The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1865-12-09

j VI WV PhAoOhs ONHOCu FAuN
streets
| 'Colne children of your country come
The day of glory dawns on high, 4.
| And tyranny has wide un;urIcd. s. rsa 5t
Her blood stained banner IN ihe sky s,t
| They we're placed in one large hall, an'
the lifeless body of their companion was
| deposited in one corner. BY decree of th'
assembly the remains of ,Valane were to
be taken with the rest, to the gnllotine
and the axe was to sever the head from the
lifeless body, and all the hea less trunk
were to be inferred together. Some friend
of the Girondists Immediately sent o then
| q sumptuous banquet their final funeral re-
past. A large oaken table was spread.-
Servants catered with brilliant lamps. >
The richest viallds Of meats and wines were
brought in. Vases of flowers smiled and
the costly dishes appeared one after anoth
er, until the board was covered With luxury
and splendor.
In silence they took their places at the
table. They were all men Of brilliant in
tellect and the most Of them eloquent.-
A priest, Able Lambert, who had gained
admission. with his pencil noted down their
words, their actions, their indications, he
rOism. The repast was prolonged till the
dawn family entered the grated windows
When the cloth was removed, and the
fruits, the wine, and the flowers alone re
mained, the conversation became animated
with occasional bursts of gaiety. A few of
the unbelievers in Immortality endeavored
thus to meet their doom. But it was hiar-
ity unnatural, and unworthy ofthe men and
their condition. Death is not just and he
who attempts to regard it does but dishon-
or himself tss sf
w hat shall we be doing at this time to-
morrow 2 asked Dacos
we shall sleep, responded one. after
the fatigues Of the day, to awake no more
Death is but an endless slumber.' .as
No. rejoined Fouchet !; annihilation is
not our destiny. These bodies perish
These thoughts never die Tomorrow, in
| other words, we shall have solved the prob
lem of the destiny ofthe human mind
All turned to Vergniaud as by com
mon impulse. His discourse was long, and
has been described as the most eloquent
ever uttered by human lips Death said
he, in conclusion, is the greatest OF life. 1t
introduces us to noble existence. Were it
not so, there would be something greater
than God. 1t would be a just man imola
ting himself uselessly aud hopelessy for his
country.
No! Verginaud is no greater than God,
God will not suffer Vergniaud to morrow
TO ascend the scaffold but to justify and
avenge him in future ages
As tho light of morn penetrated the
dungeon. some sought moments sleep
Others wrote last line to friends, while
others gathered in groups for conversations
AT fonr o'clock. the gems d'arns entered
with the execntoners. The hair was cut
from their necks, that it might not impede
the axe. GenSoune picked up u lock and
sent il TO his wife saying el
Tell hertbat it is the only memorial OF
| my love, which can transmit to her aud
that my thoughts in death were hers
Ver2niaud scratched upon his watch u
few lines of tender remembrance and sent
it to the yonng lady to whom in a few days
he was TO he married. Five rude carts
conveyed them 10 the scatfod. Each carr
contained five persons. The streets
through which the sad procession passed
were Ihronged with countless thousands -
1t was one of the most. splendid of Octo
ber mornings AS the carts moved, the
(Iiromdists sang the Marstlllaise Hymn
AT The end Of each verse there was a mo-
ment's silence, and then the strain was re-
newed loud and sonoruus. Arrived at the
scatfold, they all embraced. They then re-
sumed their funerel chant. os
One after another ascended the scaffold.
continuing the song until his head fell into
the basket There was no weakness. No
voice fatered on each succeeding moment,
as head after head fell, the song grew more
faint. Vergniaud at last stood alone.-
Long confinement had spread deadly pal
or over his intellectual features. lie as
cended the steps, the chorus having died
away into a solo Of surprising richness. For
moment he gazed upon the headless bedies
of his friends. And then, as he surrendered
himseIfto the executioner, commenced anew
the strain,
''Come children ofyour country come,
The day OF glory dawns ON high
The axe fell and his lips were silent in
death. Thus perlshed the Girondists.-
The history Of :he French Revolution, in
all its sublime annals, has not tragedy
more thrilling rfqssasi H