Literary cadet and Rhode-Island statesman. [volume] (Providence, R.I.) 1827-1829, 1828-08-13

parted TO his bosom: hs heart beat al
most to suffocation, and the tumultuous
| motion Of that fountain Of his system
certainly manifested an extraordinary
| degree Of excitement. His last wish
ad becn grantcd-his last hope- was
about TO be realzed-he was to find an
honorable grave! Even that was enough
TO be thankful for' A few years, at best,
and the same destiny would be his
The pang," thought he, is but the
| common one that man is heir to
"oae touch Of nature makes The whole world kin"
And if my young existence must be thus
| hastily sealed, thus severed forever, let
fate do her worst, and finish her work
with speed and he paced the apart
ment with an unfaltering step, and
lofty and unbending air.
The silence that had been observed by
the Commander in Chief towards the re-
spectfuI but ordent solicitations OF tho
prisoner, had led HIM to augur favorably
Of his success. His requests had not,
indeed, passed nheeded-they had sunk
decp--thcy had touched the finest and
| tcndcrest chords that ever vibrate in the
bosom Of virtue and bravery-they had
appealed to the master feeling of great
heart, and they wrought upon it with a
living power! The solicitation was lis
tened TO with deepening interest, but
that noble delicacy that actuates and an
imates none but elevated minds, forbade
the answer. To grant the prayer was
impossibe-such was the iron law OF
those who came up to battle-to deny It
was a sorrowlul duty; and it was equally
a trial to the soul of a generous enemy
to throw back solitary denial, or to
wound the spirit Of a devoted prisoner,
by recapitulating the story Of his dishon-
or in Justification Of his sentence. II was
ordained, therefore, that he should re-
main in ignorance Of his doom. From
that very uncertainty, the unfortunate
victim was now drawing his last and only
consolation. The guard officer had now
returned to accompany him forth, and
we shall leave them together, while we
Join the scene Of preparation, in which
tho spy was so soon to become conspicu'
Gus.
It was deep in the afternoon, when
shadows threw themselves long over the
earth, apd the sun was about to sink into
a thick, dull mass Of clouds, when move
ments preparatory TO the execution, be-.
gan to manifest themselves within the
post. There was hurrying to and iro
along the Iines-and sad faces went by
continually, and downcas. looks were
seen thero-and every countenance
wore the livery Of deep and sorrowful
feeling. 1t was evident that something
mournful was about to transpire. The
soldiers paced along the espIanade with
low words and rapid stePs-and now and
then a tear might be seen to glisten-it
was but for moment-in the eve Of the
veteran. A large detachment of troops
was paraded, and many of the general
officers were already on horseback
Great multitudes of people flocked in to
witness the melancholy spectacle-but
wide silence pervaded tho immense
collection. With slow and struggling
steps, the confused and intermingled
crowd of citizens and soldiers bent their
way towards the appointed place,-just
beneath tho brow Of q green hill that
sloped towards the river. There, clus-
tered around The dim spot devoted to
destruction, or sauntering over the ad-
jacent ground, they awaited the approach
of the unhappy victim.
When the prisoner was led out, each
arm locked in that of subaltern, his
step was uncommoniy firm, and his ex-
preston unusually calm, and even ex-
hilarated. The eloquent blood g!owed
to his temples, and bright smile Of sat-
is(action beamed from his countenance
on all whom he recognized. The thought
of de ath was dealing powerfully but kind
ly with him; for he saw that an honora-
BILE ond was to be his-that his dying
prayer was about to be granted. He
thought-and the reflection sent yet new
vigor into his throbbing arteries-he
thought he saw some pledge of kind
and heroic memory in the sympathy that
was breaking all around him, in the
gaze of admiration shat was fixed upon
him, in the fearful eye, the agitated
countenance, the respectful salutation,
the sad farewell, and the low, suppressed
murmur as he passed on, as though
something went by, which it was sacri.
lego to disturb in its course through the
thronging multitude. He saw the high
tribute that was paic to his fortitude, in
the silent look with which he was re-
garded; and he felt that his premature
fate was not unwept even by his foes.
Buoyed up by these lively demonstra-
tions Of feeling, he fanciod himself a
J martyr in the cause he had undertaken
to advance, and pressed forward with
( mounting emotions, as though in haste
J - a1uI L.. ko.o oul