-
Articles/Ads
Article THE DESERTER. Page 1 of 3 →
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The Deserter.
THE DESERTER .
IN one of the dungeons of Potsdam were seated three persons : the first , a young soldier scarce eighteen , whose jacket , stripped of its facings , told that the sentence of the court-martial hacl already passed—a sentence which , for his offence ( that of desertion ) Frederick the Great seldom inclined to mercy . Beside him was seated a female , her hands clasped in convulsive firmness ; her lips quivering with suppressed emotion ; the tears
streaming unconsciously from her eyes , which were rivetted , with mournful tenderness , upon the prisoner , soon to he led forth to death . The third inmate of that dreary cell was the chaplain of the prison , whose selfpossessed yet mild demeanour , told that long familiarity with scenes of wretchedness , while it had enabled him to suppress all outward demonstration of sorrow , had not blunted his heart to the miseries of his fellowcreatures .
" Fritz ! " exclaimed the heart-broken mother , " this is not the spirit in which a Christian should meet death : listen to the exhortation of God ' s minister . " " Mother , I am innocent , " replied the youth . "My captain gave me permission to absent myself two days , the very night before he fell , but my judges would not believe me . " " I believe you , " sobbed the heart-broken parent ; " but is the injustice
of man an excuse for neglect of Heaven . Though guiltless of this one fault , how many thousands are unatoned—are unrepented of ? and you would die in this hardened spirit?—the sense of human injury is stronger than the sense of human sinfulness . Hear , Fritz , " she continued , " bend thy stubborn knees . When your poor father died you were an infant , helpless and sickly—I forgot myself , hushed my own griefs to remember you . I commanded back my tears , stifled my sighs ,
divorced my grief from your father ' s grave , and lived through many a grievous hour because thou didst live . "Twas a bitter grief ; but , oh ! ' twas happiness to this . My boy , my thoughts grow frantic when I behold thee blotted fro m the book of life ! Bend , hend thy stubborn knees and ask for mercy . " " Mother ! " exclaimed the young soldier , his frame writhing with emotion" spare me . "
, "Spare me , and save thyself , " answered the unhappy woman ; "humble thy haughty spirit ; nor deem , that because an unjust sentence has heen pronounced against thee , thou mayest unprepared stand before the judgment seat of the Most High . " Fritz , whose face was covered with his hands , wept bitterly—his sobs were audible .
" Blest tears ! ' exclaimed the priest , " they are the harbingers of contrition—the penitential waters of the soul , which cleanse it from impurities . " The rest of the night was passed in prayer and religious exercise . The unhappy youth was brought to feel that earthly injustice was no expiation for his offences against Heaven , and that ere he could look for pardon from his offended Creator , he must endeavour to merit it by penitence and prayer . '' Mother , " said the youth , after his feelings had been soothed by the hope ivhich so lately was a stranger to his breast , " I thank thee—thou
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The Deserter.
THE DESERTER .
IN one of the dungeons of Potsdam were seated three persons : the first , a young soldier scarce eighteen , whose jacket , stripped of its facings , told that the sentence of the court-martial hacl already passed—a sentence which , for his offence ( that of desertion ) Frederick the Great seldom inclined to mercy . Beside him was seated a female , her hands clasped in convulsive firmness ; her lips quivering with suppressed emotion ; the tears
streaming unconsciously from her eyes , which were rivetted , with mournful tenderness , upon the prisoner , soon to he led forth to death . The third inmate of that dreary cell was the chaplain of the prison , whose selfpossessed yet mild demeanour , told that long familiarity with scenes of wretchedness , while it had enabled him to suppress all outward demonstration of sorrow , had not blunted his heart to the miseries of his fellowcreatures .
" Fritz ! " exclaimed the heart-broken mother , " this is not the spirit in which a Christian should meet death : listen to the exhortation of God ' s minister . " " Mother , I am innocent , " replied the youth . "My captain gave me permission to absent myself two days , the very night before he fell , but my judges would not believe me . " " I believe you , " sobbed the heart-broken parent ; " but is the injustice
of man an excuse for neglect of Heaven . Though guiltless of this one fault , how many thousands are unatoned—are unrepented of ? and you would die in this hardened spirit?—the sense of human injury is stronger than the sense of human sinfulness . Hear , Fritz , " she continued , " bend thy stubborn knees . When your poor father died you were an infant , helpless and sickly—I forgot myself , hushed my own griefs to remember you . I commanded back my tears , stifled my sighs ,
divorced my grief from your father ' s grave , and lived through many a grievous hour because thou didst live . "Twas a bitter grief ; but , oh ! ' twas happiness to this . My boy , my thoughts grow frantic when I behold thee blotted fro m the book of life ! Bend , hend thy stubborn knees and ask for mercy . " " Mother ! " exclaimed the young soldier , his frame writhing with emotion" spare me . "
, "Spare me , and save thyself , " answered the unhappy woman ; "humble thy haughty spirit ; nor deem , that because an unjust sentence has heen pronounced against thee , thou mayest unprepared stand before the judgment seat of the Most High . " Fritz , whose face was covered with his hands , wept bitterly—his sobs were audible .
" Blest tears ! ' exclaimed the priest , " they are the harbingers of contrition—the penitential waters of the soul , which cleanse it from impurities . " The rest of the night was passed in prayer and religious exercise . The unhappy youth was brought to feel that earthly injustice was no expiation for his offences against Heaven , and that ere he could look for pardon from his offended Creator , he must endeavour to merit it by penitence and prayer . '' Mother , " said the youth , after his feelings had been soothed by the hope ivhich so lately was a stranger to his breast , " I thank thee—thou