Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1828-08-20

should not be forgotten. 1t was the cry oil LILO
erty, and the sacrifice must not be ~ithneid; l.
was the summons of justice, and his death must
accord with The crime of which the prisoner
stood convicted.
During the days of his confinement, not a
mnrnur escaped the captive, in the presence os'
his guard. A d~igni6ed composure distinguish
ed his deoortment-and the serenity OF MS
mind was depicted in the tranquility OF MS
coun,enance. The last hours OF his soiltude
were employed in those holy offices when
friendship claims Of US when the sands OF lie
are running low. There were a lew words 10 oe
said-a few prayers 10 be uttered Tor those VINO
we're now dreaming OF him on his path 10 gio-
nv, There were a few sad, sacred words TO De
breathed to a fonG mother-to sisters tha' ioV-
eG him-to some, perhaps, for whose sake a
lone life was vet desirable, and 10 whose bosom
he would now, as a last duty TO himself, com
nit the reputation that was dearer 10 him thah
the air Of Heaven.
1t was in The midst Of this latest and hottest
occupation, that the prisoner was interrupted
by the entrance of the guard officer. He came
to announce the hour of execution. lhe young
soldier looked up hastily from his paper HIS
eyes were Fixed a momentupon MS visiter-ihen
slowly fell again-and he passed his hand a
cross his brow, without betraying the least EN-
otion-"Is it indeed so soon?" said he-"then
I must hasten" He finished the letter IN per>
feet calmness, and having made all the niue
arrangements tina! he had anticipated, previous
TO the important event, he declared 10 the OH
Ger his readiness To attend him at the moment
Of his He was then left once more
alone.
Firm in the belief that he was now 10 de
like q soldier, he felt the weight oil his misior-
tune passing from his spirit. AS he was reiiev-
ed Of this iron load, an unnatural elasticity
seemed TO be impaired 10 his bosom. His heart
beat almost 10 suffocation, and the tumul'uous
motion OF that fountain OF his system, cer'ain-
iy manifested an extraordinary degree oil ex'
citement. Ills last wish had been granted; his
las, hope was about 10 be realized; he was TO
find an honorable grave! Even thai was e
nough to be thankful for! a few years, at best,
and the same destiny would be his. The pang,'
,ho't he, "is but the common one, that man Is
heir 10, One touch Of nature makes the whole
world kin And ifmy young existence must be
thus hastily sealed, thus severed for ever, lei
fate do her worst, and finish her wo'k with
speed" and he paced the apartment with an
unfaltrriag step, and a lofty and unbend'ng air.
The silence that had been observed by the
COfllllititCt W NV t'"Ni'o "a iSoFNSN'0'
arden, solicitations Of the prisoner, had led him
10 angur fa,oufably Of his success. His requests
had not, indeed. passed unneeded-they had
sunk deep-they had touched the fines s ten
deres, chord, that ever vihra;e ~ the bosom of
virtue ard ra,ery-,hey had appealed 20 the
master feeling Of i great heart, & they wrought
upon it with a living power! The solicitation
was listened TO with a deepening in'erest-but
that noble d%eiicacy thai aciua.es ard nlmate
none but elevated minds, forbade the answer.
To gran. the prayer wasimpossible-su'h Was
The iron law Of those who came UP TO battle--to
deny it, was a sorrowful duty; and i; was equal
" a trial to the soul Of a generous enemy to
throw back a solitary denial, or TO wound the
spirit Of a devoted prisoner by recapltuiating
the story Of his dishonor in justification OF his
sentence. Ii was ord aimed, therefore, that he
should remain il Ignorance Of his doom. From
that very uncertainty, the unfortunate vlctim
vas now drawing his last and only consolation.
The guard officer had.now returned to accom-
PAW him forth, .& we shall leave them together
while we Join the scene Of preparation in which
the spy.was so soon to become conspicuous.
II was deep in the afternoon, when shadows
threw themselves long over the earth; and the
sun was abou, to sink into a thick dull mass OF
clouds, when movements pre- 2~aratory to the
execution began 10 manifest themselves within
the post. There was hurrying TO and fro along
the iines-and sad faces went by continually,
and dowDcastlooks were seen there-and every
countenance wore the livery Of deep s. %sorrowfui
feeling. 1t was evident that something mourn
full was about to ,ranspire. The soldiers paced
along the esplanade with low words and rapid
s;eps-an now and then a tear might be seen 10
elis,en ii, was but for a momenl) in the eye Of
the veteran. A large detachment of troops was
paraded, and many Of The general officers were
already on horseback Great multiludes Of
people hockea in 10 witness the holy
spectacle-but a wide silence per,aded the i'm
mehse collection. With slow and STRUGGLING
steps, the confused and in,ermiuglrd crowd of
citizens and soldiers bent their way towards the
appointed place, just beneath the brow OF a
green hill that sloped towards the river. There,
clustered around the dim spot devoted 10 de-
struciion, or sauntering over the al accent
ground, they awaited the approach Of the un>
happy victim.
When the prisoner was led out, each arm
locked in that Of a subal,ern, his step was un.