Delaware gazette. [volume] (Delaware, Ohio) 1855-1886, 1859-12-16
Meanwhile, the inhabitants waited, in

neafJteSSs SAID " ne morning Is keen, anu q
walk before sunrise doesn't diminish the appe-
tite can you give US some refreshments from
your hidden supplies ?" Alta word from the
young man, many of the women brought to-
gether the coffee they had prepared for their
own breakfast, with black bread mugs of beer,
and small cheese or two-suffieient for a
rough meal of which the soldiers partook
with the usual laughing comments on ia cul-
SINE AtlemdI.iG-" The company of victims
looked on in silence, and more thar one NUT
tered, gloomily I'VE are feeding our execu-
TONER'S
"EveD if that should be true said the young
man, 'it is but doing as Christ has taught u.s.
Whether or not we obtain Christian charity
from these men, let US, at least show them that
We are Christians" ..-
The rebuke had its effect A few of the men
assisted in entertaining the soldiers, and the
latter with their facility of fraternization, soon
made themselves at home. As the stomach
! fills the heart also enlarges, and the men be-
gan to say among themselves 1T is a pity
that these men should be shot by mistake.
1t was not long before the sergeant and his
guide arrived. The former handed the lieu
J tenant note, which he hastily tore open and
read. Waste time in parley. 1t is indif
| ferent which village is punished an example
must be made. Do your duty and return i'll
stantiy.' So ran the pitiless answer.
ID" Choose your men p said the lieutenant,
rising to his feet, and grinding his teeth to
keep down his flltering heart. But now the
lamentations broke out afreSh. The women
elung around the men who were dear to them.
and many of the latter, overcome by the gen
eral distress, uttered loud cries and prayers fer
mercy. The young man knelt down in front
of them, saying to the officer: Il do not kneel
to you; but I will pray to God that be will re-
move the sin of slaughter from your SOUL"
As the officer met his earnest eyes. full of a
sublime calmness and courage, his own sudden
ly filled with tears. He turned to his men
who stood drawn up in line before him, but
no word was spoken. Their hands were in
their proper places, according to drill reguia-
tions; and there were drops on many checks
which they could not wipe away. There was
silent question in the officers eye-a silent
answer in theirs. The former turned hurried
ly, beckoned the young man to him, and wills
pe;ed. in an agitated voice:
My friend will save you by stratagem.--
Choose ten of your most courageous men, place
them in Il line before me and will order my
soldiers to shoot them through the head. At
the instant | give the order to fire, they must
fall fat on the ground my soldiers will aim
high, and no one will be injured as soon as
the voly is fired will give the order to march,
but no one must stir from his Place until We
are out of sight
These words were instantly translated to the
people, but so great was their panic, that no
one offered to move. The pastors son then
took his place. alone, in the vacant space be
fore the line Of soldiers Il offer myself. sad
he, las one trusting in God that We shall all
be saved; and | call upon those Of you who
have the hearts of men iii your bodies to stand
beside me- Young Conard, sturdy farmer,
and but newly a bridegroom. Joined him cast
ing as he did Il single encouraging look up
Oh his future wife, who turned deadly pale but
spoke not word. One By one as men who
had resolved to face death--for the most of
them had but a trembling half confidence il
their escape-eight others walked out and took
their places in line. The womcn slluti,lerct
and hid their eyes the men looked steadily
on in the fascination OF terror and the little
children in awed but ignorant curiosity. The
place was as silent as if devoid of life.
Again the lieutenant surveyed his men.-
Take aim y he commanded. lie continued
''aim at their heads, that your work may be
well done y But though his voice was clear
and strong, and the tenor of his words net to
be mistaken, a clairvoyant fash of hidden
meaning ran down the line. and the men ur
dcGstood him. Then came the last command
Fire !''-but in the second which intervcned
between the word and the ringing voley the
ten men were already falling. The crack of
muskets and sound of their bodies were stimuli
taneous Without pausng an instant the lieu
tenant cried: Right about wheel = For
ward march y and the measured tramp of the
soldiers rang down the narrow village street.
The women uncovered their eyes and gazed.
There lay the ten men, notionless and appar-
entity lifeless. With wild cries they gathered
around them but ere their excamations of
despair had turned into those of joy, the last
of the soldiers had disappeared in the wood
Then followed weeping embraces, as all arose
from the ground laughter, and sobs of hys-
terical JOY The pastors son, uncovering his
head knelt down, while all reverently followed
his example, and uttered an eloquent prayer of
thanksgiving for merciful deliverance.
What this young man had done was not suf-
fered to go unrewarded. A blessing rested
upon his labors and his life. In the course of
time he became clergyman, filling for a while
his fathers place for the people he had saved,
but was afterwards led to wider and more
ambitious sphere. He was called to Leipzig,
received the degree of Doctor of Divinity, and
finally became known throughout Germany
L. G., - IL IL
(Gustavus Adolphus Union,) which has for its
object the dissemination of protestant princi-
pies by means of voluntary contributions. In
some respects it resembles the Home Missions
of our country. Many churches, built by this
association, are now scattered throughout the
United States.
The inhabitants of Waldorf never forgot
their pastor, he them. He came back
from time to time to spend few days in the
quiet little village Of his youth, and where the
most eventful crisis of his life was passed
In 1856, three out of the ten pseudo victims
of Davoust were still living in their old homes,
and the people bethought them that the semi
centennial anniversary of such an event de-
served special celebration. DIR. of
Leipzig formerly the pastors son. was invit-
ed to be with them. He eame-he would have
come from the ends of the earth-and after a
solemn religious service in the church, proceed
ed to the very spot on which he had stood
and faced the French muskets, and there re-
lated to the children and grandchildren of those
he had saved, the narrative which / have here
given in less moving and eloquent words
| Those who were present described the scene
as singularly impressive and affecting. The
| three old men sat near him he spoke and
the emotions of that hour of trial were so Wv
idly reproduced in their minds that, at the
] close theu launched and went rs they had done