The Durham recorder. [volume] (Durham, N.C.) 1879-19??, 1890-01-08
tune and resources of each. With
the old woman, who was known to
be rich they placed four.

they We're tour Dig, ilgnt- lllteu,
blue-eyed fellows, who had kept
their flesh in spite Of the fatigue
which they had eadured, and their
good nature, although in conquer
ed country. Alone at this aged
woman's house, they were very
thoughtful Of her, saving her all the
satigue and expense that they could.
Ali four were to be seen making
their toilets around the well, in the
morning, in their sliir sleeves. wet
ting their pinL-wh.te .iesh charac-
teristlc Of men of the North with
an abundance Of water, in the,raw,
snowy air, while Mother Savage
came and went, preparing the soup.
Thea they were seen cleaning the
kitchen, securing the floors, chop
ping wood, peeling potatoes, wash
ing Linen, fulfilling all the house,
hold duties, like four good sous
around their mother. ~
But the old womau thought con-
tinually of her own boy, with his
tall, thin igpre, hooked nose, brown
eyes, and big nous ache. Every
day she asked each Of the soldiers
installed at her fireside:
do you kuow which way the
Twenty-Third french Regiment
went? NV boy belongs to it,
They answered: No, not at all. "
And understanding her pain and
anxiety, because they had mothers
of tleir own, they bestowed upon
her a thousand little cares. Besides
she was very fond Of her four enc
mics; for peasants seldom feel the
PAT .iotic hatred; that is monopolized
by the upper classes. The humble
those who pay the most because
they are the poorest and whom every
new burden overwhelms; those who
are killed in masses. forming be-
cause Of their numbers real food fol
cannon; those, in short, who suffer
the most cruelty from the atrociou:
miseries of war, because they are
the weakest and least able to resist
seldom understand the belicsse ardor
the eIcitable feeling of honor, and
the pretended political combination.
which in six months exhaust two
nations, the victors as well as the
vanqulshed. The neighbors said
speaking Of Mother Sayage's Ter,
mans:
There are four Who have founC
a home" But one morning, Will,
the old woman was alone in hel
cottage, she saw at a distance owe
the plains man coming toward he
dwelling. Soon she recognized hin
as the letter-carrier. He handed he
a folded paper, aud she drew frou
their case the spectacles which shl
used in sewing; then she read:
| MADAM SAyAGE.-This bring
you sad news. Your boy Victor wa
killed yesterday BY a cannon bal
that cut hun ia two. | was stand
ling near, for we marched side b.
side in the company and he hal
asked me to notify you in case an,
misfortune should befall him.
bave taken possession Of bis watcl
in order to restore it to you at tn
END Of the wal. salute you as
friend. CESAR RivoT,
Soldier Of The I'd class in Tie 2Gd o
Ithe Eae.
! The letter bore date Of thre
weeks before. She did not weet
She remained motionless, 50 strucI
and stupIied that as yet she did ne
even suffer. She thought: "There'
Victor killed now." Tncn gradual
the tears rose TO her eyes, and glie
invaded her heart. One by one idea
came to her, frightening and tor
turing her. Never more would sh
embrace her child, her big boy, ne,
er more! The gendarmes had kills
the father, the Prussians bad kille
the son. lie had been cut in two b
a cannon-ball. Aud il seemed /
Iher that she saw the horrible sigh
1.-THE head falling, the eyes opeI
while he bit tie corner Of his Di
moustache, as he had been wont I
lido when angry.
II But what had they done with b
, body? II they had only restore
lher her child, as they had restore
! Iher her husband with the bullet /
| | the middle Of his forehead! But I'll
: heard the sound Of voices. IL WI
/. 1.-THE prussians returning from II
J village. She quickly hid the lett,
lin her pocket, and received the
/ tranqunly with her usual face ha,
81 ing had time TO wipe her eyes.
II ALI four laughing with deligh
!. for they brought with them a fiji
Q rabit, stolen doubtless, and th,
: made signs 10 the old woman thI