382 THE YOUTHS’ CABINET.

when the Duke of Wellington rushed
before their firelocks, and commanded a
momentary pause while he addressed the
prisoner: “ You have offended against
the laws of God, of honor, and of vir-
tue—the grave is open before you—in a
fow short moments your soul will appear
before its Maker—your prosecutor com-
plains of your sentence—the man whom
you have robbed would plead for your
life, and is horror-struck with the rapidity
of your judgment. You are a soldier,
you have been brave, and, as report says,
until now, even virtuous. Speak bold-
ly !—in the face of heaven, and as a sol-
dier of an army devoted to virtue and
good order, declare now your own feel-
ings as to your sentence.” “ General,”
said the man, “retire, and let my com-
rades do their duty; when a soldier for-
gets his honor, life becomes disgraceful,
and an immediate punishment is due as
an example to the army—fire.” “ You
have spoken nobly,” said the duke, with
a tear in his eye. “ You have saved your
life—how can I destroy a repentant sin-
ner, whose words are of greater value to
the troops than his death would be!
Soldiers, bear this in mind, and may &
sense of honor always deter you from
infamy.” The troops rent the air with
huzzas, and the criminal fell prostrate be-
fore the duke.

by this firm. How Jong do you think it
would take a man, reader? Supposing
he was two minutes in performing one of
the changes, he would have to live until
he was nearly fourteen millions of years
old, before he got through with his task.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
  
 

——

Anecdote of the Duke of Wellington.

urine the campaign of the allied
troops in Paris, a French citizen,

who was returning from the coun-

try through the Champs Elysees,

where the troops were encamped, was
robbed of his watch by a sergeant in the
British army. Complaint was immedi-
ately made to the commanding officer,
and the troops were paraded before the
Frenchman, who was thus enabled to sin-
gle out the offender. A court-martial
was held, and the criminal condemned to
die on the following morning. As early
as four o'clock, the whole of the allied
army was assembled in the Bois de Bou-
- logne, near Paris, where the prisoner was
to undergo the sentence. The charge
upon which he had been tried and con-
victed was read aloud, and the unfortu-
nate man prepared for the presence of an
offended Maker. Not a murmur Fan
through the ranks. The justice of the
decree was acknowledged by every sol-
dier; and if the short lapse of time be-
tween the offence and its solemn expiation
excited feelings of terror, they were min-
gled with respect for the stern severity
of their commander. The drums beat,
and the black flag waves mournfully in
the air. ‘The ministers of justice had

 

Never hold Malice.

Oh! never “hold malice ;” it poisons our life

With the gall-drop of hate and the night-shade
of strife.

Let us scorn what we must, and despise where

4 ‘ . we may,
raised the engines of destruction, and the | But let anger, like sunlight, go down with the
fatal word “ Fire” was half ejaculated, day.