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The Five. Franc Piece.
TOWAEDS the end of the month of December, 1849, a
young soldier, -with that frank and honest miea one BO
much loves to meet -with, presented himself at the military
post-office in the street of the Corso at Kome, to exchange a
modest five franc piece for an order of the same value.
"Towhomuo you wish to send this little order?" asked
M. Lambelin, an excellent man, who then filled the office of
post-master as well as pay-master to the army.
" To my old mother," replied the young man.
"For her new year's gift, I suppose?"
"Yes, sir."
"That is right, comrade, a new year's gift from a good son,
brings happiness to him who gives, as well as to her who re-
ceives it. What is your name ? "
"Bois."
" Of what regiment? "
" The 25th, 5th division."
"From what country, are you ? '
"From the department of Cher."
" Where does your mother live? "
" At Communs, near Aubigny."
"Tour name is not unknown to me, for, if I mistake not, you
have before this, brought me the fruits of your little savings ? "
"Little, you may well call them, sir, for it takes some time
for a poor trooper to save a five franc piece from a pay of five
centimes a day."
"
This saving seems to me impossible."
"Nothing more true, sir, nevertheless.
the happiness
I have already had
to send my poor mother a sum of seventy
francs."
"
Seventy francs ? In what time ? "
" In two years, during which I have had the honor of serving
my country. "
" Your calculation seems to me incorrect, for a sou put by
each day, would only produce, at the end of two years, thirtysix
francs fifty centimes; how then do you come by the difference
? And how have you been able to bring me so often these
"
sums, out of your ordinary pay?
"
Nothing is easier, sir; I have done what I do now every
time an opportunity offers. In the day, I mount guard or do
some service for comrades richer than myself; at night, I mend
tell us all sorts of things about the country we are now living
in. On another day, I go to the Trinite'-du-Mont, where tho
good religious make us sing hymns, which reminds me of my
own village church. Then sometimes to the Catacombs, or to
the Forum, where a bishop, Monseignenr Lucquet, who calls
us his children, relates to us curious histories of past times.
It appears, sir, that the ancient Romans were famous troopers
in their day, as they say of the French in our times. These
amusements are better than those of the tavera. "
"That is quite true, comrade, your conduct is worthy of all
praise. "
" Praise for doing what is right! oh no; but now, sir, will
you allow me to take leave of you, for duty calls me to my
quarters. Adieu, sir."
"Adieu, my friend."
n.
Whilst this conversation was going on at the military postoffice,
the frequenters of the table-d'h6te of the hotel Minerva,
the best hotel in Rome, kept by M. Save, the best host in the
world, remarked the prolonged absence of the pay-master, who
was generally noted f r his punctuality.
"Lambelin is quite a lambin* this morning," said the
colonel, in a forced tone, which contrasted with the burst of
laughter occasioned by his bad joke.
" No doubt he has received to-ni^ht a wagon load of French
coin," answered Robin, since dead at Versailles.
" Lambelin's chest is the very Pactolus of the army," added
Lacauchie.
" A famous torrent,
"
indeed, that ! said another colonel,
now a
"
geuend of brigade, it is a pity it is so often dry, and
that we cannot dip our fingers in when we like."
From one end of the table to the other there was kept up a
running fire of bon-mots, repartees, and jokes, seasoned <
that gaie'y which a French party knows so well how to
up; till at last Lambelin entered the room, his arrival being
greeted by a burst of applause.
"What news do you bring ? " was shouted out.
"I will tell you at dessert, it will make you relish your
coffee better," answered Lambelin. And at dessert the paymaster
told the story of the soldier Bois, relating what the
reader has just heard.
" The conduct of this soldier is as beautiful as it is rare ;"
said a superior officer, the president of the party; "I will
make enquiry as to Bois' behavior since he has been in the
army, and if it answers to the good opinion we already have
of him, we will come to his aid and do something for his old
mother." This suggestion was received with enthusiasm.
The report of virtuous actions, though not spreading BO
quickly as that of scandalous ones, nevertheless gets abroad
sometimes pretty soon. The history of the soldier Buis had
their trousers, shirts or gaiters."
"In this manner then you unite the duties of a soldier and
the profession of a tailor ? "
"This employment brings me every day a few centimes,
which I c&refully hoard up until I can change them into a
already
round piece like this."
"
"You never go then to the tavern?
"Never."
" "
Then you don't like wine?
" "
I like my mother better.
' ' But some recreation is necessary now and then in the
laborious life of a soldier."
" And I am far from depriving myself of it."
" "
Where do you take it ?
" That is as it happens. One day, perhaps, at Saint Louis,
the parish of the French in Borne, where the worthy priests
arrived at the Caf6 Neuf, where after breakfasting at
the hotel Minerva, it was the custom to take a cup of mocha.
About twenty officers were playing billiards in the gardens of
the establishment, for the benefit of the hero of the morning.
The Caf6 Nuovo had just changed its name for the Caf Militaire.
Those of you my readers who are ignorant of the cause
of this transformation will no doubt like to know it.
In the early days of the French occupation, two officers presented
themselves at the CaftS Neuf, then one of the greatest
resorts of the Italian demagogues. It was there, during thn o
mouths, that plots were formed against the million y of tli .t
holy Pontiff, who had inaugurated his reign, by the ni
act of peneral amnesty. The democratic Romans.
tinued from custom to frequent this establishment, no-v become
a place of re-union for the French officers, recen
two visitors in silence, but at the same tiaie witli nuequivo'al
signs of antipathy. The landlord of the cite, advancing to-
wards our two countrymen, thus addressed them.
" "
What do you desire ?
* Jjiiuibm a UmvUIo.
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