Prescott journal. [volume] (Prescott, Wis.) 1861-1871, 1865-12-09

right foot was of wood, and only shor
stump was left to his left arm. Thu
man wore the antiquated tail coat an(
three-cornered hat of the old imperia
guard. The coat was at least fifty years
old, although it had not become thread
bare. The man was rather upright anC
supported himself on stout stick
which he held in his whole hand. A
snowy moustache hung over the lip o
this old man, who was at least nine
ty years of age. This invalid attracted
my entire attention. and / saw that h
fully appreciated the scene that was go
ing on before him.
az fair scene, is it not, sir?'' 1 said tt
the aged man. 2' r. s"r'iH ss2D &
The invalid slowly raised his eyes Il
my face, and seriously corrected me:
"a grand scene, if you please, sir.
b well, thens a. grand scene, if you
prefer il. svsAose sts a. s,,i..ss.i 3
"Does it interest your" the soldier
asked, quickly; ''you seem to be for
eigner. AsF n .
"And cannot foreigner feel pride
in the glory of Frances" a-,
The old mans eyes flashed fire. ]
fl Ell that he would have offered me his
hand if he had had left one to which
he could transfer his stick.
'If you only knew, sir, how greatly
that remark of yours rejoices me, an
old man of ninetyp he remarked.
II fancy that, if history of French
glory had to be compiled, you could
supply many page to it. y
you are right. L could tell much
from the day when 1, musqueteer hui
sixteen years of age, stood In the square
formed round King Louis scaffold, ur
to the present one, when France has
done so much to destroy the effect. oil
the treaties Of Vienna"
''You stood at the scahuld of Loui.
XVI?"
The invalid nodded his head slightly.
"My regiment had the service of hon
or, as it was called, at that day. All,
sir, we had a great deal to do on that
day in keeping the people back; We
stood shoulder to shoulder, but the
heaving crowd frequently drove rs to
the foot of the soaifold. Above stood
the King. In half-stooping posture.
can still see him, shirt and waistcoat
were unbuttoned and thrown over the
shoulders; his hands were fastened on
his back; only two men stood near him.
One of them knelt down presently, aud
offered him the crGcifx to kiss; it was
the priest. The ether was the police
commissary with . red scarf; he had
only "a prove the fact that Louis Capet
was dead. Another stood at distance
he seized cord which looked like a
bell rope-he pulled it and Louis Cap
cts head lay IN the sand. A hollow
murmur ran along the crowd, and heads
were thrust ont In order to see roya
blood flowing. 1t was bad sight, sir
the only one L would like to erase from
my memory as injurious to the glory OF
France. But to m axe up for it, had
a thousand splendid nights ut the BIZ
vouac, when the Little Corporal led us
Through the world"
"Were you always with him, sir?''
"Always from the Pyrenees to Italy,
from the Po to the Rhine, from the
Rhine to the Danube, the Vistnla and
the Moskowa. From Elba to Paris, and
from Paris to Waterloo. / did not 90
to Helena, because it was not allowed. "
A sad smile played over the old SOL
dier's face.
'.fOn are happy; you saw your Gen.
eral and Emperor conquer, but did not
witness his death.
The invalid looked at me strangely,
DEATH" he repeated, "what do you
mean by that?"
I did not understand the remark, and
attached no Importance to it.
"How comes it, asked, "that you
are mere, and not in the Hotel DIES In
valides?"
Il gave up my turn when my chance
arrived to be taken into the hospital. I
had a comrade, who, though five years
younger than /, had one foot less. If /
had gone into hospital. the man must
have waited till some other comrade
died; therefore asked the Governors
leave to resign in favor of my friend"
"But how do you live? Have you O
family to take care of you?"
81 nave nobody-in all France, there
is no other of my name. I saw them
all die: and yet / live without being a
burden to the State. keep a little
cabaret ON the road between Metz and
Chaloas, which has supported me for
the last forty years.
"And the Cross of the Legion, which
l see on your chest, makes slight ad-
dition-"
(Which does not belong to me, sir.
One of my comrades who died in the
Invalides left widow seventy years of
age, and three children, who are unfor-
turately ali cripples. The daughter is
an idiot, the sons are prevented from
working by illness. The widow is now
ninety years of age; the children are
almost grey-haired. They live solely
OF the two hundred francs which my
cross brings them in"
There was an indescribable grandeur
in the modest words of this old soldier,
who narrated the most brilliant actions
of his life as if they were something or
binary aud natural. The man in his
heroic simplicity produced such an i'm
preston upon me, that words of praise
involuntariiy died away ON my lips.
HAS to-day's military spectacle drawn
you out of your hermitage p" I asked,
mechanically, in order to say something.
81 am taking my annual trip. For
the last forty years have shut up my
inn in August for month, and take q
holiday by making tour"
"a tour ?-you with your ninety
years %
81, with my ninety years and my
wooden leg. L hobble as we'll as I can
to Paris, and only take ten days in com.