Bristol news. [volume] (Bristol, Va. & Tenn.) 1867-189?, 1873-02-11
"A Good Story.
Translated from an unpublished Ger
man manuscript by Aufschneider.

[ Translated from an unpublished Ger
man manuscript by AufSchReider.
Dou you want to hear Christina:
story, Doctor ?" said my two-carat
brilliant a. don't mean that il viii
bear the slightest comparison to those
charming little stories of Dickens and
Andersen nor is there really any
good season for calling it Christina:
story, except that years of suffering
happily terminated on a Christina:
Eve. Well, shall be happy to re.
relate it, and as Christmas is now sc
near you may perhaps repeat it to your
numerous and interesting young fami-
ly and thereby entertain them.h
THE STORY.
The memorable year 1911 found Ma
pOleOn virtually Emperor and auto
crat of the great part of Europe. In
: the early spring of that year he issued
his famous proclamation, which said
Let us march on Russia; let us
cross the Niemen and take Moscow :
her destiny has come" There was
only one word in his proclamation at
fault to make it complete prophecy.
Ifhe had said "my" instead of"her'
destiny has come he would have been
a second Moses in prophesying. How
| ever, 100000 men were collected, and
the march on Russia was begun.
Early in May, 1911, at house (call-
ed hOtel in Paris IN the Rue TAFT
baut young captain of hussars was
taking his leave of his father, mother,
and only sister, to join the grand ar
| my, the branch to which he belonged
| being commanded by that vain but
glorious beau sabreur Murat This
| family was of the "ancien regime. -
The Count de Banville had, like the
rest of his order, narrowly escaped the
guillotine. Fortunately for him his
| patriinonial estates were near Rheims,
| ana when the revolution was at its
height he escaped with his wife,
| son, and daughter into Germany.
When Napoleon became master of
France he encouraged the return of
the old nobility, and the Count avail
ed himself of the privilege. His es-
tates had fortunately not been swal-
lowed up by the sans-culOttes, and he
found himself q ricn noble of the old
order among the glittering, new mush-
rooms of the Empire. In 1893 he
placed his young son Eugene at the
military school at st. Cyr. In 1868
the young Count made his first cam
Paign, following Napoleon to Prussia,
and in 1910 he was made captain of
hussars for his bravery in the Austri-
an campaign, which gave to Napoleon
a grand duchess for a wife. The old
Count most firmly refused TO take Of
flee or mix up politically in the new
state of affairs, and so the family was
at the root Bourbon and at the branch
Bonaparte. Still the chivalrous blood
of the de Banvilles. who 500 years be-
fore fought against the Saracens, as
serted itself, and, Bourbon to the back
bone "a the parent stern undoubtedly
was, there was pride felt by father
and mother to see their only son dis
tinguished officer in the imperial ar
my. Eugene was then about - years
old. aud his sister lovely girl Just
budding into wOmamhood
= had hoped,n said the countess
mother, that France had glory
enough, and you Eugene having won
your spurs would now stay home with
us. Alas, alas, the mothers of France
are now only a byword. "The great
est woman Is she who has the most
children is one of the Emperor's proc
lamatiOns. T"
" Dearest mother" said Eugene, Il
cannot even hear a whisper from YOU
against my glorious chief. The motto |
of Frenchman is: For God, EN- |
peror, and country ~
"Oh, Eugene" said the Countess, |
feel unaccountably sad a heavy |
presentimeDt hangs over me; | can
not shake it Off" -
Nay dearest mother" said the !
handsome young Captain gayly, ma |
poleon is the glorious sun that never |
sets, while planets must revolve round |
him."
80 My son." broke in the Count for
the first time, "you can never disgrace !
the noble blood that courses through |
your veins; you must go where duty |
calls. May God restore you to us. |
Your country calls you"
And we must part again." said the |
Countess, weeping: stay, take this |
ring with you-it is set with valua-
bic diamond. When in exile in Ger
many, | once lost it In a village near
the Neckar. A cunning gypsy whom |
| consulted, told me / should find it |
again, that / should once more part |
with it, and when [ supposed it unalte-
rably lost. should have it again restor-
ed" Et@
The young captain kissed his moth
er fondly, while she, weeping, put the |
diamond ring (which was your hum
BILE servant no now speaks to YOU OF
his finger. Kissing his father and |
weeping sister, Captain Count Eugene |
de Banville hurried from the room,
mounted his horse, and gained his
corps.
1t was in August that the grand ar
my reached Russia proper. Barlay
de Tally's strategy of retreating before
the invaders was then the Russians
tactics, and the French found no enc
my to fight. In wilma, a town of
great importance, Russian army |
corps was stationed; the Commissary-
General RObanOff had been posted
there for years. He was of noble birth
a widower, and had an only child-a
daughter about eighteen years old
orders came for the garri-
son to retreat. RobaDOf was in the
utmost distress about his daughter
He bethought himself in this extrem-
ity of an army contractor, Jew of
great sagaeity. Sending for him, he
said
my old friend Josephea, in six
hours must be on my route eastward.
/ intrust to your safe keeping my
greatest treasure, my child Swear to
me by the secret order that you will
protect her with your life-nay! with
your cunning-from this invading
horde"
81 swear" said Josephea, "that 1
will not appear alive before you with
put your daughter. unless it pleases
God; in the course of nature, to take
her from me-"
Enoughl" said the General.
Calling his daughter he said: "Ka-
-inks, here is your protector. Do not
embitter our parting. The holy cause
Of Russia demands my presence"
Without O tear. with heightened coli
Or KatInka said: q would open my !
veins and let the traitOrOus blood flow
until sink, if one sign. one emotion
- x,-aokuaSs cbOnl1 dnfar my fat hnP