at the end Of that terrible
Waterloo, closed up their ranks, and to the
demand to lay down their arms, replied, ssTbe
Guard dies, but never surrenders." Henri de
fighting with the bravest, and
fighting longest almost OF all, sank under
dozen wounds.