Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1832-08-17
qu'nfaut, arrive quill pourra'


| sired me to take place amongst the soldiers,
who were privileged to occupy the vacant space
around the scaffold. Here, then, stood within
five steps of the instrument which, though it was
now brought out to work the vengeance of socie-
ty on one Of its guilty members, had not, many
years since, served the mad, barbarous anger Of
| an Infatuated mob let loose on the innocent sup
porters Of antiquated prejudices and interests;
but those scenes are passed; the ebullition which
occasioned them has been tempered by the tri.
umph OF reason, and, in France at least, they
can never be acted again.
The clock from the neighboring townhall peal.
| ed forth the hour appointed for the execution
A dreadful pause seemed to follow each heavy
stroke as it fell with dull and apparently length
ened stroke upon the ear. For moment the
crowd was silent; for moment slight shudder
appeared to steal over its discordant aud rushing
pillows. A supernatural chill seemed to pervade
the air, the white flag on the tower of the Hotel
de Vile seemed to float in more hurried and oni.
nous folds upon the rushing gale; the clouds
above were dark and lowering: for one short in
slant all nature seemed to wear becoming as.
pect, to be in accordance with the deed It was
about to witness. But soon the clock was again
silent new rush was made by the crowd; the
harsh voices of the guard were again heard en-
deav0ring to repel them; and the whole square
again presented scene Of hellish passions and
heliish curiosity
Heavens! what can occasion that burst Of laugh
ter? general burst of laughter at such moment!
His hat had fallen from the head of one of the
crowd, who without having been able to recover
it was pushed away BY the current; ruffian near,
seeing advantage in the change, seized upon it
and threw his own high in the air above the sur
rounding multitude; another actuated by the same
calculation, exchanged il for his own, which he
cast from him; and thus for some seconds-when
every second seemed an age-the sight of this
succession Of flying hats occasioned discordant
and jarring mil tn.
The clock again strikes the quarter! On occa
sions like the presen. how slow the moments roll
past. and such IN convinced, must be the feel
ings of every anxious GREATNESS culprit, though
he we'll knows tai his existence will have ceased
before the evening hour shall have toled from
his prison clock.
He comes. know not but think the crowd
is silent With what hollow sound the wheels
of the cart pass along the pavement! how heavily
they roll over each hitherto unheaded stone! To
the tenant OF the cart each stone they pass is pas
sed forever-each stone they leave behind dImi.
nishes the distance that separates him from eter
nifty. With an air Of respectful sympathy, an
aged priest sits beside him. But he himself is
young-young indeed for such death! Nor
does he gaze OH the multitude around; his eye
is bent upon the bottom of the cart that bears
him; anguish and resignation arc painted on
his fine features-those features which must
soon be fixed in horrid deformity. But is it a
human being endowed with living soul that
now see! what shall it be ere five minutes are
added to the ages that have preceded them? how
shall the knife of the glillotne separate the spi-
rit from that body! What mystery is death!
Moments now passed quicker than thought
Supported on either side, he slowly mounted the
ascent to the guillotine. Stepping upon a small
board from which a smooth plank arose as high
as his breast, a bandage was instantly passed
around his back. The board on which he stood
and the plank before him then turned ona pivot,
aud placed him in a horizontal! positun-hls bare
neck rested on the senicircuiar framework,
that was carved to receive II; the other half OF
the framework closed above anl confined it.
On either side of the neck thus placed. arose a
post to the height of fifteen feet; and aoof, be.
tween these, hung the heavy triangular blade
which, on the removal Of a peg was to slide, with
one angle underneath, 10 the grooves carved in
the neighborlng posts, and, in its passage down.
wards, was, by its own weight, TO sever @hatev-
er should impede its progress Every part Of the
instrument was painted red
From the time when the culprit left the cart to
the present moment, not one minute and hall
had elapsed. For an instant, | turned my eyes
awav. When again looked up. the bloody
head of the murderer was falling into the case
placed to receive it, and the body was lying with
out the slightest convulslve movement, in the po-
sition in which had last seen it For while,
the executioners seemed affected, but recoIect.
ing themselves, they suddenly loosened the
thongs that bound it, and the headless trunk roll
ed into large wicker hamper placed lateraIy
beside it-and then again every thing resumed
its wonted appearance.
Not 6ye minutes had elapsed since he was
first exposed in the cart. living being; and now
Again ask, what is life, what is death?