Litchfield enquirer., 1864-01-21


 not at all easy-and then lay the dead man in my bed and myself in his? At the end of an hour, shouted for Jack, and as he did not come, rang for the other servants, who in. formed me that Jack was lying dead in his bed had myself dressed, and at once sent off for the regimental surgeon and two civil ian surgeons. At the end of an hour, the gentlemen appeared, and during the delay, I had been settling my nerves by a long draught of fiery wine. When the doctor had been in- formed of tie occurrence, the regimsntal sur geon, who had noticed my faintuess, came up to me, fsl. my pulse, and said that the living must be cared for4frst, and sent off pre- scription to be ct once made up. After careful examination of the corpse, all the sur geons declared that an attack of apoplexy had taken place, and requested them to draw up certificate of the fact which all three subscribed. The regiuental surgeon or dered me to bed, and said he would call again tho next day. asked him, as I felt very un well through the shock had sustained, to pro- cure me from the general sick leave for week. employed it in making myself fully acquainted with my late masters afairs from his papers and letters and in initiating his handwriting and signature. In the presence of my supposed friends, I behaved as if painfully affected and declared that I should soon fol- low my twin brother, as they called him, which notion they tried to talk me out of, and to cheer me up by pleasant conversation. l sent the certificate of the death, as well as the Wa ges and effects of the deceased valet, te the burgomaster, with request that he would re- turn the former to me, countersigned, and for ward the other to the ad iress of his relatives in Strasburg. That no suspicion of any pos sible deception was aroused, either among the officers or civilians, although our resemblance had been town-talk, is thing which has re mained riddle to me to the present day. l accepted no invitations to dinners, gave no supper parties as of yore to my comrades, and when Il appeared in public, always seemed very solemn.
 At the end of the third week, the regimen. tai surgeon, on paying me his daily visit, de- clared that things could not go on thus. must go away, which l heard with secret de- light, and earnestly requested his intercession to procure my transterence to France. He be- haved most kindly, for in three days, he brought me leave for month, informed me that the general would employ his interest in my behalf, and as it was certain l would join ny parents at Rome, should hear further there. I heard the news with real delight, bade farewell to my comrades, who would not let me go without parting carouse, requested one of them to sell the effects left behind, and remit the proceeds to my father, and started without servants, for Ancons, where slightly raised my oppressive mask. l dlli- gently studied Italian, read much, and tried to write the languages because serious trial awaited me in the visit of my supposititious parents. l had informed them by letter of my intentions, and promised to pay them a visit so soon as the weather became l tile more favorable. At length l was obliged to ! set out was received by my father with hearty kindness, by my sister with delight, but by my mother with co!dness, almost with hesitation. Prudence advised me not to mo- tice this, especially as in our future meetings detected distrustful glances, in which read her suspicious that there was some deception in the affair. I paid hurried visits to the friends and relations of my parents, and kept as much as possible in the open air, for the sake of acquiring 6 knowledge of localities. Four days after my arrival, l received orders from the general to proceed at once to Lyons, and join General Soults corps. In my joy l almost let the mask entirely fall, but I at length bade farewell, with an affected sorrow at being torn so speedily from the arms of my famiIy. My father said good-by to me with hearty embrace and large draft, my mother with Go, in Heavens name ! aud my sister with more than brothery kiss. have nev- CT seen any of them again. l need scarcely say that I arrived in France with a frightened heart, for the oppressi7eness of the fraud was removed and my native cheerfulness was soen fully displayed. I conclude my statement with the remark that the military documents will prove when was made frst-lieutenant, when captain, and how was decorated for my be- haviour at Jena. My papers will confirm my story"
 He silently held out his hands, was chained and led away. All present watched the pris- ouer retire, with tears in their eyes, and regret ted his fate.
 General Rapp, who, of course, received a report, became so furious that he spoke about shooting the prisoner at once. He had never been seen in such a state of excitement, and his generals had some difficulty in pacfying him by reminding him that the Emperor alone sanctioned sentences of death. The first thing done was to examine the prisoners effects, whether proofs for or against his statement were 10 be found among them. The auditor general and two officers were ordered to exam-