FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   10   11   12   13   14   15   16   17   18   19   20   21   22   23   24   25   26   27   28   29   30   31   32   33   34  
35   36   37   38   39   40   41   42   43   44   >>  
my anguish--and we joined our efforts to save the little victim.--Oh! it was too late! "The little boy had fastened his small clammy hands round a finger of each of us. He looked at us alternately; and seemed to ask, alike from his father and his murderer, that help which it was beyond the power of one of earth to give. The changes in the poor child's countenance showed that it had few minutes to live. Sometimes it lay so still I thought the last pang was over; when a slight convulsion would agitate its frame, and a momentary pressure of its little hands, would give the gasping father a short vain ray of hope. "You may believe, sir, that an old soldier, who has only been able to keep his own life at the expense of an eye and two of his limbs--who has lingered out many a weary day in a camp-hospital after a hot engagement--must have learnt to look on death without any unnecessary concern. I have sometimes wished for it myself; and often have felt thankful when my poor, wounded comrades have been released by it from pain. I have seen it, too, in other shapes. I have seen the death-blow dealt, when its effects have been so instant, that the brave heart's blood has been spilt, and the pulses have ceased to beat, while the streak of life and health was still fresh upon the cheek--when a smile has remained upon the lips of my brother-soldier, even after he had fallen a corpse across my path. But, oh! sir, what is all this compared with what I suffered as I watched life ebb slowly from the wound which I had myself so wantonly inflicted in the breast of a helpless, innocent child!--It was by mistake, by accident. Oh, yes! I know it, I know it well; and day and night I have striven to forget that hour. But it is of no use; the cruel recollection never leaves my mind--that piteous wail is ever in my ears!--The father's agony will follow me to the grave!"--_Legends of the Lib. at Lilies._ * * * * * THE PUBLIC JOURNALS. * * * * * THE CITADEL OF ANTWERP. (_From personal inspection, by a Contributor to the United Service Journal._) This spot, on which the eye of all Europe is at present concentrated, lies at the southern extremity of Antwerp, and forms one continued line with its defences along the banks of the Scheldt. It is a regular pentagon in shape, protected by bastions ranging at progressive elevations, and connecting themselves with curt
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   10   11   12   13   14   15   16   17   18   19   20   21   22   23   24   25   26   27   28   29   30   31   32   33   34  
35   36   37   38   39   40   41   42   43   44   >>  



Top keywords:
father
 

soldier

 

striven

 
accident
 

innocent

 

helpless

 
joined
 

mistake

 

forget

 
leaves

piteous

 

recollection

 

breast

 
victim
 
corpse
 

fallen

 

brother

 

efforts

 
slowly
 

wantonly


watched

 

compared

 

suffered

 

inflicted

 

continued

 

defences

 

Antwerp

 

concentrated

 

southern

 

extremity


Scheldt

 

regular

 
elevations
 

connecting

 

progressive

 
ranging
 

pentagon

 

protected

 

bastions

 

present


Europe

 

Lilies

 
anguish
 

PUBLIC

 

JOURNALS

 
Legends
 

remained

 
follow
 
CITADEL
 
Service