n of your own general."

Seeing that I had not heard before of him, she paused for a few seconds
in amazement, and then muttered, "A brave school to train the youth
of France it must be where the name of La Tour d' Auvergne was never
mentioned!"

Having thus vented her indignation, she proceeded to tell me of her
hero, who, though descended from one of the most distinguished families
of France, yet persisted in carrying his musket in the ranks of the
Republican army, never attaining to a higher grade, nor known by any
other title than the "Premier Grenadier de la France." Foremost in every
post of danger, the volunteer at every emergency of more than ordinary
peril, he refused every proffer of advancement, and lived among his
comrades the simple life of a soldier.

"He fell at Neuburg," said mademoiselle, "scarce a day's march from
here; they buried him on the field, and placed him dead, as he had been
ever while living, with his face towards the enemy. And you never heard
of him? _Juste Ciel!_ it is almost incredible. You never brigaded with
the Forty-fifth of the line; that 's certain."

"And why so?"

"Because they call his name at every parade muster as though he were
still alive and well. The first man called is La Tour d' Auvergne, and
the first soldier answers, 'Mort sur le champ de bataille.' That 's a
prouder monument than your statues and tombstones--is it not?"

"Indeed it is," said I, to whom the anecdote was then new, though I
afterwards lived to hear it corroborated in every respect.

With many such traits of the service did mademoiselle beguile the
time,--now telling of the pleasant life of the cantonment; now of the
wild scenes of the battlefield. Young as she was, she had seen much of
both, and learned around the bivouac fires the old traditions of the
Revolutionary armies, and the brave deeds of the first veterans of
France. In such narratives, too, her own enthusiastic nature burst
forth in all its vehemence: her eyes would sparkle, and her words come
rapidly, as she described some fierce attack or headlong charge; and it
was impossible to listen without catching up a portion of her ardor, so
wrapped up did she herself become in the excitement of her story.

Thus one evening, while describing the passage of the Adige, after
detailing most circumstantially the position and strength of the
attacking columns, and describing how each successive advance was
repulsed by the murderous fire of the ar