Heroic Sisters.
--There dwelt in the village of the Montague, at the period of the French revolution, two girls, named Felicite and Theophile Fernig. Both possessed beauty of a sweet and attractive kind; both were modest, reserved, and apparently timid. The youngest was thirteen years of age when the nightly attacks of the Austrians demanded an immediate and strong resistance. Soldiers being wanted, the sisters put on their brothers' clothes, armed themselves, and charged the plundering parties in the front rank of the National Guard. Notwithstanding every effort to disguise themselves effectually, Gen. Buernoonville discovered them, and marking their intrepid conduct, presented them to Gen. Dumouriez, who attached them, together with their father and brother, to his staff.--Not only pure, but free from suspicion, they were the admiration and pride of the whole army. They distinguished themselves in every action previous to April 5th, 1693.In an engagement near Brussels, they rushed headlong into the midst of the enemy when a general officer called on them to surrender. The reply was a ball from the pistol of the younger, which laid him dead at her feet, and in the momentary confusion they withdrew back in safety. The same sister, at the battle of Japanese, charged a Hungarian battalion with a small party of horse, and herself disarmed one of the most formidable grenadiers. His height on foot was nearly the same as her own when mounted; and he was in despair when the musical tones of her voice, saying, ‘"General, this is a prisoner I have brought you,"’ revealed to him the sex of the brilliant officer.
Felicke attended the Duke of Chartres and never failed to charge the enemy at his side.-- Both the sisters aided in the escape of Dumonriez, accompanying him to the Austrian lines, the soldiers firing on them as they passed. Once beyond pursuit, they resumed the attire of their six, made no unnecessary display of courage, and labored industriously in support of their age father. Theophile died at Brussels, unmarried. Felicite wedded a Belgian General.
