Los Angeles daily herald., 1875-06-03
Eos Angeles Aemld.
THURSDAY, ,............JUNE3 3, 1876
The Blue Handkerchief.

OF the foreign guard was marcnlng
abreast of me on the same road. Ihad
fastened my steps to hear the military
music, which / liked so much; but the
band ceased playing: few taps of the
drum from afar off alone marked the
measured steps of the soldiers.
After half hours march / saw the
regiment enter asmall field surround
| ed by q clump of fir-trees. [ asked a
Captain, whom knew, if they were
about to exercise.
No, said he to me, they are about
to judge and probably shoot a soldier
of my company for having robbed the
man with who he was quartered.
What! said /, to judge, condemn
and execute at once?
Yes, said he; it is according to our
articles of capitulation.
For him this was unanswerable, as
| though all had been provided for in
| the capitulation-the crime, the pun
ishment, the justice and even the hui
mility. Besides, if you are curious,
added the Captain, will get you a
place. 1t won't take long.
/ had always passion for these sad
spectacles, and l imagined L could
learn what death was by the face of
the dying. / followed the Captain.
The regiment was formed in a hol-
low squar; behind the rear rank, and
on the edge of the wood, some soldiers
| were digging grave. They were
commanded by the first lieutenant,
for everything in a regiment is done
with order, and there is certain dis
ciplin in digging mans grave.
In the center of the square eight
officers were sitting on drum-heads,
the ninth, on the right and more for
ward, was writing a few words upon
his knees, but carelessly, and only
that man should be killed without
some formalities.
The accused was called. He was a
tall young man, of noble and honest
face. A woman advanced with him,
the only witness who was to testify
in the case, but when the Colonel was
about to interrogate this woman:
Its useless, "said the soldier: ~
will confess all. stole the handker-
chief from this woman's house."
The Colonel.-"You, Pierre you
were always an honest fellow
Pierre. is true, my Colonel. /
have always tried to satisfy my Of
ficers; and it was not for myself that
stole it-'twas for Marie.n
The Colonel.-"Who is this Marie?n
Pierre.-'Tis Marie who lives yonder
in my village near Arenburg, where
the great apple-tree is. l shall never
see her more"
The Colonel.-"I do not understand
you, Pierre; explain yourself.n
Pierre. -"Well, my Colonel, read
this.n
And he handed to him the following
letter, every word of which is present
to my memory:
MY GOOD FRIEND PIERRE: profit
by the recruit Arnold, who is engag-
ed in your regiment to send you this
letter and silk purse which l have
made for you. was obliged to hide
myself from my father while l made
it, for he continually scolds me for
loving you so much, and says that
you will not come back. You will
come back, won't you? But if you
never return, shall love you all the
same. promised myself to you the
day you picked up my blue handker-
chief at the dance in Arenburg, and
brought it back to me. When shall 1
see you again? What makes me hap
py is, that they say you are esteemed
by your superiors and beloved by your
comrades. But you have still two
years of survice. Get through them
quick, for then we will be married.
Adieu, my own good friend Pierre.
Your dear MARY.
p. S-Try to send me something
from France, not that am afraid that
shall forget you; but that may wear
it always. Kiss what you send me.
l am sure that | shall find the place of
your kiss again.
When the letter was read Pierre re-
sumed. Arnold, said he, gave me
this letter last night when my billet
of quarters was received All night 1
could not sleep. 1 thought of the vii
lage and of Marie. She asked me for
something from France. l had no
money; l had pledged my pay for three
months for my brother and my cousin,
who had returned home a few days
before. This morning when arose to
leave, L opened the window. A blue
handkerchief was hanging on line;
| it resembled that of Marie's it was the
| same color, the same white stripes.
/ was weak enough to take it and put
| it into my sack. L went down the
street; | repented of what had done
and was about returning to the house
| when this woman ran after me. The
handkerchief was found upon me that
is the truth. The capitulation de-
mands that be shot. Shoot me but
do not despise me.
The judges could not restrain their
| emotion-but Notwithstanding, when
| the vote was taken, he was unani-
mously condemned to death. He
heard the verdict with composure;
then, approaching his Captain, he
| begged him to lend him four francs.
saw then he advanced toward the
woman, to whom the blue handker-
chief had been restored, and / heard
these words: MADAM, here are four
francs. don't know if your handker-
chief is worth any more, but even
should it be, pay dear enough for it,
and you ought to excuse me for the
difference Then taking the hand
kerchief he kissed it and gave it to the
Captain. "My Captain, "said he, ,,in
two years you will return to our
mountains; if you go near to Arenburg,
ask for Marie, give her this blue hand
kerchief, but do not tell her how l
bought it,"
He then knelt in prayer, and march
ed with firm step to his execution.
| / retired then and entered the wood,
that l might not witness this cruel
tragedy. A few musket-shots soon
apprised me that all was over. l re-
turned an hour afterward; the regi-
ment had departed; all was quiet; but
| in akirtinp the adOe of the wood to ra-