Virginia statesman. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1828-1829, 1828-05-07

marks, " IOcF Lnc l0utCS Do QuCSuOnI sell
dom stir abroad, and one would be apt TO
think, that, as some have conieciured, their
keeping up their londness for the fashion
were a stratagem Of the mems, to keep
shcm from gossiping and gaddlng about,
and con6ne them at home" never STUN
Ole upon this passage Of the worthy bucca-
necr, without wishing that the friends Of
the Partisan ladies would either advise
them to refrain from the custom othonorlng
executions with their presence, or miro
duce the fashion of little feet to "kcep them
from gossipping and gadding about. /
once had ocular demonstration OF TINS pen
chant of the French ladies' for such dis
gushing exhibitions, on one day, coming
from the Court Royale, which was m the
habit of attending, not only for the sake OF
listening to, and deriving amusement and
instruction from the pleading Of the adyo-
Gates. but also that might accustom my
selft0 the various provincial dialects, IRON
the Shibboleth ofthe Faubourg st. AEione
10 the Dqt0iso Of the Bretague and the greek
of the MmseilI0is; and / advise everything
Iish stranger who Is DESTROYS Of atamnS
athorough knowledge ofthe French 'oague'
90 take his lessons, as I did, from The pro-
ceedings of the chambers Of correctional
police; he viii find it infinitely preferable
20 the usually recommended course Of VS.
itng the theatres, (they have no Emery's
nor RavDer's. and his stock Of knowledge
VIII obtain a greater increase by attending
to the responses of a French witness than
BY listening TO the futile attempt at proyIn-
cial dialect by any artist on the stage; all
ways excepting Odry, on whom an English
public win soon have it IN their power to.
pass sentence, and presuming that the stu
dent has somewhat more than q superficial.
knowledge of the tongue he wishes 10 mas
ter, before he attempts TO pursue the wind
ings of a indicial Investigation. As !
descended the broad flight of steps that lead
from the Palais de Justice TO the spaCiogs
court yard below, ] became entangIed in q
dense crowd, from which found eXTIca-
onimDossiblo an / had reached the ioun-
tain In the Place du Chatelet. As soon as
] had escaped from the pressure of the
-throng, i sought a place of security, and
was 10 O short time acquainted with the
cause of such a multitude being collected;
an execution was about 10 take place, and
of all such scenes, this must have been the
most dreadful-t was the execution of a
mother and son; the former was sXty-hyc
years of age, and the latter bat twenty-iclr
they were convicted of having murdered AN
nfm woman of eighty. The Place du
ChateIetis midway between the Concierge
ne. to which the criminals had been that
morning brought from Biccte, and the
Place du Greve, where they were to suffer.
Bv the time the procession approached ON
thc bridge, I had become surrounded by as
great crowd as that I had fallen into OBJ
leaving tine Palais de Justice. The prise
ners were both seated M one cart with
their backs TO the horses, and priest at he
side of each; the vehicle was proceeded
and followed by a detachment Of gendarUe-
rie the Swallows of the guillOune, - whom
had mentioned ln my article on Fldcc
The son sat near the horses; his appear
ance was detected IN the extreme; despair
and terror had lent a deadly wild expression
90 his features, and he occasionally put his
hand 90 his brow, as tito dash off the clam-
my drops that started on his forehead; and
then applied both hands to his throat, as it
ne were gasping for that breath which he.
was about TO loose forever. His head sank
on the priests shoulders, and his whole
frame seemed unnerved by utter debility.
His aged mother, the partner Of his crime,
appeared. on the contrary, the picture of.
resolution and daring courage "Upon
her eve-balls murderous tyranny sat in
grim majesty, to Brighten the world Her
grey hair which had fallen from under her
cap, and hung DO matted locks about her
face, heightened the Hecate expression off
her eyes. which flashed with vindictiye
glances on the multitude assembled to view
her progress.
As soon as the cart had passed, the rush
Of the thr0ng sweep, me with 1t; | was car
rie1 with the stream towards the spot where
che world was finally 90 close on two
wrstched beings who had alike violated the
laws of God and man, and was thus forced
20 witness an exhibition which I would
otherwise have gladly escaped On arr
irving ut the foot of the scahoId, the old
woman leaDed boldly from the cart, huru-
cdly ascende1 the steps, and stood alone
and unsupported on the platforms but the
son hadnot power TO rise. terror had chain
ed him TO his seat, and be was ultimately
lifted from the cart, assisted up the steps,
and placed by tbe side of his mother, near
the eXecuuouer. To the most aged was