Vendean Servant
:
Presence Of Mind.
An unexampled instance of self-devotion and presence of
mind was manifested by a maidservant, during the war in La Vendee. "The
wife of Lepinai, a general in the Vendean army, was imprisoned at Nantes,
and attended by a young girl, a native of Chatellerault, so faithfully
attached to the service of her mistress that she had followed her to
prison. One day the soldiers arrived to summon the prisoners who were
destined to death: this faithful girl heard Madame Lepinai called, who had
but an instant before retired to her chamber. Glad of the opportunity of
saving the life of her beloved mistress, she presented herself, and
answered to the name. The affectionate creature was instantly led away with
the other prisoners, and precipitated among the waves of the Loire, in
place of Madame Lepinai."