The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1889-07-06
his had been rent. Such was the re-
vengeful feelings of his heart.

shed. He now stands on the thresh.
old of the rich house. He now strides
through porch filled with flowers.
Flowers in the midst of this bloody
massacre! But whence comes it that
the zouave hesitates ? Close to the
flowers some children's playthings
are Iying-tin soldiers, a sword and
a copper cannon, the uniform of a
little four year old artilleryman.
Little children have here been re.
hearsing the tragedy which their
father has been playing! Victor
goes on he penetrates into the draw.
hing-room, which had been abandoned
In <ssigts slsi<H d b III b =. s. 1 IS I'd St
casts a triumphrnt glance on the
treasures which the owners could not
take with them-a rich booty for the
soldier, if they had not murdered his
brother!
He was on the point of calling in
his comrades to plunder, when he
heard heartrending cry above him.
a shell had fallen into the upper
story of the house. The zouave has
tened up and saw in a room, in the
midst of the ruins caused by the ex.
D!osion. a young mother. apparently
dead, and child in her arms.
"The Door boy !" cried Victor hor-
rified at the sight. and he forgot
everything-his dead brother, his re-
venge. the victory, Sebastopol and
the itch booty. He hastens to the
help OF the mother-he, who never
remembers to have had a mother
himself-he seeks to restore her to
life. But all his efforts to restore her
to life are vain.
Come" he says to himself, sit is
no good; nothing will help her.
Now, let me see to saving the child"
and he looks at the little boy, who
has fallen to the ground and stares
with terror at his dead mother and
his unknown enemy.
The Zouave sought for the victor's
reward. There it is before him To
protect an innocent lite to give a
father to an orphan. He who had
himself been an orphan from his
birth. But what does he discover as
he takes up the child, and whence
comes his confusion? He had seen
On the table gildedl helmet, and on
the helmet the black eagle and the
crest which he had seen on the officer
who had slew his brother.
This, then, is his wife whom he
has before his eyes-this is his son
whom he is about to savel Victor,
who has overcome the cholera and
faced death in a thousand forms,
sinks down upon chair. He strug-
giles in terrible conflict with HIM
self, his sword seems to move at his
side and his musket seems to cry
Fire !" But another figure stood
between him and his slain brother
that of the dead mother of the child,
who seemed to be kneeling before
him with clasped hands.
''Oh ! am sufficiently avenged I!
No cruelty !" the zouave exclaims,
springing up, and then these words
come into his mind: Whatsoever
ye do unto one of these little ones ye
do ii unto me-" And with gentle
hands he took. up the little child,
whose father had killed Charles Car
bine, and bearing him close to his
heart he passed with Indifference by
the silver plate without needing the
jewels and rich dresses,
On the evening of that day the
zouaye returned with the little Rus.
sian in his arms to his tent, and pre-
pared for him as good supper as he
could, and his rough comrades We'd
with each other in providing for
"the little eagle" and preparing him
a nest as soft as that of his mother.
Several months had passed since
these events. Peace was signed at
Paris, and Victor Caxabine, with his
comrades. had returned to the capl-
tai, taking the "young black eagle"
with them.