The Orangeburg news. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1867-1875, 1871-07-01

glorious death, said Martel, "butI must
iirstlSsa a long, happy life with Yeyette,
oies ehtead,G It woald be pleasant
= euopgh 70, know thFt ones name would
be honored byposterity; !; but let me take
my pleasure out Of existence 6rst,n
But, MartelSp Sp,said Evariste, sit Is not
an old age for the most part, that We can
snaketa sacrifice Life has come to an
send BY that time anyhow
"sacaifce! oldngo death !" cxclain-
cd Jules ssshys Eyeriste. you are worse
than the cure, with your gloomy ideas
but happily they are oply ideas after all.
With all those fine sentiments, man ami,
4 think I know pretty we'll what will be
your ifa,eryou viii be a Don, pe,e de ia
mile, like your father before you. Do
Jou thipkil did not observe I1eonie Mi.
asnlronsspfetty blue eyes glancing your
way all through bcncdictivn this eve
ming And you love her, Evaristc
You need not deny it,
.sA "a do not wish to deny it,, he answer
cd, quietly. 81 do love her better than
s1ny life. Still think could give up
rfleFenwish life, If / were chosen, by
Hoavenlto besa martyr"
scsBut ifsyeu arc not chosen, which
docs not seem likely in these common.
place times, yop will marry Lconie and
Tack tho baby,s cradle in due course,
willyop not 7" said Jules, looking at
him laugbinsly,
s,.,. y !, dare say SHALL" lie answered.,
assss with a bright smile. "and be thankful
enougtsthat was allowed to be happy
! ) y eii;in life, Instead Of glorious in death"
~ $50! we arc all three provided for,
= + inlspitc of the curc," suid Martcl, "ct
pas moi, ] must say )" and after little
more conversation on indifferent SUBJ
jects. the three friends separated, and
walked away to their different homes
A few more days-during which the
birds still sung among the sunlit trees,
and the grapes ripened ON the vines, and
theinhabitai,;s of Yaux yilaine went to
and fro in happy security. aud talked of
the prospects of the harvest as the most
iniportant subject in the world-and
then the pastoral quiet of even that
most peaceful home was awfuly broken
BY the. stunning thunders of the great
war news, which ali,knew to be, int truth,
the dcath-knell of thousands upon thous.
andssof the bravest hearts in France.
= Was there spot in all that fair and
pleasant country, however secluded and
!. !. t'emetes To- which the dreadful tidings
failed to bring anguish aud terror, even
before Is thot had becu fired or a single
life. sacrificed? Surely not one; and
Naux Yilaine was no exception though
Tor tho first two mon!lis, the tide of war
rolled far away from its green fields and
trinIuil homes. But there was scarce |
family who, had not relation with the
= yarmy ;.nnd day after day brought iidings
(which told of beloved faces that would |
fsaabc seen no morc-voi' national disaster,
as = md { heroic self-dcvotion that courted
death, bnt,failcl to retrieve the terrible
~ disgrace.
Jules Martcl aud Eva,istc had cacl,
brother In the army; but they them
4 sclyes, for various family .reasons, had us
2 yet been held exempt, greatly to their in.
idigHation and annoyance for even the
"a aspeeiil Ties which bound Martel and |
! y Eyariste to the homes that held Vcvettc |
81. and Leonic, did not prevent them feel
taing quito as strongly as Jules did, the
snf burning desire to throw their young lives
i into the balance, and help to turn the
\ scales in favor of their beautiful and un-
s. fortunate France, in whose ultimate
success and glory they could not cease to
in face of the worst revcrscs.
! ,,a.: q ], Still, though there was lamcntation
and disquiet in Yaux Vilaine, and many
=, q signiica.t notice OH the church door
ssking the faithful. of their charity, to
pray for the aoul of some brave soldier
zsAlyiag in his last cold sleep on tho blood
: drencneo soii oI !, ocrtu vi :. isso ...,. :,
yet the ordinary life Of the villagers
lsHw went on as much as usual; no one pro-
az vented them from continuing their accus-
toned cmployments the harvest and
;y vintage we're gathered in with little
additional toll, because the numbers of
tIa mon xvbo rato,irad 20 o,oor,.,;.l