Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1875-11-05
Marie, or the blue Handkerchief.

returning on foot from Orleans in the Cha
teau de Bardy. A regiment Of the foreign
! guard was marching abreast of me and on
the same road. had hastened my steps
to hear the military music which liked
so much but the band ceased playing; a
few taps of the drum from afar off alone
marked the measured step of the soldiers.
After an half hours march 1 saw the reg
iment enter small field, surrounded by q
clump Of fir trees. asked captain whom
l knew If they we're about to exercise.
| No, said he TO me, they are about to
judge and probably TO shoot a soldier OF
my company for having robbed the man
with whom he was quartered.
What! said I, TO judge, condemn and
execute at once?
Yes, said he, ii is according to our arti-
cles of capitulation.
Forhim, this was unanswerable, as though
all had been provided for in the capitula-
tion-the crime, the punishment, the JUS
tice ard even the humanity. Besides, II
you arc curious, added the captain, will
get you place. 1t won't take long.
I had alwaysa passion for these sad spec
tacles, and imagined that 1 could learn
what death was by the face Of the dying.
l followed the captain.
The regiment was formed in n hollow
square; behind the rear rank and on the
edge Of the wood, some soldiers were dig
glng grave. They were commanded by
first lieutenant, for everything in regi-
ment is done with order, and there is a
certain discipline in digging mans grave.
In the centre of the square eight officers
were sitting on drum heads, the ninth on
the right and more forward, was writing a
few words upon his knees, but carelessly
and only that a man should not he killed
without some formaites.
The accused was called. He was a tall
young man, of a noble and honest face.
A woman advanced with him, the only
witness who was 10 testify in the case but
when the colonel was about to interrogate
this woman:
at is useless" said The soldier. ST will
confess all. l stole the handkerchief from
this woman's house."
The C0lonel-"You, Pierre! you were al
ways an honest fellow"
Pierre-"It is true, my Colonel, 1 have
always tried TO satisfy my officers; and it
was not for myself that stole it; twas for
Marie"
The COloncl-"Who is this Marle?'
Pierre" 'Tis Marie who lives yonder in
my village near Arenburg, where the great
apple tree is. 1 shall never see her more ~
The Colonel-"I do not understand you,
Pierre; explain yourself"
PerTe-"Well, my Colonel, read this"
and he handed TO him the following letter,
every word of which is present TO my mem
ory:
MY good friend Pierre:
profit 10y the recruit Arnold, who is en-
gagged in your regiment, to send you this
lerler and silk purse which have made
for you. was obliged TO hide myself from
my father while / made it, for he continu-
ally ScOlds me for loving you 50 much, and
says you will not come back. You will
come Lack, won't you? But il you never
return / shall love you all the same.
promised myself TO you the day you pick
ed up my blue handkerchief at the dance
in Arenburg, and brought it back TO me.
When shall see you again? What makes
me happy is, that they say you are esteem
ed by your superlors and beloved by your
comrades. But you have still two years of
SSiNlNV. pSl luIOuSu lleul uulCk, lOr lneu
we will be married. Adieu, my good friend
Pierre. Your dear MARIE.
L. ). Try 10 send me something from
France, not that am afraid l shall forget
you, but that may wear it always. Kiss
what you send me. 1 am sure that shall
find the place of your kiss again."
When the letter was read Pierre resum-
ed. Arnold, said he, gave me this letter
last night when my billet of quarters was
received. All night ] could not seep. 1
thought Of the village and of Marie. She
asked me for something from France. 1
had no money; had pledged my pay for
three months for my brother and Consin,
who had returned home a lew days before.
| This morning when l arose 10 leave,
| opened my window. A blue handk erchief
was hanging on line; il resembled that OF
Marie's; it was the same color, the same
white stripes. l was weak enough to take
| ii and put IL in my sack. | went down in
to the street Irepented of what had done,
and was about returning to the house when
this woman ran after me. The handker-
chief was found upon me, that is the truth.
The capiIulation demands that I be shot.
Shoot me, but do not despise me-"
The Judges could not restrain their emo
| tion-but, Notwithstanding, when the vote
was taken, he was unanimously condemn
ed to death. He heard the verdict with
composure; then, approaching his Captain,
he begged him to lend him four francs.
The Captain gave them to him. l saw then
that he advanced toward the woman, to
whom the blue handkerchief had been re-
stored, and heard these words: "Msd-
anne, here are four francs; 1 don't know II
your handkerchief is worth any more, but
even If 1t should be, pay dear enough
for it, and you ought to excuse
me for the difference" Then taking the
handkerchief he kissed it and gave 1t tC
the Captain. "My Captain" said he, '.in
two years you will return to the noun
tains if yougo near to Arenburg ask for
Marie, and give her this blue handkerchief
but do not tel! her how 1 bought IT,"
He then knelt in prayer, and marched
with firm step 10 his execution.
1 retired then and entered the wood thai
might not witness this cruel tragedy. A
few musket shots apprised me that all was
over. 1 returned an hour afterward the
reg iment had departed all was quiet but
in skirting the edge of the wood TO regain
the road, perceived at few Steps before
me traces Of blood and heap of earth
freshly made. / took a branch of fir tree
and made a sort of cross; placed 1t on the
grave of poor Pierre, forgotten now by al
the world except myself and perhaps by
Marie.-1FGnsldted from the French for ht
Boston Journal
-"Anyting pite you deref" inquired
one fisherman Of another, whhe engaged in
angling. "No, noting at ALL" "Vell, re-