Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1861-04-12
THE DESERTER
AN ASECDoTH OF NAPOLEON THE FIRST.

From the Court Journal
In the year 1909, Pierre Pitols was sergeant
In the twelfth regiment Of the line, then quar-
tered at S.rasburg. He was a native Of that
haH-savage, haif-eivilized portion Of Bur-
gundy known under The name OF Moryan, and
his comrades ever spoke Of him az ''tough
customer" Always the FIRST and last to Ere,
he bad the reputation Of liking but two things
IN the world-the smell Of gunpowder and the
whistling Of bullets.
Now, one day our friend Pierre took Il into
his head to address q letter to bic colonel, in
which be applied Cor leave OF absence to 90
and see bis sged mother, who was dangerously
ill., He added that his father, being seventy
eight years OF age, and suffering under q par
alytle affection, could not be Of any use in
nurss-tending the poor woman. and he pledged |
himself 70 return &c soon as the health OF bis
mother should be restored.
The colonsl's reply to Pierre's application
was, "that ss the regiment might at any mo- 4
ment be ordered to take the field, no leave Of /
absence c7uld be obtained"
Pierre Pitois submitted. A fortnight elapsed /
ana then another letter was received BY the |
colonel, In which Pierre informed him that bis I
mother had died without the consolation OF I
giving her last blessing TO her only child, and F.
In which be again solicited leave OF absence, /
stating that "hs could not state his reason for /
this request-it was family secret p but earn I
estly imPloring the colonel not to deny him his /
favor
Pierre's second letter wa as little successful I
as the first. The poor fellows captain only /
said
"PIsrre, the colonel has received your letter; I
he is sorry for the death Of your old mother, /
but he cannot grant the leave OF absence you /
require, as tie regiment leaves Strasburg to-
mOrrowD
.fAhi TIE regiment leaves Strasburg; and I
.. -y-k- IL u 81 aafN
For Austria replied bis officer We |
srs to see Vienna, my brave Pitois; we are TO
fight the Austrisns. Is not that good news
FOR you You will be in your element, my
fine fellow"
Pierre Pitols made no reply; be seemed lost
in deep thought. The captain caught his hand,
and, shaking it heartily, said
Why do you not speak, man? Are you
deaf to-day, | an telling you that, in less
thsn a week, you are 70 have the pleasure OF
set-to with the AustriAns, aud you have not
one word OF thanks for the coed news; nay,
verify believe you have not heard ne"
Indeed, captain, have heard every word,
and thank you, with all my heart FOR your
news, which consider very good"
al thought you would" said The officer.
a But, captain, there is no chance Of the
leave OF absence ?n
g Are YOU mtd?Y was the reply. Leave
OF absence the very day before taking the
feId?"
al never thought OF that,1 said Pierre.
&c We are, then, on the point OF taking The field,
and at such time, | suppose, leave is never
giTen?"
" L is never even asked"
L is quite right; it is never even asksd. It
would have the appearance or coWardtee.
Well. thsn, viii not press it any more; will
try to get on without it."
f" And viii do we'll replied the capain.
The next day the Twelfth regiment entered
Germany, and the next-Pisrrs Pitois deserted
Three months after, when the Twelfth regi-
ment, having reApsd in the field OF battle an
a bundant harvest of glorv, was making its
triumphal entry into Strssburg, Pierre Pitois
was ignominiously dragged back to bis corp
by brigade Of gsas d'arHss. A court martial
is Immediately called. Pierre Pitois is ac-
cused Of having deserted at the very moment
when bis regiment was to meet the enemy,
face to face. The court presented singular
spectacle. On the one side stood forth the
accuser ,Iwho cried:
'P ere Pitois, you, one Of the brsvsst men
In the army; you, on whose breast the star Of
honor yet Elittsrs; you, who never incurred
either punishment or even censure from your
officers you could not have quilted your
some powerful motive TO
mpel you This motive the court demands Of
you, for it would gladly have it in its power,
2 not 10 scquit you-which it ought not either
10 do or to dssire-at least to recommend you /
10 the emperor's mercy"
On the other side stood the accused, who an
Jwsrsd:
81 have deserted without any reason, with
,ut sny motive F; ] DO not repent. II it were to
10 again, I would do it again. l deserve
lesth-psss sentence"
And then came some witnesses who de-
,osei.
"Pierrs Pltos is a dsserter. We know it is
fact, bat we do not believe itn
And others svsrred:
"Pieus Pitois is mad he court cannot con-
iemn a msd nan. He must be sentenced. then,
lot to death, but to the lunstic ssylum.n
This alternative had very nearly been adopt
d, for there was not one person in the court
who did not consider the dssertion Of Pierre :
pitois az one OF those singular occurrences be-
rOHd the range o. human possibilities, which,
While every one is forced to admit as fact, :
10 one can account for or comprehend. The
iccussi, however, pleaded guilty. most posi- :
lively, and was mOst pertinacious in bis de-
nand for The lust penalty Of tie law to be in
iieted on him. He 50 boldly and fearlessly
ivowsd the crime, continually repeating that
ie did not regret it, that al length bis hrmness
assumed the character Of a bravsdo, and left
10 room for elsmency. Sentence OF deaih vas
therefore, pronounced. Il
Pierre Pitois heard bis sentence read with
he most unainching gaze. TbeT warmly Il
irged him to plead for mercy, but be refused. d
As every one guessed that at the bottom Of
bis affair there was some strange mystery, it ?
vas determined that the execution OF Pierre
hnud be DELAYED. 0,
He was carried back to bis military prison,
md It was announced to him that, "a a mark y
Z special favor, be had three days granted to .
lin to press for pardon. He shrugged bis
bouiders and made DO rep'V.
10 the middle Of the night on which was to
lawn the day fixed tor the execution, the door q
u Pierre's dungeon turned softly on its hinges
Ind a subaltsrn officer advanced to the side OF
be camp bed in which the condemned was
ranquilly sleeping, and after gazing on him '
sometime in silence, awoke him. E
Pierre opened bis eyes, and staring about
lin, said:
"Tbe hour, then, is at last come ?''
No, Pierre" replied the officer, " It Is not {
ret the hour, but it will soon come"
Aud what do you want with me until c
hen ?o
Dost thou not know ne, Pierre? No mat J
sr; / know thee we'll. I saw thee at Austsr- ,
itz, and brsvsly didst thou bear thyssh. From
hat day, Pierre, have bad FOR thee regard
DO less warm than sincere. Yesterday, on nv
arrival at Strasburg, 7 learned thy crime and
have prevailed on the TAILOR,
who is a relation Of nine, TO allow me 10 see (
hes. Ard now that 7 have come, ] would say
20 ihee, Pierre, it is often a sad thought for a |
nan about TO die, that be has not friend near
ain to whom be might open his heart, and in
rust with some sacred commission to dis
-hzTge when be should be no more. II thou ,
will accept ne ] wil be 10 thee that friend.n
" ] thank you, comrade," !" replied Pierre. {
" What hast thou nothing to say to me p
" Nothing.o
"Rbstl not one word of adisut to Thy sweet
heart ?-to thy sister ?o =
" A sweetheart? sister? never had
either"
4" To Thy fatbsr?''
F." He is no more. Two months ago be died
in nv arms"
" Thy mother 2"
" Nv mothsrl' said Pierre, whose voice
suddenly and totally changed, repeated, " Ny
motheri Ah, comrads, do not utter that name
II have never said il in besrt, without feeling
melted like child, and even now, msthinks,
il were to speak OF her
What then 2D
"The tears Would come-snd tsarE do not
become a man. TearsID contin-
usd be, "tesrs, when have but few hours
10 liyei Ah there would not be much cour-
age in thatl'
Then thou art too stern, eomrade. think
! have, thank God, as much courage as ether
people; and yet | would not be ASHAMED OF
~ F--f f'--- W tN'-A " NY AAe-+41H
care you ssrious?" said Pierre, eagerly seiz-
ing the oficsr's hand. "You, man AID
soldier, and not ashamed 10 weep"
"When speaking OF my mother? Certainly
not. Ny mother Is 50 good, 50 kind. She
loves ne much, and !, too, love her dearly"
"She loves you, ard you love her. Oh, then,
may indeed tell you all. MF heart Is full
Il must have vent; and, however strange nv
feelings appear to you, ! sm sure you viii not
laugh at them. Listen, then, for wbst you
said lust now is quite true. A man is glad,
when about to die, 70 have heart into which
be can pour cut bis own. Will you listen to
me, and not laugh at ms2n
"surslT will listen, Pierre. A diving nan
must excite compassionate sympathy.D
sYou must know that, since came into
this world, never loved but one bsing-that
being was my mother. But her loved az
none l9ved-wiih all hat Eas In me Of life
and energy. While yet babe, I used to read
her eyes as she read miDs; I guessed her
thoughts and she kneE mine. She was the
heart OF ny heart, snd the heart Of hers; I
have never hsd either sWsathesrt or wife; !
have never bad friend; ny motherwas every
thing 70 ne. Well, was summoned to arms,
nd when they told me that I must leave her,
in a psroxFsm % despair ] declared that they
might drag me limb from limb, bnt never should