Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1863-11-09


,lace and | will be your wife You see
am pretty, little spoiled, but what
matters that I will love you so. If you
will save my brothcrl Oh, yes! swear
by the golden cross, in which is some of
mothers gray hair, | would willingly
marry him who would devote himself 10
you"
At evening, as they were seated at
their humble meal, without being able 70
touch it, and looking tearfully at each
other, some one knocked at the door.
"Come in" said the young man, hast
lily drying his eyes.
An old sergeant made his appearance.
saying:
j Health Is the conscript Eugene
Leven, here
/ Eyes, sergeant" -
"Thsre," said the soldier throwing
letter on the table.
Eugene read slowly at first, but alter
ward devoured the paper. 1t was h's
discharge in due form. He looked at the
old soldier with astonishment .l
"That means that your place is taken,
conscript. 1t is a pity, though for /
YOUR moustache would have sprouted |
with little gunpowder. But enough,
You are happy, now-farewell.
And he was going away.
AS he returned, he said, "Christine
r Leven-is that your sister? Where Is
t your sister =
/ I" Here" said Eugene, pointing to
/ Christine, who was pale with jsy and
0 emotion.
t. "This one is for you, miss" and he
- threw a second letter on the table, but
e stopped short as he saw Christine trsm-
Of bling with agitation, crumpling the letter
is in her hands, and gazing tixcdly on the
ID table.
g. "What is the matter, whatis the Mat
n ter ?" said Eugene. Dear Christine,
o. let us see that letter? Selfish being that
a. I am, never thought Of it. Let me Sc.
We who darss to write & to ysas wet sss'
to And he ran over the letter hastily.
as "Oh, read it aloud" said Christine
d, "it's the same to nae! Good heavens
1T, this is but justl"
w Eugene read aloud
ve Miss-I ask nothing-I go away
IN without making any terms-I take you,
or brothers place; you need him, and nt
an one needs me. But | am honest ant
an love you, ever since saw you weep
ed send you ring of my mothers. i
Ia you have pity upon me, you will takt
t. the golden cross, in which is some of your
ad mothers gray hair, and which glitter.
,rs OF your neck in the moonlight this even
dy ing you will place it in the crevice of th
large yew-trec, near the branches
re- will get it to morrow morning; then 20,
nit will wait two years, and if am not dsad
till will bring it back. Will you remem
an Der what you swore on that cross ?
Farewell"
"What does this mean p said Eu
gene, slowly. How could any on
know? Sergeant do you undsrstan
81 this p @F
our "Some fellow on the lookout nes
and you"
why, then, did he net come to ,
e es- frankly 7" answered the young man,
inc "What way of obliging IS this p
"Ah," said the soldier, "thsrs's Il
ar thing ones afraid of being treated as
on, spy and then when one is young, az
nee timid, and all full of romantic sentiment
I'M one knows how to write and is afraid
sy talk, for want Of practice; that's i'll"
ana Eugene shook his head.
ing "Soldier !" cried he, "your hand l.
nen I will not have this substitute-my 81
lpt, ter shall not be sacrfced-I will 60 wi
it ana you. See!' And he took up his d
1ne charge and prepared to tear it in pieces
Christine stopped him.
VINO "Puv what if want to have him
'our said she. "After all it's fne action
ices, his part. And then he goes witho
go making any terms-and then be is u
nere happy-and then have no other mea
i've of keeping you-and then l want to
row in love with him He die we'll, howe
col er, in not showing himself-one mig
laKe have regretted him too much. "
T j take the cross-but should like to kn'
me sergeant, have you seen himf'
= "Yes now and then"
ana "Well, he is not hump.backed or b,
nr,s3 rnd dy-lsgged, is hep
anu A good joke Is the French arI
make recruited with such sort of stuff UNI
the Little Corporal? Is it not comps.
o'i- of individuals irreproachable as to tn
" person, and no fools as to morality 2
sis he man of worth I" asked
sns gene.
, my "Very much so, answer for it"
COZ "Well, sir, soldier" said Christine,
'o moving from hsn graceful neck the CT
with the black ribbon that supported
price him ha hac dnDe we'll