Ashtabula weekly telegraph. [volume] (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1853-1873, 1862-05-24

ell, Jeau, Sulu tue Olu nOOlel00n, kindly
shaking the conscript's hand, you must go,
it seems, this time. | am sorry we coHld
not buy you of again but you are built oI
too tempting soldier stuff to remain peace.
ful village blacksmith
Yes, Monsieur ie Comte, said the SER
geant, it isn't often we End such fellows
now days The villagers all speak well
OF him, and seem to begrudge him even to
the Emperor.
Yes, replied the Count, Jean is good
boy, | know him well he was the foster.
brother of my son. Here, JEAN here is a
letter 10 the captain. You may meet him
someV here. You may possibly serve 10
the same regiment. If so, commend him
to you. lie is not so strong as you are,
and he is brave to rasbness. Watch over
him, pray you.
Ah, Monsieur ie C0mtc, believe me, /
would gladly give my life for dear Cap
tain Henri
l do believe you, Jean, Ad.eu
Adieu
Jean Moreau, the handsome young black
smith, left his native hamlet a widowed
mother a good, sensible woman, formerly
nurse at the chateau, but Who, since the
Revolution, had adopted the calling of a
GtaRchisseuSe, or luundress. Mother Moreau,
as every body called her had another son
that Jean, fortunately too young TO be
drafted as q cOuscript. Years before, this
good woman had taken home poor little
orphan girl, who had grown up to be as a
daughter to her, aud more than sister to
j eau. Marie Leuoir, the pretty young
BlanchtSseuSe was in truth his betrothed
wife. Tue little bouquet Of May roSe.budS
aud forget me.not in his button-hoe was
her parting gift AS on the chateau, he
turned for his last look at the dear little
hamlet, nestled in the pleasant valley, he
was not ashamed TO press those flowers
to his lips--nJt ashrmed of the tears that
fell on them
He was too manly to fear being thought
uumanly
Months went by; months of sad anxiety
TO Mother Moreau aud Marie LenoT, for
they heard very unIrcQuently from JEAN
aud knew that he was always in danger -
He did not take kindly to soldiers life,
but he lried faithfully TO do his duty, so he
could not be altogether unhappy. After
be had once seen the great Emperor, he
Ielt the enthusiasm which that wonderful
man always inspired, and longed to do
something grand to merit his praise. Then,
by strange and happy chance, he found
himself in The same regiment with his be-
loved foster b.olher, Capt. De Lorme.
A length, there rang over France the
news Of the great battle of Austeritz
here the Emperor commanded in person,
aud deiea ed his foes with fearful slaughter
After II time OF painful suspense, Count De
Lorme had word that his son had been bad
ly wounded, and set out at once for the
ho pilaI in which the young officer had Leeu
left. But many weeks went by, and 10
tidingS, good or evil, came to the friends OF
the conScript. Mother Morean, who was a
brave woman, Injured to trouble, kept up q
hopeful heart; but Marie Lenoir rapidly
lost the roses from her checks, and the
spring from her step, while the laughing
light of her soft brown eyes, gave place to
look of sadness md fear
But, where was Jean? Not dead, as his
friends feared. Not buried forever out of
their loving sight, in the soldiers crowded
and bloody grave. He was lying at tue
same hospital which had received his foster
brother, very i'll from several wounds; and
when at last he rose from his bed, and stag
gered out il to court, one sleeve of his coat
hung limp and empty by his side. If Jean
Mureau had not given his life for Captain
Henri, he had laid down his service what
was almost as dear-his good right arm
This vas the story Of it: In part of the
field where the battle ragged most fercely,
Capt. De Lorme'S company, in which Jean
was then enrolled, waS-engaged. AT one
Time, they were right under the eye of the
Emperor. and fought with renewed ardor
aud courage.
The enemy was in great force here, and
desperate charges were made On both sides.
Seeing The standard bearer Of the regiment
fall, Capt. De Lorme dashed Onward to
recover it. THIS he did, aud was galauty
fighting his way back 10 the French ranks,
when he fell, pierced 10 the breast by a
ball; aud bleeding from more than one bay
onel thrust. In an instant there stood over
him the tall powerful form Of the young
blacksmith. tlinging down his muSket ,and
seizng the sword which the wounded officer
had dropped, he kept off all aSsaiIaur>, or
CUT NuCul uOhu VIII ltIIlUl6 SLTOheS OF tudL
keen ana terrible weapon, flashing about
him here, there, on every side like red
lightning. Lifting the fainting young no,
ble, together with the standard aud bearing
them ON his left arm, Jean actually fought
his way out Of the euemy's ranks, step by
step, defending both bis precious charges.
He received several wounds, but none that
disabled him, till musket ball went crash.
lug through the bones OF his right arm, and
II dropped helpless at his right side. When
at last he fell, and closed his brave eyes in
IA long deep swoOn, which he believed the
sleep Of death, be was at the loot oil little
emluence, on which Napoleon sat on his war
horse, surveying the terrible scene of car
nage-the surgng sea OF battle that ragged
around him. Jean wondered if the smoke
of the cannon vecd from his calm eyes the
agony of dying men, and if their groans
came TO his ears between the volleys OF
musketry, in the pauses of stormy battle.
music.
AS soon as Jean was able to leave his
ward, be was pei mitted to visit his captain,