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slowly trickling down the care worn cheeks of the poor woman told eloquently the tale of anguish and despair that was working in her breast. A young man whose uniform was that of one of the free Corps raised in the Navarra for the service of the Queen was standing by her side. One arm was leaning upon his gun whilst his other hand pressed that of the woman who was sitting at his feet. The paleness of his features the dark flashing of his eyes and his under lip which he bit convulsively easily told the violence of the inner emotions with which he was struggling to compress. On seeing his general approach he turned his head aside unwilling no doubt to see his grief witnessed by strangers eyes. Leon however drew near to the unfortunate mourners and enquired into the subject of their distress. In a few words the young soldier related the melancholly sic circumstance. A small house situated at the extremity of the village and to which he pointed was the only property of his widow mother.

The dwelling was already envelopped sic in flames and therefore could no more be spared. The former inmates now remained without hope or shelter, exposed to all the pangs of misery and want, two mattresses a broken chest of which the contents had been plundered and a few ustensils sic of their household furniture were the only remains of their little property. However afflicting, their situation too frequently wittness sic during the horrors of a civil war attracted but little notice and few showed pity for misfortunes they could not releive sic.

The feelings of the noble Leon were highly excited at the sight of the distress of this poor family. The idea of the many wrongs and sufferings under which were labouring his countrymen and of which his military duty had obliged him