Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1871-01-26


to what ehdg We could not marry, II
had nothing but my daily work as rtgae-
ran, and father and mother 10 keep. 1t
might have been better TO do as they
wished; but what would youY We are
but human, aud | could not begin again.
II determined to go. There would be
the money, SO that father could make his
living as carrier, and Toinette | knew
would be true 10 me, and when came
| back we should see, .n
81 found it the hardest to part from
poor old mother. You see father being
lame, and Pierre not good for much, she
leaned upon me When she hung crying
round my neck, began to wish had let
the money go and consented TO remain at
| home Pllt it was too late; and we We're
marched away, Just as you saw those poor
fellows awhile ago.
II did not like soldiers life; my heart
| was not in it it was always in our valley,
| among the vines and olive trees, and /
longed continually for the term of service
to be over. | did my duty. Time would
have gone no faster for Sinking that; and
when our regiment was ordered to the
Crimea, | caught something of the excite
ment, and was glad to gO--glad at the
prospect OF change and of active service,
II was no great hand at letterswriting
! had not had time for much learning; but
| managed to write home to tell them |
was going and to bid them keep up their
hearts
You know all about the war, M'sieu.
Our regiment had its share in all that was
going on. | escaped for time, but at the
taking of the Malakof, ! got this ugly
saber-cut across my face, and my arm was
hoken by bullet. | suppose | tainted
from loss of blood they told me af(erward
was taken up for dead. was long
time in hos1tal. | had fever and ii was
months before could crawl about again,
and was strong enough to bL shipped off
for France, with other inyalids like my
self.
( 80 All the voyage thought Of father and
mother, and Toinette, aud how glad they
| would be TO have me back, and how soon
I should get strong again at home. 1t was
four years since had left the village; and
| | thought, with my heavy moustache, and
| the saber cut across my face, and my uni.
form, no one would recognize Rene, the
| pigneron and ! would 90 first to the ~
| 5ergs, and hear the news, before making
myself known
"My heart leapcd within me, as | ap-
! preached the village and saw the old castle
upon its rounded hill, and the swifltlow
! ing river. | said TO myself perhaps shall
meet my father in his cart, or perhaps
| Toinette may be at her door as pass but
| though met several of the villagers, who
| turned TO look with interest at the wealth
erbeatcn and wounded soldier saw
neither father nor Toiuettc, and no one
recognized me.
! II was stll weak from illness, and when
! | reached the aRbarge ! was glad to sit
down and call for some wine The land
! lord brought it, asked him to sit down
and partakc. First, had to answer many
! questions about what was going ON in the
East, and then | asked for news Of the
| village. | had my cap drawn down over
| my forehead, and was sitting with my
| back to the light, but once or twice saw
my companion look at me narrowly, az If
he suspected was some one he ought to
| know.
This was the news ! heard Fahrc
and his wife were both dead. The old
man had no heart to do anything after his
Younger son, who was the stay Of the
family, the landlord said, had been drawn
for tie army. Had | happened to meet
with Rene FabreY lie was killed at the
taking Of the Malakofi--his name was
seen in the list That just broke the
hearts of the old people, they never lifted
their heads again, either OF them The
mother went first Old Fabre died only
three weeks ago
g" Had they never received letter. |
asked, making my voice as steady as
could for one of the kind nurses at Scut
ary had written for me.
d What lattar rgulb thpV rgpgiVp
when Rene was deadY'
at had been lost, then | could not
repress a groan. Was my wound paining
meY the landlord asked. Could he do
anything for me-
" ! shook my head Where was Pierre
Fabrc? | asked.
"Pierre had got into fresh trouble, and
had gone away two years before. No one
knew anything about him.
"Then came the name that had been
trembling on my lips all along-Toinette
Dufour.
Again observed the landlord look at
me nouisitirely That was the girl Rene
was to have married. he said. Her
mother ALWAYS wanted 10 marry her to
Barbel's Ambrose because old Barbel was
rich, Toinette would not hear Of it till
then somehow il seemed that she did not
care what became Of her, and the mother
had her wav. 1t had not been very
happy marriage heretofore, as, indeed,
how should il, with a bride with no more
hcartin her tAan ghost,
"This s'sieu, was my coming home.
/ did not make myself known Where
was the use; / engaged bed for the
night. and then ! wandered out | went
/ FIRST to the little cemetery, then | watched
1 for one sight Of Toine'tc. saw her Just
/ At dusk, pale and sad looking at her hus.
( bands door. | did not dare 10 present
myself before her ! could not trust my
! selfto hear her speak / turned away,
aud climbed the Hill to the castle and
there threw mytelf down on the spot
where we had 80 many summer evenings
I dreaming dreams--nothing but dreams,
/ VI sieu
Il do not know how long laid there.
} II seemed during those hours As II there
was neither past nor future any more, only
/ one long, ever.present agony.
/ AT last the glimmering lights in the
/ village were being e1tinguished one BY
orc, and knew must Ceturn TO the au-
I bsrgs Early the next morning left my
old home forever and returned To Mar.
( seles where | waited till my regiment
carAc back from the East, Both officers
and men were Glad to receive mo among
them again, and had no wish 20 leave
1 them any more Why should This is
~ II Il quite simple story sou see,
VI sen.
This medal was won before tho Mala,