The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1850-1873, 1869-12-24


trothed aside and said: Listen TO me,
Marguerite. You promired to be mine; l
am going away for some years, perhaps
forever; It is right that you should be free;
1 give you back your vow.
"And l. said the girl, will not take it
back. Whether our next meeting, Juan,
will be here or in that better world to
which, trust, we are both looking, will
never marry any one but you.
"The young man pressed her hand in
silence. But my mother, he said, at
length, while two unwonted tears rolled
down his cheek; she is old. indrm, unable
to work for her support
&c Your mother, Juan, interrupted
Marguerite, is she not henceforth mine!
So long as God gives me strength to work,
our mother shall not want a home.
"And 30 with mutual blessings and fond
tears they parted.
"C@sar followed his master to the wars,
and Gertrude on the day of Juan's depart
ure took up her abode in Marguerite's
cottage. The old woman managed the
domestic affairs, while the young one car
ried her milk, butter, eggs and poultry to
market. In the evenings, as they both sat
at their spinning wheels, their converse
ton naturally turned on Juan. Where
is he nowe What is he doing while we
are speaking of him?' Sometimes their
anxiety was assuaged by the arrival of a
letter, filled with hope and tenderness;
but at length one came which increased
their sorrow. 1t bore the stamp of Algeria.
Juan announced that his regiment had
Just landed in Africa, and was Immediate
" to march on the town OF Zaatchs,
where number of insurgent savages bad
entrenched themselves. Some sharp fight
ing was expected, as the rebels were
known to be Desperate. Under the affect.
ing intelligence the two women found
their only consolation in religion, in COM
mitting their dear one to the care Of God
Every day, on her way to the town, Mar
guerfte was accustomed to pause for few
moments at the spot where she had first
met her betrothed, and where, during the
happy days of their courtship, he had
raised rustic seat, she used to kneel be-
side that simple memento and pray fer
vently; nor did she ever arise and go on
her way without feeling strengthened and
encouraged.
EVERY evening on her return her first
question was: HAS Juan written ? And
the old woman would silently shake her
head with despairing gesture, which
seemed to imply: Juan will never write
to us again
"One day as Marguerite was returning
from Bagneres she was Overtaken by q
violent thunder storm. There was no
place of refuge nearer than her own cot
tage, and with her garments dripping, her
ewes nearly blinded by the driving rain,
she hastened toward it. What did she
seer A blazing, lightning stricken pile,
surrounded by a crowd Of terrified villa
gers.
"Motherl' cried Marguerite, darting
onward, where are your
"a cry of agony from within the burn
ing cottage was the reply.
"'Mother, couragei I'll save or die with
your And before the astounded specta-
tors could detain her she rushed through
the flames. A minute, which seemed an
age of agonizing suspense, elapsed, and
Marguerite resppesred, dragging forth
her pious burden, and forming with her
own body q rampant against the flames.
Scarcely had she allowed the old woman
to fall into some of the arms ready to re-
ceive her, when the heroic girl sank down
herself, inanimate.
"When she opened her eyes," con-
tinued the curste, she was in an apart
ment in nv house, whittier l had caused
her to be carried. Gertrude and had
watched for three days and three nights
by her bed, awaiting the moment of con-
sciousness. Her first sensation was that
of torturing pain in her face. She raised
her hand to it and felt that it was 80 en-
veloped in bandages as to leave only the
mouth and eyes free A cry escaped her
Iips: 'Oh, j remember the storm-the
aames-I am disfgured for life-is it not
sor
"Gertrue and 1 were silent. 1t was but
too true; the devouring elements, leaving
her body, protected by her wet clothes,
untouched, had seized on her face. The
beauty of feature and delicacy Of COM
plexion, which had procured for her her
graceful sobriquet, were totally destroyed.
Until the bandsges were removed,
which the surgeon did not as yet judge 1t
as prudent to do, he could not tell the ex-
tent of the Disagreement, but that 1t would
be very great was certain. Our silence,
and the tears which we could not repress,
acquainted the poor child with her misfor-
tune. She raised her eyes to Heaven with
touching expression OF resignation. 1t
is Thy will, my God, she said, but let
not Juan see me thus
"Juanr repeated Gertrude, I'VE shall
soon embrace him.
"'Is he comingY
"In ten days; see yourself She
handed letter to Marguerite, which the
latter read with esgerness. It was writ
ten by the hand of one Of his comrades,
and informed them that Juan, who had
received q severe wound at the seige OF
Zsatona, was now convaleeceut in hos
pital, had obtained, as Q reward for his
services, a cross of honor, his discharge
| and pension, and would be with them In
ten or twelve days ct furthsrmost.
Having finished reading the letter,
Marguerite fell into profound reverie
from which neither Gsrtrude's fond ca
resses nor my attempts at consolation
could arouse her. oh, sir, abe said q
last, 1T is not indeed, it 10 not for my OWL
sake that I value beauty, but how can
Juan love me when he sees me in this statei
At that moment the surgeon entered, and
having felt his patients pulse, he begsr
silently to remove the bandages. As soor
as Marguerite felt that her wounds were
| expoeed she asked for o mirror.
| aNot yet, my child; not to-day, said
the doctor. She tried to raise he hands t(
feel her face. Hold her arms down,
| cried the surgeon to the old woman ant
myself. We did 30, Involuntary turning
away our eyes from the sight OF thost
swollen and mutilated features once 81
lovely.
"Mauguerite saw and understood oul
movement. is it not 50, sir ? she said tt
me calmly; will it not be impossible fol
him to love meY
mine days passed on the wounds wer'
regularly dressed and were now nearly
cicatrized. The tenth day was that
Juan's expected return but no one ven
tured to speak of it. Early in the morning
Marguerite arose and prepared to 60 out
saying that a walk in the fresh air woult
do her good. offered to accompany her
"No, thank you, sir. She knelt dowl
and after short, silent PRAYER, turned u
Gertrude, and, embracing her, said 'Bles
your daughter, dear mother, for the las
time; you will never see her again:
"What do you mean, my childr
"The truth. am going away. Yo'
will say goodbye for me TO him, mother
and tell him that It'll my very love.for hin
that forces me to fly
"sBut dear one,' sid Gertrude, detain
ing her, you wrong our Juan; he has
noble heart, and he will love you all tn
better for these noble scars when he hear
that it was in saving me from q dreadfu
death you received them
"He has q noble heart replied tn
girl. and know he would marry me AM
try to make me happy; but how could
endure his sverted looks-his sorrow
No, no; shall suffer much less in suffer
ing alone
"Just then a well-known bark wa
heard, and large white dog rushed on