The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1881-06-29
The Boatman's Daughter.


In the memorable year 1911, when
the ailiel armies were concentrated
about Paris, a young lieutenant OF
dragons was engaged with three or
four Huagarians, who, after having
received several smart strokes from
his sabre, managed to send a ball
into his shoulder, to pierce his chest
with thrust from lance, and to
leave him ..,r dead on the bank of
the river.
On the opposite side of the stream,
a boatman and his daughter had
been watching this unequal fight
with tears of desperation. But what
could an old, unarmed man do, or
a pretty girl of sixteen ? However,
the old soldier-for such the boat
man was-had no sooner seen the
officer fall from his hores than he
and his daughter rowed most Wig or
ously for the other side. Then
when they haJ deposited the wound
ed man in their boat, these worthy
people crossed the river again, but
with faint hopes of reaching the
military hospital in time.
"You have been very hardly treat
ed. my boy" said the old guards
man to him; but here am |, who
have gone farthen still, and have
come home.'
The silent and fixed attitude of
Lieutenant s. showed the ex-
treme agony Of his pains and the
hardy boatman soon discovered
that the blood which was flowing
internally from the wound on his
left side would shortly terminate his
existence. He turned TO his youth
full daughter.
Mary" he said, you have heard
me tell of my brother; he died of
lust such a wound as this here.
Well, now, had there been somebody
by to suck the hurt, his life would
have been saved"
The boatman then landed, and
went to look for two or three sol
diers to help him to carry the Off
Ger, leaving his daughter iu charge
of him. The girl looked at the suf-
ferer for a second or two. What was
her emotion when she heard him
sigh SO deeply, not that he was re-
signing life in the first flower Of his
age, but that he should die without
mothers kiss.
my mother. my dear, dear
mother!n said he, Il die without"
Her woman's heart told her what
he would have said. Her bosom
heaved with sympathy, and her
eyes ran over.
Then she remembered what her
father had said; she thought how
her uncle's life might have been saw
ed. In an instant, she tore open
the officers coat, and the generous
girl recalled him to life with her
lips.
Amid this holy occupation foot
steps were heard, and the blushing
heroine fled to the other end of the
boat. Judge of her fathers surprise
when he came up with two soldiers,
and saw Lieutenant s., whom
he expected to find dead, open his
eyes and ask for his deliverer.
The boatman looked at his child
and saw it all. The poor girl came
to him with her head bent down.
She was about to excuse herself,
when her father, embracing her
with enthusiasm, raised her spirits,
and the officer thanked her in these
prophetic words.
"You have saved my life it be-
longs to you"
After this she tended him and be
came his nurse; nothing would he
take but from her hand. No won
der that with such nurse he soon
recovered. Mary was as pretty as
she was good.
Meanwhile Master Cupid, who is
very busy in such cases, gave him
another wound, and there was only
one way to cure it-so very deep. il
was
The boatman's daughter became
Madame S..
/ Her husband rose to be a lieuten-
ant-general, and the boatman'
daughter became elegant and grace
full as any lady of the court of Louis
| Philippe.