Cooper's Clarksburg register. [volume] (Clarksburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1851-1861, 1852-12-01
-Guuqrrls Glarkshrlrg Rrsister
From Iamartino's History Of the ReatOratin.
A TERRIBLE AND DRAMATIC HIS

condemned to suffer the pain of DEATH
he had twenty hours to apply to a
court OF appeals. This time was granted
to the entreaties OF his family to enable
them to solicit the Kings pardon, rather
than from any supposed benefit to be de-
rived from this proceeding, for he had
confessed everything A Young orator
of the Paris bar, then already celebrated
as q political advocate, and still more eel
ebrated since in the Tribune, Mr.. Man
guin, defended this desperate cause be-
fore the court ofappeals. lie moved the
public opinions he tuched the Judges,
but he could not move them. A second
sentanee of death confirmed the first
Labedoyere, still uncertain if the influence
of his noble family might not obtain from
the court perpetual imprisonment in place
of n tomb, fortified his soul in his cell
with the resolution of a soldier, the res
TgnHtiOn of the Christian, and the prayers
Of the dying-ready for life or death, ac-
coEding as the heart, forgiving or impla-
cable, of the King should decide at this
moment on his fate. His mother and
his wife beseiged the portals ofthe palace;
but trembling lest reasons of State should
prevail in the councils of the King. against
the natural disposition and magnanimity
of the princes of the royal house, they
collected 100, 600 francs in gold, to bride
the lailer Of the prison, for the escape of
the condemned This offer which was
suspected by the government, was re-
ceived by the keeper of the Abbaye,-
Nothing more than desperate duplication
remained for the mother and wife of the
prisoner. The most rigid orders interdicted
the guards of the palace from granting an
entrance to spare the court from the en-
barrassment of an implacable severity
These guards, however, were less pitlless
than the courtiers; they relaxed their
stern vigilance before these two weeping
ladies'. At the moment when Louis
XVIII, leaning upon the arms of his at
tendants, was defending the grand stair
case and crossing the vestibule, were he
was to get into his carriage for his daily
drive. the young wife the condemned,
only nineteen years of age, her infant
in her arms, in deep mourning, with hair
disheayled and eyes streaming tears of
anguish, threw herself between the Prince
and the steps of the carriage, and exclaim-
ed in q voice stihed with sobs, pardon,
pardon p The King drew back, at once
moved and disconcerted; but the fear of
refusing a satisfaction to his party, and
of mourning those reproaches of weakness
with which he was besieged even in his own
palace, prevailed over the spectacle
of this suppliant who asked him
for so many lives in one. He fortified
himself with his impassibility of counte-
nance, and bowling with an apparent good
nature, which contrasted with his rigor,
10 the young wife; Madame" said he,
al know your sentiments and those of
your family for my house; it is painful
to me refuse pardon to such faithful
servants. Ifyour husband had only Of
Tended me his pardon would be granted
beforehand; but 1 owe satisfaction to
France, upon which he has drawn all the
evils of sedition and of war. My duty
as King ties up my hands. can dc
nothing more than pray for the SOU
of him whom justice has CONDEMNED, and
to offer my protection to you and his
child" After these words the King was
borne into his carriage, and the windows
were closed. The hapless wife tainted
upon the track of the wheels.
II was at six o'clock in the evening; al
the same moment carriage escorted by
gendearmes, was bearing Labedoyere tc
the place of execution, uRder the garden
wall, on that same plain of Grenelle
which few days before he had contested
with the enemy. He was accompanied
by a priest, who recited to him in low
voice, the prayers in the paugs of death
On alighting from the coach he perceived
amid little group of curious persons, at
tracted to the spot by the rumor of the
execution, a faithful friend, Cesar dc
Nervaux, whose visits had often consoled
him in the solitude of the prison. The
presence of this witness, friend, at an
hour-when all else upon earth are enemies
and the consolation of dying in the pre-,
sence of one, at least, who would shed
an honest tear to his memory, threw q
CLEAN of saddeuing Joy over the counte.
nance of Labedoyere. He advanced to-
wards NJ. de Nerraux, and the two com
panions -in-arms embraced each other af
fectionate4y. They exchanged some ra.
pid and interrupted words in low voice
Historians assert that NJ. de Nervau1
promised his dying friend to avenge him
but vengence, a sentiment although hui
man, existed no longer in the soul ola.
bedoyere, which was full of religious hope
and divine forgiveness. M. de Nervaul
only promised his friend to avenge him
ON oblivion, by thefidelity and tenderness:
of his recollection. Labedoyere approach
ing the soldiers ordered for his execution
and walking from the wall towards them
appeared slowly to measure the number
Of steps which ought to separate him
from his executiouers. He stopped mo.
ment on the spot which he seemed to have
chosen for his death. Then, as'if sudden
thought had struck him, which called him
back to life to repair lapse of memory,
he turned hastily towards the priest,
whispered something in his ear, and en-
hraced him. after which he resumed his
chosen nlaca in front of the 6rinn. rnrt,r