The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1875-05-09

| Hueiiy cehSeu' Inc JOY Oh some anu inc Rtlek
of others were in horrible contrast. Louise
wept hot tears in Hullins arms.
"Ahl jean Clande," said Mother Lefevre /;
''you have much to learn of your daughter.
Now will tell you nothing, but we were at
tackled" IS
"Yes, we will talk of it by and by. Time
presses" interrupted Hullin. 1.-THE Donon road
is lost; the Cossacks may be here at day break,
and we have yet many things to do"
He entered the farmhouse. All followed
Duchene had just thrown fagot upon the fire.
Those faces, black with powder, but still
breathing the fire of battle; those garments
torn by bayonet thrusts, some of them Bloody
advancing from darkness into the full light
offered strange spectacle. Kasper, whose
handkerchief was bound around his forehead,
had received q sabre-cut; bis bayonet, blouse,
and high cloth CATERS were stained with blood.
Old Materne, thanks to his imperturbable pres
ence OF mind, came safe and sound from the
fray The remnants of the two troops of Je-
rome and Hnllin were thus united. They
showed the same fierce countena uces, animated
by the same energy and desire for vengeance
save that the last, worn out with WEAKNESS
sat wherever they might find room-on the
fagots, the hearth--with their heads bowed
upon their hands, aud their elbows resting on
their knees. The Others looked around, unable
to realize that Hans, Joson, Daniel, had disap-
peared forever, and exchanging questions fol-
lowed by long periods of silence Materne's
two sons held each other by the arms, as if
each feared he would lose his brother, and their
father, behind Them leaning against the wall,
gazed on with looks of delight.
They are there; see them" he seemed to
say: "And they are famous fellows, and both
have escaped" The good man coughed, and
when some one came to speak to him about
Pierre, or Jacques or Nicolas-of q son or a
brother-he replied at random, GAY, ay, there
are good many stretched out yonder; but
what would you havef War is war. Your
Nicolas did his duty. Be consoled." Aud then
he thought, "My boys are out of the scrape,
and that is the principal thing"
Catherine set the table with Louise Soon
Duchene, returning from the. cellar with a
oask of wine upon his shoulder, placed it on
the sdeboard. He opened it, and each of the
partsans presented his glass, or cup, or pitcher,
to the purple fountain, which gave back the
leaping flames on the hearth in a thousand re-
Elections.
"Eat and drink w cried the old mistress of
the house. All is not yet ended you will vet
need strength. Frantz. hand me down those
hams. Here are bread and knives. Be seated.
my children"
trantz, with his bsyonet, roasted the hams
at the fire.
Benches were brought forward the men sat
down, and ate with that keen appetite which
neither present grief nor thought of future
evil can make mountaineers forget. But all
this did not keep sorrow from the hearts of
these brave fellows, and sometimes one, some
times another, would stop, drop his fork, and
leave the table, saying:
81 have had enough"
While the partsans thus recruited their
strength, their chiefs met in the neighboring
hall to make their last determinations relative
to the defence. They were seated round the
table, lighted by tin lamp. DR.. Lorquin-
his great dog Pluto near him, watching with
uplifted muzzle; Jerome in the recess of q
window to the right; Hulin at the left, very
pale. Marc-Dives, with his elbow on the table
and cheek resting on his. hand, sat with his
back to the door, and showed only his bro wn
profile and one of the ends of his long nous
tache. Msterne alone was standing, as was
his habit, leaning against the wall behind
Lorquins chair, his rifle resting upon his foot
murmur of voices came from the kitchen.
When Catherine, who was called by Jean
Claude, entered, she heard sort of groar
which made her trembie 1t was HulIin SPEAK
ing.
DO you think" he cried, in burst of wild
grief "that the fate of those brave sons, thos,
white-haired fathers, moved not my heart
Would not gladly have died Thousand
times that they might liveR You know no
the woes with which this night has over
whelmed me-. To lose life is but little but t.
bear alone the burden of such q trustw
He was silent, but his trembling lip, the tea
that coursed slowly down his cheek, showed
how heavily that trust weighed upon him, i,
q position where conscience itself hesitate
and seeks support. Catherine noiselessly seat
ed herself in the large armchair on his left
After few moments pause, Hullin proceede,
more calmly: