“Fire! not he. Why should he, Serjeant? You know what the Liftenant is,--he’ll not dthraw blood in such a case as that--the poor devils were running away. We couldn’t have much glory in killing one o’ them, I’m sure. One o’ the senthries fired though, an’ shot this nate-looking gentleman here getting up the hill, an’ made him prisoner; the other lad there fell right on his head and rowled down; so that he was also caught.” “And is the house burnt?” demanded the Serjeant. “Burnt!” replied O’Callaghan, “’faith it is--an’ well burnt too. It’s all in a hape o’ ruins. An’ afther all, the Exciseman didn’t get the still.” “No, by J----s! they didn’t nor never will,” exclaimed the wounded prisoner with exultation. “But what made you burn the house?” said Serjeant Dobson to the prisoner. “I’ll say no more,” replied he; “it’s done now--an’ I’m not sorry; except for the brave fellow that lost his life.” At this moment, the Sentry at the guard-house door challenged; and in a few seconds Lieutenant Morris with a magistrate of the town, and the gaoler, arrived. Handcuffs were placed upon the prisoner who was not wounded, and the Corporal with two men, were directed to take charge of the delinquents, and march them to gaol; which they did, accompanied by the Lieutenant, the magistrate, and the gaoler. HOLY ORDERS. “O! Father, must I then confess?” They say that “a frank confession is good for the soul,” but who ever said it was good for a military _body_? Even the confessors themselves, enthusiastic as they may be about the salvation of souls, through the means of contrition and atonement, show but little disposition to trouble the army, or expect that the army will ever trouble them by kneeling at their confessionals. However, the military in France are subject to the civil laws; and, as a holy order has been issued from the Court of Charles X., imposing the necessity of confession as a preparatory step to the celebration of marriage, the soldier who wishes to enter into the bonds of Hymen, must, like his civil brethren, confess his naughty doings to his pastor. Without a certificate of having duly done this, he must be contented with single cursedness.