The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1863-07-25
THE GOLDEN CROSS.

! freshness and interst We will let oul
readers judge of it by an analysis, and
some extracts:
g will tell you, sir, why I come every
evening to smoke my pipe uLder the
Croisy Yew"
So begging the tale In 1872 the nara
| tor, who had escaped the conscription by
entering college, which he had since left
| did not know what to do with himself
| Meanwhile he amused himself ly Climb
| ing up into huge yew tree, and casting
| his eyes over the surrounding country
One moonlight evening, when at his post
he overheard conscript, who was bidding
adieu to his sister and his betrothed. The
| latter wept. The more resolu;c si>:c:
! said
Have you not Colonel him who en-.
listed you? Well, 20 and find your Col
onel, throw yourself on your knees and
| say, My lord, l don't want to 60 away
don't want to be killed There are a
sister and wife who cannot live without
! me and who are going to throw themselves
into the river Beat me, Colonel, put me
in prison, but don't make Inc 20 away
| Long live the Emperor! He's a noble
| fellow Let him leave me in peace, and
| 90 about his busiues Colonel, | an a
to leave my sister Christine who won t
have me TO quit her; and who will not
have you, if you make ma go off
The brother smiled al his sisters eager
ness, and told her he must have substi.
tute and money TO pay him with.
Well, said Christine, " | will give
everything I've got--Iny gold cross, my
earrings, my silk neckerchieis, my coLlsr-
eftes, in a word, all OF my tcinkets-to HIM
who will consent TO go"
All that does not amount to the price
Of a man, replied Eugene.
Christine reflected while, and said,
catching her brothers arm:
"Weil, ! am we'll worth a man-worth
more than i man oh, certainly ! am. |
will give myself, then. will tell some
body or other, 20 in my brothers place,
and will be your wife, You see am
pretty-a little spoiled but what matters
that? will love you So, if YOU will save
my brother. Oh, yes, | swear by the
golden cross, in which Is some OF Iny
mothers grey hair, would willingly mar
~ him who would devotc himself 10
you.
At evening, as they were seated al their
humble meal, without being able to touch
il, and lool, ing tearfully al each other, some
quo knocked AT the doOr.
Come in. said the young man hastily
drying his eyes.
An old sergeant made lis appearance,
SAYING:
Health Is the conscript Eugene Le-
ven here
- \ es sergeant
There" said the soldier, throwing a
letter on the table.
Eugene read slowly at first. hut after
ward devoured the paper 1t was hIs dis
charge IN due form. He locked at the
Old soldier in astonIshment.
That means that your place is taken.
conscript II Is pity though for your
moustaclies would have sprouted with a
little gunpowdcr. But enough, you are
happy n0w-tarewell.
And he was going away.
"Oh, the devil" said he, as he return
ed
Christine L,-.en--is that your sister
Where l. your sister?
- H"rc,' .asi Eugene, pointing to Chris
tine, who was pale with JOY and emotion
a. This Is for you, Miss, aud he Threw n
second letter on the table, but stopped short
as he saw Christine trembling with agita-
tion, crumhling the letter in her hand, and
gazing fixcdly on the table.
" " hat Is the matter, what i the mat
ter?' said Eugene. Dear Christine let
u sec that letter? Selfish being that
am, never thought Of it Let me see
who dares write to you. What does all!
this mean !?
And he ran over the letter hastily
oh read it aloud, said Christine. 1t :
the same to me. Good Heavens, this Is
but just"
Eu,npa r.al alDpl
Miss ask nothing-I 20 away with
out making any terins-l take your broth
err place; you need him, and 40 one needs
me Hut am honest and love you ever
since ! saw YOU weep. | send you ring
Of my mothers. If yoG have pity upon
me, you will take the golden cross, in
which i some of your mothers gray hair,
and which clitters on your neck in the
moonlight, this evening you will place 1t
III the crevice OF the large yew>tree, near
the branches. will get it tomorrow
morning: then you viii wait two years.
and, If ! am not dead | will bring it back
Will You remember what you swore On the
cross? Farewell"
What does t..is mean?' SAID Eugene
slowly. How could any one know? Ser
ceant, do you understand this?'
Some fellow Oh the lookout near
you
Why, then, did he not come to Us
frankly? answered the young man
What q way of obl'glng is .his?'
"Ah," said the soldier, there's the thing
ones afraid OF being treated as Il SPY; and.
then, when one is young, and timid, and
all full of romantic sentiments. one knows
how TO write and is afraid to talk for want
of practice; that $ it T.
Eugene shook his head.
"Solder,' cried he, your hand VII
not have this substitute-my sister shall
not be sacriticed-I will 20 with ycu.-
See!'
And he took up his discharge and pre-
pared to to tear it in pieces.
Christine stopped him.
But what if want to have him :? said
she After al, it is fine action on his
part Aud then he goes without making
any terms-and then he is unhappy-aud
then ! have no other means oil Keeping
you-and then ! want to be in love with
him. He did well, however, in not show
ing himself,-one might have regretted
him o. much. Will take the cIo tut
| should like to know-sergeant, have you
seen him.?
Yes. now and then"
We'll, he is not hump backed, ol handy
legged, is he p
- good joke! Is the French army re-
cruited with such sort of stuff under the
little corporal? Is it not composed cf in
dividuals irreproachable as to their per.
sons, and no fools as to moralitv?'
ais he man of worth p asked Eugene.
Very much SO; answer for IT."
"Weil, sir Soldier" said Christine. re.
moving from her graceful neck thr eros
with the black ribbon which supported il,
"tell him that he has done we'll: and then
say nothing more TO him. bat do not quit
him till you bring him hack I" tell me.
There he is, it is he elmscli he is worthy
of YOU.