Ottumwa weekly courier. (Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa) 1872-1899, 1873-02-13

. handsome young man lay In ham
mock, covered to the neck.
Il have some coffee for you," said
Lucca, with her sonorous voice.
The man did not move.
"May l raise you upa little," said
she as she placed ther hand under his
head, "give me your arm"
He shook his head aud burst into
tears. Thave no arms, they are bott
gone"
She was touched to the heart. After
supplying him with refreshments she
joined her party again, and late In the
evening they all reached Saarbruck
There the officers took leave Of the Ia.
dies, and Madame Lucca began to in.
quire where they should lodge.
lodge" said the baggage master.
Nowhere, every house, every hut, and
every stable Is full of soldiers and
prisoners. Twill sleep in . sheep-pen
tonight"
"Cant we 90 there"
"Fnll of soldiers" But | may fix
you in the engine house. No one is
there. 1 will shake down some straw
and you may be able to rest"
"Have you blankets 2"
"Lots of them and brand now"
They went there, and placed the
boxes as security against the door, as
the lock had been torn of. Lucca gave
the master gold piece and he was
highly satisfied. The officers sent one
of their number to keep guard
over their fair travelling COM
panion, and he disturbed their sleep
occasionally by singing the s.Good
Night" nom the Barber of Seville.
Early in the morning there was q
sudden drumming and trumpeting.
Guns and heavy wagons rolled along
the streets, horses gallopod and the
noises of war were general. Lucca
rushed out Of the engine house. Lieu
tenant L., another of her fellow trav-
elers, pranced up on q splendid bay.
"The alarm 10 given Madame. and
we advance on the enemy. The regi-
ment is already on the way, but de-
layed to report to you. Your husband
is in the field hospital near Pont a.
MOasson. An reroir."
"H0w far is 1t from here ?" u
. "At least thirty miles. must 20.
s"The knight must to the bloody
charge
After the troops left, the town look
ed deserted and entirely bare An
old man came along the street. Lucca
asked him, "Old gentleman can we get
q wagon here 2"
"Not wheel" replied be, and pass-
ed ON.
s4One mors question" who 70 left In
town Of our soldiers :"
ssThe Grand Duke 0f OldenburR.
There he comes with his STAFF And
he pointed to o cavalca De.
"That's our last hope,' said Lucca
"Quick, Edith"
She posted herself on the curbstone,
and, as the Grand Duke passed, said,
in her full voice, Good morning, your
Highness."
The Duke stopped his horse. Am
I mistaken, or is this Madame Lucca,
the Berlin, prime donna? have heard
you several times in the OPERA
81 am happy to hear that your High
ness remembers me. was presented
to the Grand Duke Of Mecklenburg at
court. Here ! present myself in the
open street. l haye the honor, Sire
Pauline Luccai"
"Pleased to know you," replied the
Duke, bowling. "But Madame, what
do you here In the turmoils of war :"
IL want to take my husband home,
who is wounded and at Pont-a- Nous
son. As far as Saarbruck came, but
here the world is boarded up
What does that mean
am here, and can not get wagon.
For this reason ! ask, in the most re.
spectful manner, your powerful aid"
That win avail You little, my dear
Madame. With al my power can
not dispose of wagon, except the
army team which follows mo here and
carries my servants and baggage.
Highness,' replied Luccs, Your
servants seem to have good, strong
legs. If few OF them would walk to
Pont-d- Aouss0n, there would be room.
for me and my maid.'' y
But / cant eest SO celebrated an ar
tist on an army wagon" objected the
Duke. z.
Most illustrious Duke To ride nm,
comfortably is better than to walk
Well, are there no other objections 7"
"None whatever
"Then please order three men down
from the wagon and we will take their
place." v
The Grand Duke lAughingiy gave
the order, and invited Madame Lucca
to visit. his court after the war. Then
they proceeded. IS -
It was late at night when they ar.
rived 1T Pont-a-AoxssOa. Lucca i'm
mediately went from house to house
for her husband. Al the
fifteenth she received the answer:
Lieutenant Rhaden, heavily wound
cd, in the first story, room 81 Si4 n
Heavily wounded, !" and her cour-i
age sank. "a 4 s@ d
1--WE hope to pull him through, I" said
the surgeon. "Take courage everys
thing will end we'll" 4 saa 4
"Can see him p ~ s
"Yes.D ~ M Eki
They entered and found him asleep.
In little, close chamber stood very
short bed. On IL lay . manly hRure.
six feet In length, the legs hanein1
over the end Of the bed, and the fAce
and upper part OF the body swathed IN
bandages and terribly swollen. ,xt1
"Is this my husband, !" asked Lucca.
@TAis 10 Lieutenant Rhaden.n
She fell on chair and covered her
face. saa Es a.
aMadame,n said the surgeon, I
would not have brought you In here,
had not your hushaad told mo You
possesssd great stregth of character"
my husband shall not lind himself
mistaken" she said, and arose.
"Adolphus, your Pauline is here,n che
whispered.
"He IL still asleep" said the surgeon.
"But he has his eyes OPEN
"Only the left. The muscles OF that
eye have been torn by the bullet. He
u also deaf on the left side aud his
face paralyxei."
"Will that remain 80 2" asked the
wife.
I'VE must hope for the best, " replied
the surgeon.
pauline" !" whispered the wounded
man.
The surgeon motioned her to keen
silence, and f0lt tho Datfenf's na,Iea