Touching Recognition.—­Some years ago, in making a new communication between two shafts of a mine at Fahkin, the capital of Delecarlia, the body of a miner was discovered by the workmen in a state of perfect preservation, and impregnated with vitriolic water.  It was quite soft, but hardened on being exposed to the air.  No one could identify the body:  it was merely remembered that the accident, by which he had thus been buried in the bosom of the earth, had taken place above fifty years ago.  All enquiries about the name of the sufferer had already ceased, when a decrepid old woman, supported on crutches, slowly advanced towards the corpse, and knew it to be that of a young man to whom she had been promised in marriage more than half a century ago.  She threw herself on the corpse, which had all the appearance of a bronze statue, bathed it with her tears, and fainted with joy at having once more beheld the object of her affections.  One can with difficulty realize the singular contrast afforded by that couple—­the one buried above fifty years ago, still retaining the appearance of youth; while the other, weighed down by age, evinced all the fervency of youthful affections.

Family Sacrifice.—­During the French revolution, Madame Saintmaraule, with her daughter, and a youth, her son, not yet of age, were confined in prison and brought to trial.  The mother and daughter behaved with resolution, and were sentenced to die; but of the youth no notice was taken, and he was remanded to prison.  “What!” exclaimed the boy, “am I then to be separated from my mother?  It cannot be!” and immediately he cried out, “Vive le Roi!” In consequence of this, he was condemned to death, and, with his mother and his sister, was led out to execution.

Expedient of Conjugal Affection.—­Napoleon used to relate an anecdote shewing the conjugal affection of some women who accompanied his troops when he was at Col de Tende.  To enter this mountainous and difficult country, it was necessary for the soldiers to pass over a narrow bridge, and, as the enterprise was a hazardous one, Napoleon had given orders that no women should be permitted to cross it with them.  To enforce this order, two captains were stationed on the bridge with instructions, on pain of death, not to suffer a woman to pass.  The passage was effected, and the troops continued their march.  When some miles beyond the bridge, the Emperor was greatly astonished at the appearance of a considerable number of women with the soldiers.  He immediately ordered the two captains to be put under arrest, intending to have them tried for a breach of duty.  The prisoners protested their innocence, and stoutly asserted that no women had crossed the bridge.  Napoleon, on hearing this, commanded that some of the women should be brought before him, when he interrogated them on the subject.  To his utter surprise they readily acknowledged that the captains had not betrayed their trust, but that a contrivance of their own had brought them into their present situation.  They informed Napoleon, that having taken the provisions, which had been prepared for the support of the army, out of some of the casks, they had concealed themselves in them, and by this stratagem succeeded in passing the bridge without discovery.