The voice of freedom. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1839-1848, 1844-07-25

like that Of Stephen when he confronted
his murdercrs.
wilt thou sacrificed ask for thu
third and last time,' demanded the praetor
Cast incense on the altar of Jupiter anc
thou shalt be saved. Refuse and thor
diest ere high noon
i The spectators eagerly bent forward
and held their breaths TO catch the maid
!; ems answer.
S i am a believer in Christ she sale
calmly, Him whom we call the Nazarene
:. [ cannot sacrifice 10 false gods. Do with
me as you will
, There was something so meek yet dig.
nifed and courageous in these words that
I the mob's fury was for moment choked
in admiration. But their heather prelu-
dices and thirst for blood soon attained
the ascendency of better feeling. A low
sullen murmur ran through the crowd
like the half-stiAed growl OF a famished
wild beast, which gradually deepened into
shout; and then came excavations and
cries for vengeance.
Away with her-she blasphemes the
gods-let her be cast to the lions?' roar
ed the angry multitude
Thou hast chosen thy fate,' said the
Judge rising. Away with her to the liz
ons.'
The maiden turned deadly pale, but
though only a weak woman, she evinced
no other sign Of horror or fear. When
the soldiers approached 10 seize her, She
shuddered for an instant, as if she had al
ready felt the pangs of The lion; but i'm,
medately this trace of emotion vanished,
and she signed for them to lead on. Yet
there was still left one mortal feeling in
her bosom. AS she stepped from the bar
she shrouded her face in her veil to con-
ceal it from The gaze of the crowd.
To the lions with her Let her De
cast 10 them at once. Ho! for the Am
phtheatre shouted the crowd, rushing
lumultuously after the condemned maid
en-, struggling and fighting with each 9th.
er TO get near that they might spit on the
prisoner, and now and then ashing them
selves into fury so great that it was
with difficulty the soldiers could keep the
mob from tearing her limb from lin b.
The slight frame of the maiden now
shook perceplibIy with terror, for though
she had nerved herself TO face the lions,
her virgin deicacy shrank from being
made the victim of coarse and british
rabble.
la this manner her conductors strug-
gled through the streets, until in sight of
the amphilheatre Here, at the corner of
one of the ways, they were met by vast
crowd composed of the lowest mob of the
city, who hearing Of the condemnation OF
a Nazarene, had gathered together ripe
for mischief Led on by some of the viii
est of their demagogues, they had resolved
to assault the officers in charge of the
prisoner, that they might sacrifice her
more summarIy lnan by the lions in The
arena.
Stand back + said the captain of the
guard, unsheahing his sword, as he saw
the threatening aspect of the crowd.
Down with him! cried one of the
rabble, hurlog a missile at his head
Give US the prisoner, or you die with
her.
Close in men, close in /! shouted the
officers undauntedIy You pay with
your lives for the safety of the prisoner
The little band gathered in a compact
circle around the maiden, and prepared to
maintain the unequal contest.
Down with them ALL shouted one of
the most prominent Of the rioters. Sol
diers anc prsoner-they are all secretly
Nazarenes. Down with them
With these words he headed rush OF
the crowd that bore back the scanty band
of the soldiery, like feathers that are swept
by the gale. Stones ard bricks, mean
while, filed the air, and though the sol,
diers were defended by shields, several
were wounded, The prisoner, in this
onset, would have fallen victim 10 the
missiles of the mob, but for two of the
more humane Of the soldiery, who cover
ed her with their buckIers. Thus pushed
back by the rabble, the guards retreated
against the wall of a neig hboring house,
and being now covered in the rear, es>
sayed with more hopes Of success to make
good their stand until succor should ar.
rive from the city legionares.
But the futility of this hope was soon
! apparent. The mob swelled rapidly, ex,
tending far down the thoroughfares on
either hand. The whole city seemed up.
There were doubtless among the crowd
. many who were secretly favorable to the
prisoner, and still greater number who
wished not to see her perish except by a
lawful death, but the more violent, if not
!, most numerous, had attained the Temporal
ny ascendency, and the others, uncertain
) of their power, were afraid to move in her
behalf.
; More than half of the guards had now
: fallen, the others were worn out and
=, wounded. The soldiers began to muir.