Mountain Democrat. [volume] (Placerville, El Dorado Co., Cal.) 1854-1860, 1860-04-28

give us some refreshments from your hidden
SupplicSr' At n word from the young man,
many Of the women brought together the
coffee they had prepared for their own break
fast with black bread, mugs Oi berr, and n
small cheese or twU-sniliricnt for rough
m"al-of which the soldiers partOok with the
Usual laughing comments on "M cHfSiDc H.
hm0hd0." The company Of victims looked on
in silence, Nrd more than once muttcrcd,
gloomily: I'VE arc feeding our cxrcutioncrs.
Even if that should he true" said the
young man, "it is but doing as Christ has
taught us. Whether or not we obtain Chris.
tian charity from these men, let us, at least
show them that we arc Christians"
This rcbnke had its effect. a few Of the
nicn assisted in entertaining the soldiers, and
the latter with their facility for determination
soon made themselves at home. A.thc stomach
fills the heart also VliIargcS, and the men be-
gan to say among themselves alt Is pity
that these men should be shot by mistake"
II was not long before the ,crgcan! and his
guide arrived The iorricr handed the lieu.
tenant note, which he hastily tore open and
read. "Wa>tc no time in larlcy. 1t is in
different which village is punished; an exam.
pie must he made. boy0urtuty, and return
instantly So ran the pithlc>s answer.
"Chnose your mem said the lieutenant,
rising TO his feet, and gliuling his tectl TO
keep down his fnltcring heart. But now the
lamentations hreket,tit ,rt,iitt.tt
clung around the men who were dear to them,
and many Of the latter, overcome hy the gen
cral distress, uttered loud clirS aud pravc,S
for mercy. The Young man knclt down in
front Of them, saying to the officer ~ do
not knccl to you; but will pray to God that
he will remove the sin Of slaughter from your
soul"
As the officer met his earnest eyes, full Of a
sublime calmncSS and courage, his own sud.
denly filled with tears He turned to his men,
who stood drawn mp in line before him, but
no word was spoken. Their hands were in
their proper places, according to drill r,gula-
ti0nS; and there were drops on many checks
which they could not wipe away. There was
a silent question in the officer $ cyc-a silent
answer in theirs. The former turned hurrictly,
beck0ncd the young man to him, and wills.
percd in an agitatcd voice:
My friend, will save you by stratagcm.
Ch0OSc ten Of your most courageous men,
place them in line before me, and will order
my soldiers To Sho0t them through the-hcad
At the instant ! give the order to fire, they
must fall flat on the ground; my soldiers will
aim high, and no one will bc injured; as soon
as the vollcy is fired will give the order to
march; but no one must stir from this 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. 4" offer myself" said
he, "aS one trusting in God that We shall all
be saved; and | call upon those Of you who
have the hearts of men in your bodies, to
stand beside me-" Young Conrad, sturdy
farmer, and but newly bridegroom, joined
him-castng as he did 80 a single encouraging
look upon his future wife, who turned deadly
pale but spoke not word Onc by one, aS
men who had resolved to face dcath-ior the
most OF them had but Il trembling half c0nli-
dencc in their escape eight others walked out
and took their places in line. The women
shuddcrcd and hid their eyes the men looked
steadily on in the fascination Of terror; and
the little children in awrd but ignorant cui-
oSity. The place was as silent aS if devoid of
life. Again the lieutenant surveyed his men.
Take AIM. he commanded. lie continued
-" aim at their heads, that your work may be
well donc!" But though his voice was clear
and strong, and the tenor of his words not to
be mistaken, clarvoyant flash Of hidden
meaning ran down the line, and the men un-
derstO0d him. Then came the last command
"Firc but in the second which intcrvcncd
between the word and the ringing vollcy the
ten men were already falling. The crack Of
the muskctS and the sound Of their bodies,
were simultaneous. Without pausing an ~
slant, the lieutenant cried:
"Right about wheel Forward" and the
q Il al,
narrow village street.
The women uncovered their eyes and gaZed.
There lay the ten men, motiOnleSs and appar-
emily lilclcss. With wild cries they gathered
around them; but ere their exclamation Of dc
spar 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 granddaughter, aud sobS of hys-
terical joy. The pastors son, uncovcring his
head, knclt down, while all rcvcrcntly followed
his example, and uttered an eloquent prayer
Of thanksgiving for their dciverance
What this young man had done was not suf-
fercd to go unrcwarlrd. 4 blessing rested
upon his labors and his life In the course of
time he became clergyman, filling, for Il
while, his fathers place for the people he had
saved, but was afterwards led to wider and
Leipzig, received the drg:cc of Doctor of Di-
vinity, and finally became known throughout
Germany as the founder of the Gustar .1doi,
Ierein (GuStavs AdolphuS Uuon,) which has
for its object the dissemination Of Protestant
principles by means Of voluntary contrbu-
TONS In some respects it resembles the Home
Missions of our country. Many churches,
built 10y this association, are now scattered
throughout the United States.
The inhabitants Of Waldorf never forgot
their pastor, nor he them. lie came back
from time to time to spend few days in the
quiet little village of his youth, and where
the most evcntlul crisis of his life was passed
In 1856, three out Of the ten pS,lcdO victims
Of Davoust were still living in their old homes,
and the people bcthought them that the semi.
centennial anniversary of such an event de.
served a special celebration. DR.. -, OF
Lripsig, Qormcrly the pastors son. was in
vited to DC with them. lie cnme-hc would
have come from the ends of the earth-nnd
after a solemn religious service in the church.
proceeded to the very spot Oh which he had
stood and faced the French muSkets, and here
related to the children and grandchildren o
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 affect
ing. The three old men sat near him as he
spoke; and the emotions of that hour of tria
were so wildly reproduced in their mind.
that, at the close, they laughed and wept al
they had done on the same day fifty years be
fore.
In conclusion, the speaker referred to tn,