in the world may go to the devil
before I'll stop smoking." Here he struck his finger with the steel,
and, shaking the smarting hand, "This is a judgment," thought he; "for
it isn't exactly true, after all."

At last autumn came on, and George was pronounced unfit for military
service. Some other farmers' boys had imitated his trick by pulling out
their front teeth, so as to make themselves unable to bite open the
cartridges; but the military commission regarded this as intentional
self-mutilation, while that of George, from its serious character, was
pronounced a misfortune. The toothless ones were taken into the carting
and hauling service, and so compelled to go to the wars, after all.
With defective teeth they had to munch the hard rations of the
soldiers' mess; and at last they were made to bite the dust,--which,
indeed, they could have done as well without any teeth at all.

In the beginning of October, the French general Moreau made good his
famous retreat across the Black Forest. A part of his army passed
through Nordstetten: it was spoken of for several days before. There
was fear and trembling in all the village, and none knew which way to
turn. A hole was dug in every cellar, and every thing valuable
concealed. The girls took off their strings of garnets with the silver
medallions, and drew their silver rings from their fingers, to bury
them. All went unadorned, as if in mourning. The cattle were driven
into a secluded ravine near Eglesthal. The boys and girls looked at
each other sadly when the approaching foe was mentioned: many a young
fellow sought the handle of his knife, which peeped out of his
side-pocket.

The Jews were more unfortunate than any others. Rob a farmer of every
thing you can carry away, and you must still leave him his field and
his plough; but all the possessions of the Jews are movables,--money
and goods: they, therefore, trembled doubly and trebly. The Jewish
Rabbi--a shrewd and adroit man--hit upon a lucky expedient. He placed a
large barrel of red wine, well inspirited with brandy, before his
house, and a table with bottles and glasses beside it, for the unbidden
guests to regale themselves. The device succeeded to perfection,--the
more so as the French were rather in a hurry.

In fact, the storm passed over, doing much less damage than was
expected. The villagers collected in large groups to view the passing
troops. The cavalry came first, then a long column of infantry.

Han