THE HEROINE OF POLAND. 



ANTOINETTE TOMASZKWSKA was born in 1814, in the district of 

 Rosienia, in Samogitia. The daughter of noble and wealthy parents, 

 she was educated in the convent of Krose by the nuns of the order 

 of St. Benedict. Of middling stature, but admirably proportioned, 

 with a profusion of dark auburn hair, her fine features, and her large 

 and expressive blue eyes wearing a grave and melancholy expres- 

 sion, Antoinette possessed at once the body and soul of an Amazon. 

 Endowed with the imagination, the heart of fire, and the native 

 heroism which is the appanage of the Lithuanian and Samogitian 

 women, she never heard the name of her country without the live- 

 liest emotions. She had long been distinguished among her young 

 companions for her romantic enthusiasm, and her profound devotion 

 to the worship of Polish nationality. With what transports, with 

 what avidity did she treasure up every thing relative to the ancient 

 glory of Poland, and what burning tears she shed on listening to the 

 history of her country's disasters, and the recital of the odious de- 

 spotism under which it groaned. On these occasions her beautiful 

 eyes would sparkle with indignation and patriotism, and her proud 

 heart panted for the hour of revenge. 



When this hour at length arrived, Antoinette was scarcely sixteen, 

 but on the first news of the rising, the maiden's resolution was taken. 

 Disregarding her tender age, her sex, and her weakness, she forgot 

 even the tears of her family, for the voice of her country was even 

 more powerful than that of nature. She quitted her convent, and 

 addressing one last adieu to the happy scenes of her childhood, 

 she joined Gruzewski, one of the insurgent chiefs in the district of 

 Rosienia. 



When Antoinette Tomazewska arrived in the Samogitian camp, 

 it resounded with the cry of enthusiasm and sympathy. Men knew 

 not which the most to admire, her transcendent beauty or her 

 exalted patriotism. But it was not their homage that she went there 

 to seek. Faithful to the noble feelings that actuated her, she went 

 immediately to the chief, explained to him eloquently and in few 

 words her motives, and demanded a horse and arms. In spite of 

 every objection they were obliged to yield to her entreaties. She 

 was enlisted in a body of horse, and in a few days she could wield 

 her lance as well as any of her companions. From that moment she 

 unsexed herself for the service of her country. Attached as a private 

 soldier to the corps of Gruzewski, clothed in the uniform, and armed 

 de pied en cap, reserving for herself in case of misfortune a poignard, 

 which she concealed in her girdle, she was present with the corps in 

 every action, and gallantly braved both danger and death. In a 

 charge which was made at Mankuni, in Samogitia, the young An- 

 toinette performed prodigies of valour. Generals Geilgud and Chlo- 

 powski commanded in this action, in which a regiment of Circassian 

 cavalry harassed severely the. rear of the Polish columns. Unable 

 to keep the field against an enemy ten times more numerous, it be- 



