The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1893-10-18

The fortunes of France arc on tho vcrue
of ruin, and you nave no other care than
to realize your future. To morrow the
enemy will he at our gates, and YOU strap
up your valise are. m like coward 1t
was not enopgiaRye plunged your
family into moofI ~.pair. You
must infict this by1l.Hoo, upon theml'
a quick blush rose 10 his forehead. A
light shonc in his eyes
"Pardon, monsieur, pardon. These
are very grand worus, it seems TO me,
You are too young aud am too old for
us TO understand each other. ain not
running away. l am goi1g away. There
is nothing here to keep me. Paris does
not interest me. u is only lust that she
should be punishcG. As for my family,
they are safe enough from the dangers
of war; and do not see why | should
be forbidden to seek for myself, in Brus-
sells, or in Londsu or Florence, the
peace and security they enjoy in Brit
tany."
My heart was sick and disgusted. !
turned awny, whom suddealv Jean
started with surprise. Listen" he
said. 1 listened, an-l hrarI a rt.anga
music the tones ofI"hich, vague Mt first
aud indistinct, gtcT louder and seemed
to be coming tOward us. | looked, too,
as listened. | saw beyond the bridge
OF Solfcrino an Immense crowd, who
came on singing 1t was a slow, grave
| chant, almost religious, and had nothing
in common with the bursts Of song to
which we wcrc RCcus omcd Jean
leaned against the parapct. | saw that
nc was very par. In the mean
tinn fhn
! nearer and ncarct. and became lcss
and less contused. Now, | rccog-
lied the ch0W de = Brci0gHc and then
sound of the 6jniO the JGr|cs mo6ies
OF Finlstcrrc were entering Paris. The
TUT or crmine in t"tir milit"ry caps, the
gray cloth uniforms, the knapsack
strapped behind, TIL all about them as
they advance with correct and firm
step, marching by platoons and filling
the whole width Of the guai. At their
head ON horseback rides the chief of the
battalion; behind h'm, tho chaplain and
two lieutenants. The head of the col
umn is now only few steps from us 1t
is my turn to he startled. look at Jean.
His hand falls upon mine. "My father!
Ny two brothers" he says in low
voice. And lie sees passing before him,
under their most strISing forms, the ctcr-
nal truths that he has so long disowned
or forgotten God, country, duty and
family The long pageant of his honest
and noble days detilcs before him singing
as the troops go by. gave him the last
blow. On ono of he balconies Of th>
gu have just seen his mother.
"Iou unfortunate fellow" | exclaim.
"Iou said there werc no longer any wo.
men. Look, there is one; do you recog-
nize herr"
Madame de Thommcray waves her
handkerchief, the Breton chant redoubies
ih fcrvor, and the chief of the battalion,
Wl,a the courtesy OF a knightly gentle
man bows in his saddle and salutes her
win his sword. Mutt aud motionless,
win sad eyes and dryieyelids. Jean seems
turned to stone. leave him to the
merry of God. EA
The neSt day. ntthe courtyard of
the LNuvre, the Commandant dc Thom-
meray oa. ~ the roll of his battalion.
The call finished, he passed down the
ranks, when soldier stepped out and
said:
"Commandant, one of your men was
forgotten"
What is your name"
My name Is jean, answered the vol
unteer, lowering hs eyes.
"Who are you
"a man who has lived badly"
"What do you wish"
'ro die we'll
Are you rich or pooi?'
yesterday | posse scd an ill gotten
fortune. | have resigned it voluntarily.
| have now only my muskct and my
knapsack."
That is we'll And with a gesture
he ordered the young man To return to
the ranks. There was long silence. The
Commandant had again taken his place
in front of the battalion ".Ican de
ThomniC15Jm he called out. 4 manly
voice answered: "I'f>Seat" From the
French of Jules Sandcau