Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1854-11-11
EVENING STAR.
A SCENE IN A c0HscRIprs LIFE

The sergeant and the priest advanced:
the TWO friends embraced and kissed each
other; Reaumer retired to a spot where
the other soldier was standing: and.
kneeling on one knee, leant his face on
his hands, still convulsively and uncon.
sciously grasping the spade, as if for a
support; the other twelve men had FORM
cd a double line, about fourteen PAGES to
the front of Jean, who was between them
and the embankment, his white-clothed
ngure thus set in relief by the dark
ground beyond, presenting . clear aim to
their muskets. He knelt down on his
right knee, resting on the other his left
arm, he said, In firm voice, Il am rea.
dy." The priest was about to bind =
handkerchief about his eyes; but he said
"No-l pray l may be spared that; let
me see my death; l am not afraid of it. -
The priest, after consulting the sergeant S
looks, withdrew the handkerchief: Colon
retired to the place where Reaumer and
the other soldiers were: and the priest
after having received from his penitent
the assurance that he died Sin charity
with all mankind" and having bestowed
on MIN last benediction, and laid on
nls lips the kiss of Christian love. also
retired on one side. Colon gave the
word of command: "Prepare''-the
twelve muskets were brought forward
present. they were levelled. The ser.
geant was raising his cane as the last
signal, to spare the victim even the short
pang OF hearing the fatal word, "Fire =
Wnen kollo, with loud yell, sprang to
MS masters side. He had been startled
from his slumber by the roll of the drum:
and, looking up at what was going on .
perceiving Jean left kneeling all alone
and all SO silent, except Reaumer's faint
iy-neard sobs, his instinct seemed to tell
him his master WAS in some danger: his
whining was unheard, or unheeded: he
ielt this too, and ceased it, but made a.
desperate effort to break the rope that
held him, which weakened as it was by
his late gnawing and tugging at it when
In the clubhouse at Chorolle, soon gave
way, and, as above mentioned, he sprang
with yell to his masters side. Bui
Jeans thoughts at that moment were too
seriously engaged to heed even Rollo: he
only raised his right arm, and gently put
the dog aside, his own mild, unfiinching
gaze still fixed on the soldiers before him.
But the dog was not checked by the
movement of his master; still whining
and with his ears beseechingly laid back
he struggled hard to get nearer to him.
Colon felt for Jeans situation, and made
sign to Reauner (who, wondering at
the pause since the last word of com,
mand, had raised hiseyes,) that he should
try to coax the dog off; he did 50 BY
whistlng and calling, but, of course,
quite in vain
1t Will be at once seen that, though
this has taken some time in the telling
all that passed from the time of Rollo's
arrival was little more than tho transac.
ton OF a moment. Still it was DELAY
and the men were ready to fire; and Co.
Ion, not thinking the incident of suffi-
cient weight to authorize suspension of
the execution, however temporary, NUT
tered, Great pitv,-the poor fellow will
die too" He turned his face to his men:
and was again about to give the signal,
when he was q second time INTERRUPTED
by hearing loud shouts from behind him.
accompanied by the discharge of park
of cannon. He glanced towards the op-
posite hill at his back, whereon the vii
lage stood, and there he saw all was con-
fusion and bustle-oficers galloping to
and fro, and the men forming hurriedly
into line; ne hastily gave the word,
g As you were ;" for along a line of road
to the northeast of the hill, saw a thick
cloud ofdust, from which quickly plunged
out group of horsemen, evidently Off
GERS; the foremost not so tall as most of
them, nor SO graceful a rider as many of
them, though he sat firmly too, was rec
ognlsed by Colon and his men Qong be-
fore he was enough for them to dIstin-
gulsh single feature Of his face, by his
grey frock-coat, and small fiat three cor
nered cocked-hat. Colon gave the word
of command; the soldiers shouldered
their muskets, and prepared to salute
and, In another minute, Napoleon, at the
head of his staff, refined up on the top of
the hill. He had left the march of the
grand army some leagues behind, and
ridden on towards Labarre, in order,
with his wonted watchfulness. to take
the detachment by surprise. and see what
they were about. His eagle eye, whose
glance saw everything like another's gage,
had at once detested the party on the
bill, and he had ridden from the road at
full speed up the slope to discover what
the object of the meeting was a glance,
too, told him that; and while be was
yet returning the salute of the men and
their sergeant, he said, in a voice pant
ing after bis hard gallop, Hey? what S
this "a desartion !'
Yes, sire-no sire; not e1actly,"|
stammered Colon.
"Not exactly! what then :" asked
Napoleon, in rather peevish tone, his
face assuming more than its usual stern
ness; for hardly any thing more pro-
voked him than hesitation on the part of
those he addressed.
Absence against orders, SIRE" re-
piled Colon.