Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1871-06-17

We never bIuuleu hb you ulu Ill III
old days when the cure labored 81
hard to hammer o little knowledg
into our brains. | dare say You hay
flown far over our heads in you
dreams. Comet give us the benefl
of them"
"Well," said EVariste, somewha
reluctantly, 81 only want to do some
thing for my fellow-creatures beforr
leave the world. do not want t
| live just to amuse myself, and thel
die to be forgotten. | should like t
follew the example of the heroes O
old who died for their country; or
better still, of the martyrs who dice
for Christ" And his face became
flushed with glow of enthusiasm.
"IEensl that is an idea which
would not have come to me-" sale
Jules. "I prefer to live"
"Well, should not object to die {
| glorious DEATH" said Martel, "but
must first live a long, happy life will
Vevette, 6ten entendu. 1t would bt
pleasant enough to know that one'f
name would be honored by posteri
ty; but let mo take my pleasure out
of existence first"
"Bat, Martel," said Evariste, it il
not in old age, for the most part, thai
we make a sacrifice. Life has come
to an end by that time anyhow"
"Sacrifice! old age! DEATH" ex-
claimed Jules; "why, Evariste, you
are worse than the cure, with your
gloomy ideas; but happily they are
only ideas after all, With all those
fine sentiments, mon ami, l think |
know pretty well what will be your
fate-you will be a bon pere de Ja-
mile, like your father before you
Do you think / did not observe Leo
ME Miehon's pretty blue eyes glAnc-
ing your way all through benedic-
ton this evening? And you love
her, EYaristc, You need not deny
it,"
"I do not wish to deny it" ho an
swered quietly. "I do love her bet
ter thanmy life. Still think l could
give up love, with life, if l were
chosen by heaven to be a hero or a
martyr"
"But if you are not 80 chosen,
which does not seem likely in these
commonplace times, you will marry
Leonie and rock the baby's cradle in
due course, will you not ~ said Jules,
looking at him laughingly,
"I dare say l shall" he answered,
with a bright smile, "and be thankful
enough that / was allowed to be hap
py in life, instead of glorious in
DEATH"
$50! we are all three provided
for, In spite Of the cure" said Martel,
ct pas nal, must say; and after q
little more conversation on different
subjects, 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 the inhabitants of Vaux
Vilaine went to and fro in happy Sc
curity, and talked ofthe prospects of
the harvest as the most important
subject in the world-and then the
pastoral quiet Of even that most
peaceful homo was awfully broken
by the stunning thunders of the great
war news, which all knew to be, in
truth, the death-knell of thousands
upon thousands of the bravest hearts
in France.
Was there a spot in all that fair
and pleasant country, however Sc
cluded and remote, to which the
dreadful tidings failed to bring an
guish and terror, even before shot
had been fired OF a single life sacri-
ticed2 Surely not one; and Vaux
Vilsine was no exception, though,
for the first two months, the tide oi
war rolled far away from its green
fields and tranquil homes. But there
was scarce a family who had not q
relation with the army; and day af'
ter day brought tidings which told o.
beloved faces which would be seer
no more-of national disaster, and
heroic self-devotion that courtet
death, but failed to retrieve the terri
BILE disgrace,
Jules, Martel, and Evariste hat
each a brother i'll the army; but they
themselves, for various family rea
sons, had as yet been held exempt
greatly to their indignation and an
noyance; for even the special tiel
which bound Martel and Evariste tC
the homes that held Vevette and lie
onie, did not prevent them feeling
quite as strongly as Jules did the
burning desire to throw their young
lives into the balance, and help tt
turn the scale in favor of their beau
tiful and unfortunate France, il
whose ultimate success and glory
they could not cease to believe, in tht
face of the worst reverses.
Still, though there was lamcnta
ton and disquiet in Vaux Vilaine
and many significant notice on th'
church door asking the faithful, o
their charity, to pray for the soul o
some brave soldier lying in his las
cold sleep on the bloOd-drenchet
soil of Woerth or Weissenburg, ye
!, the ordinary life of the Yillager
went on much as usual no one pre-
vented them from continuing thei
accustomed emplOyments; the har
vest and vintage were gathered il
with only q little additional toll, be
cause the numbers of the men VIII,
remained to accomplish that pleasan
task were so much fewer than the,
had ever been before. And the do
mestic events in the various familie
proceeded as they had ever done
children were christened, younI
maidens given in,marriage, and oil
men peacefully buried, whose las
sighs had been for their dear and fai
France, SO sorely worsted in the 81
gantic conflict.
Amongst other plans which ha
undergone no alteration, the marri
age of Martel was still to take plac
on the day originally fixed; but h
and Vevette were not alone in thei
happiness now. Everiste and Leoni
were to be united on tho same day
and Jules often declared that Of th
three he was the only victim of th
! war, as it was, to say the least, Ver