Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1840-11-23
THE PUNISHMENT or DEATH

The introduction into the BRUSH Parliament ui
Till to abolish the Punishment of Death has in
duced the publication of several mertorioiis works
on the subject, aud among them Of translation
from the French of Victor iugos " Last Days of
Il Condemned" This consists OF Il series OF pa
pers, supposed TO be the daily writings during six
weeks OF condemned criminal, confined during
that period III the Blcere prison, previous TO his
execution. These present powerful picture OF
The hopeless despair Of one dt slined to end his
life on the scatloId. w have not space for ex-
tracts from the argulneniatve pat OF the work,
nor yet to present more than one Of The many
thrilling scenes which Victor Hugo has depicted.
From near the close Of the volume we copy an
account OF the prisoners last interview with his
little child, who adds to his grief by not remeni.
berng him; il is powerfully written:
"My child looked rosy and happy, and her
large eyes were b-Ts,ssl--oh! she is 50 pretty
drew her towards me, raised her IN my arms,
and placing her OH my knees, kissed her dear
hair. | asked why is her mother not with her
and learned thai she was very i'll, and my poor
old mother also. Mary looked al me with asioa
shment. Carressed embraced, devoured with
kisses; she submitted quietly; but from time TO
time cast an uneasy look toward her nurse, who
was crying in the corner. AT length was able
to speak Mary exclaimed, my own little
Mary and pressed her violently to my breast
which was heaving with sobs. She uttered lit
tie cry, and then said, oh, you hurt me, SIR
| SIR il is nearly year since she has seen me,
poor child She has forgotten me lace, words,
voice aud then who could know me with this
beard, this dress, this Iulor? What already ei-
faced from that memory, the only one where
wished to survive v hat already no longer II
father, am | condemned 10 hear no more that
word, SO soft in the language OF children, that II
cannot remain in the language OF men, papa 2
And yet to have heard it from that sweet mouth
once more, only once more, that is all | would
have asked in the payment for the forty years life
| they will take from me.
Listen, Mary said TO her, joining her two
little hands in mine. do you not know me p"
She looked al me witt! her bright beautiful eyes,
and answered, 'Oh no, indeed Look at me
we'll, | repeated, what! dost thou not know who
| am" YES SIR she answered, you are gem
tleman.' Alas while loving one being on earth,
loving with all your deep affections, having that
being before YOU, who and looks AT you,
speaks aud answers you, and yet knows you not
you wish Tor consolation but from this one beGg .,
who is the only one that does not know that you
require it because you are gong TO die 'Nlary >
continued, 'hnsl thou II papa? Yes, SIR said
i the ch;ld. ~ ELL then, dearest, where ishe" she
raised her large eyes III asionlsluenl; 'ah, you
don't know, sir papa is dead! here she hogan 10
cry | nearly let The little angel fall. Dead! |
eXcaued, Mary, knowest thou what it is To he
COUP 'Yrs, SIR she wered, he is N earth
and IN heaven And she continued Of her own
accord Il pray 10 God for him every morning
aud evening nj mammals ku es' ! kissed her on
The forehead. MARY, say 10 me thy prayers Il
could not, sir; prayer you do not say in the mid
die of the day. Come Tonight TO the house and
; you shall hear ne say it,
, This w4s euquglh Interrupted her. Darling
Vary, il IS who ain thy papa 'Iou! returned
she added, woudst ihou IKE me Tor papa !?
I The enid turned away No, sir, my papa was
I much pretier.' | covered her with kisses and
ieals. lie lryedto escape from my arms, crying
Sir, you hurt ne win your beard Then pa-
/ ced her on my knees, devoLrng her with my eyes
aud continued Mary. canst thou read Yes,
she answered i can read very well. Mamma
!, makes me read my letters 'Ne ell, then, read u
= ItIle TO me- said L. pointing 10 printed paper
3 which she held crumpled in one of her dimped
! hands She shook her pretty head, saying, 'oh
!, dear me, can only read fables But, try my
D dnrlng come Open your paper She unioded
the paper, and began 10 spell with her fingers,
I 'Sen-sen--tence tence--Sentence. snatch
ed 1t from her hands. 1t was my own sentence
9 of death she was reading 10 me- Her nurse had
!, bought her the paper for penny To me it hod
D cost more. No words can convey what | felt
, my violence had alarmed the child, who was
, ready 10 cry-suddenly she said 10 me, 'Do give
. Inc back my paper, want 10 play with it, re-
t stored her 10 her nurse. take her hence And
e ! fell back in my chair, gloomy desplate in de-
! spair. Now they may come, | care for nothing
: more; that last fibre of my heart is broken
+ Marriage There are two very important eras
q in the life OF a woman-the one when she won
e ders who she will have, aud the other when she
G wonders who will have her. Some of the rough
-. a.. H..