The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1889-05-02

of us that il dead.
Philippe and had never been sepa.
rated until lac entered Saint Cyr. ! had
leen rejected and my grief was terrible
10 witness.
Ny mother, the holy cgotist, was
pleased at IT, You can guess why.
Ny father. chief of battalion. had been
killed at SoIgeYino Ny sister. Eve years
our senior. had been married at lG 10 q
young physician who had just settled IN
the west
Ny mother was thus left alone, az from
pccuniary reasons sho had been obliged
to consent to our being educated at Pry
lance dc IA flecho.
Perhaps, but for the outbreak Of the
WARMTH Germany might have realized
her dream. which was to have one Of IL
study law and become magistrate, 80
that we could live near her But the
blood Of soldier courscd through our
veins. and as soon az war was declared !
volunteered in Philippe's regiment
Never were twins more entirely alike
than We. There was absolutely nothing
% distinguish us-that is nothing but a
difference in intellect learned far less
easily than he. but Of course that could
not bc known by any outward sign. IN
aii other respects We were exactly alike
As children our parents only told "
apart by the color Of our cravats. Al
Ia Floche the matriculatiou humber or
our clothes answered the same purpose.
ID was only when ] was alone in the
small room hired from the little tailor
at Cologne. that had time To reflect ON
an the consequences of my assuming my
brothers. identity.
really became forger by appropri
ating a rank TO which | had no right.
and allowing certificate Of death to be
entered in the books of the Fiat Civhe
that was incorrect.
had received a letter from my heart
broken mother asking for details of my
own death. of which She had been IN
formed The peasants had found the lit
DE book containing my official description
in the room where we had been lighting
MS well as "a letter had received from my
sister. and Goth had been sent TO ml
brother inlaw. the physician. who the
next day learned the sad story Of the H.
covered articles. They said that l had
been carefully buried in the little grave
yard of Elsasshausen, and that when the
war was over my relatives could come t.
pray at my grave, or have my remains
rcinterrod near them.
The crime that had committed at the
request Of my poor dead brother weighed
on me heavily. was eager 10 return o.
France that ! might give up that portion
Of tine rcgimental funds that had been
cOnfided 10 me, and to establish my iden
tity.
ST last The day arrived, and one morn
ng in the month OF April, 1871, l rang
at the door Of the prett, house at Lisieu2
occupied Toy my aunt, a mauufacturer's
widow. and my charming cousin Odette.
with whom my mother had found @
home during the war
April was exceptionally fine that yeai
and the garden was rich IN floral treas.
urt@
AL at once two voices cried out in uni
sou
philippe. my Philippe"
I was Just in time 10 catch my poor
mamma and Odette in my arms as they
came near sWooning away. They claspcd
me fcvcrishiv. almost wildly, in thrn
embrace, as If some ono was trying e.
snatch me from them.
Then Odeue started back, leaving me
Go my mother. who strained me ln hel
arms gazcd at me, again embraced age.
and then suddenly exclaimed:
"Sec. Odctte, how they have used him
He's only shadow What "a terrible
thing is war, and in what a condition II /
sends back those whom it does not Kill T
They slaughtered my Maurice. and sec
what they have done with Philippe on
my fine stalwart boys. All! the aSsas /
.insl You are not going back again /
YOU understand, won't have you In an I
other butchery in Paris yonder"
BE calm, dear mother, my regimen
ia being reorganized at Hayre and We
shall not have 10 march against the Com
mune.
Sine turned TO my cousin.
"Come. Odctte, am not jealous he is .
vours too. ALI Philippe, love her wei. .
If YOU onlg knew how she has wcpt and /
prayed fof yoa.'
At that moment / remembered some /
thing: Philippe and Odette adored each
other and had sworn that they would re
main faithful Must l also steal This
childs love?
What should do? Must cry out, 81
am deceiving you BOTH am robbing
YOU dear mother, Of your sacred grief
and you Of your affection, dear young
girl
80 far as my mother was concerned II
would only be a transfer Of sorrow from
one beloved object to another, but in the
case Of Odette it would be death blow
therefore continued to play the part
Of Philippe His dear personality IN
which which had ROBBED myself. burnt
me like the shirt Of Nessus. 1t seemed
10 me that could see him starting from
his grave az Elsasshausen ard crying
Enough Give me back my uniform,
INV hancee. my mothers sorrow Give
me back myself rotAer"
All 90 once--it is only women who arc
subject 10 TINS sudden change Of ideas.
but those who were living 40 that period
will understand tall at once my mott.
er exclamei:
"Nou are hungry, are yon not You
have been hungry the last nine months
NV hands must have the pleasure OF pre-.
pairing the first repast which you are e
enjoy Remain with Odette. You must
have many things To say to each other.
1.-THE Young girls face became illum
med as with a spring aurora. She tooh
nay arm and pressed IL.
ooh. my beloved What a day is this
II seems to me as if you had arisen from
the dcad!'
turned pale and gazed at her wildly
letting the arm that she was holding fall
mort