The Kalida venture. [volume] (Kalida, Ohio) 1841-1865, 1851-06-06

| HeIe W Dul one ALTERNATIVE. ne
man has instigated mutiny and deserlon;
the law has doomed him TO death. mus,
execute the sentence, or fly with him to
Hungary. And thence, well know
shonld never return. In case like this
The judge Furnishes, OF is an accomplice
ofthe criminal In one hand | have the
sword Of justice, in the other the banner
ofpsarrection. Choose! which shall
raise?" ,..l ...,,,...,
The sky was scarcely Redeemed by the
dawn when the prisoner was led forth to
execution. Silently, and without other
sound than that of their horses hoofs,
marched the hussars. In the centre, on
an open cart, was The chaplain, crucifix
| in his hand and beside him, in a white
Isbiri, 6arebeaded and with fettered hands,
the culprit, George of 81. Thomas.
The SUN rose as they reached the APP
pointed place. The ,plumcs of the hus-
sars and grey locks of the condemned
man fuiered in the morning breeze
They took him from the cart: sR hu ssars
dismounted and unslung their carbines;
the remainder formed up. The adju-
tant unfolded paper and read, in a stern
and merciless voice, the sentence OF
death passed upon George ofSt Thomas.
According to customary form, soldier
stepped up TO the adjutant, presented
him with wand, and thrice implored
mercy for the condemned man. The
third time the officer broke the wand
IN two, and threw il at the criminals feet,
and said in solemn tones, "God is mer
cful!"
AT these words ,he doomed man raised
his head; his attitude grew more erect,
his features glowed. He gazed around
him in the faces Of the assembled
soldiers, then upwards At the purple
clouds, and spoke in en- thusiastc tones.
"ThaDk thee, o God" he said; "and
thanks also TO you, comrades, for my
death. Life has long beena burthen TO
me; death is welcome. ] have lost
every,hing-wife and child, house and
home; my country alone remained to me,
and her | could mt free. rejoice to
die. You comrades, bless God that
yonder beyond The mountains, you have
a mother, beloved bride, faithful wife,
an infant child, wa,ing your rerufn.-
Yonder beyond the mountains you have
your homes, your cottages, your families
Pray TO God that al your last hour you
may welcome doa; as joyfnlly as ], who
have nothing left upon earth" lie
paused, and sank upon his knees, as if
p,wer had departed from his limbs.
The soldiers slood mo,ionless as stat
utes. The adjutant waved the paper in
his hand. Gloomily the six hussars raised
their carbines.
Once more the adjutant raised the
folded paper, when behold! a young non
commissioned officer dashed out Of the
ranks, snatched the fatal document from
his hand, tore il, and THEW the fragments
al the feet Of the firing-party
Two hundred sabres flashed from their
scabbards, and amidst cloud of dust,
two hundred chargers secured across the
plain.
The wedding guests were waiting :
The bridegroom was there in ful! UNI
form, gli,tering with gold and the beau
teaous bride in her graceful robe of white
lace. Yet moment, and she would be
his welded wife. /.
The moment was very long.
The bridegroom awaited his adjutant's
return from the execution. Until then
he would not approach the altar. ~.
! What If, a, ,he very instant the solemn
Yes! passed his lips, there reached his
ears the rattle ofthe life-destroying vol
ley, which he, the thrice happy lover had
commanded. .a,.e -...t-j 5.,..,
Wha, if, while Gods servant implored
Heavens blessing on their union, ihe
angry spirit the criminal, invoking ven
geance on his judges head, appeared
at the footstool Of the Almighty?
Still no adjutant came.
The br degroom was uneasy. Yet un-
easier grew the bride. no tLwik
"Perhaps," she whispered, "it were
better 10 postpone the ceremony uas
"Or,"he replied "to hasten it," n
A foreboding Of evil oppressed them
both. o pas.gae aH mat5s'el
And still the adjutant came not. Two,
three hours elpsed beyond the appointed
time. Noon approached; each minute
seemed an eternity. a,P al ai8
AT last boofs cIattered in the court
Hasty Steps and jingling spurs were heard
upon tho stairs. All eyes were fixed
upon the door *go3*r'i} n IS
lIt opened, the adjutant appeared, pale,
dusty, exhausted, the sweat streaming
over his face. ae 2i5A58 6ishf ]
nRemain without" cried the bnde-
groom. "You bring message Of death
ENTER not herew aR1' a' enoo H. 4
aalrsNo message Of death do Ibring," re-
piled the officer hoarsely, "but hun
dred times worse. The condemned man
has taken the hnssars away with him, all,
iowa rds the Hun0arian frontier "A cO,lDle