The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1866-11-13

ut was sni t0 tllo lfeaefal 6 tH
division y Uhe du3 nt
a IA .8 .ha marshal
Idahsr0 m lard ai eEte
t1 ult tH hs
could H overlook grave BE- error
that which hlj been ear Uite IS Da.
bate Ihe orders aea % ne atae
ha8 baeu tgrY mple and ilm most 8
Yalg ua tE. Ws .A order tmbaaieg
lm t7 lcaEe lbs post HaiWorsr.y r
IeVt1 rs cgHan extent the sity
of tha whole aray rested upon the
shoulders 81 each uall egal sentinel
ana especially upon those 8ho Z. might
were posted nearest the lsuc e ihe el-
emy
II am s5ry .l thr gray-hairea
ola warrior, as hc folded upthep petition
ana handed Il back io .he officer WHO
had presented it Il an sure that TIE
nan mcant uo wrong. aud ygt a great
wrong was done He knew what he
was doing he ram the risk hc was de-
tcete3 be las been tried and condemn
cl III must suffer"
Tha1 asked Lciehyre II he would see
tile condemned.
aNo. NOT the marshal cried, quick
lv, "sbpuld I see HIM and listen %
one haIf his story, might pardon him
and lhat must not Dc done. Let linn
die tlat thousands may be saved. ?
The time fixed for the execution OF
Dubois was tile morning succeeding the
trial Tnc result Of the interview with
Marshal Ieiebyre was made known to
linn. and ho was not atall disappointed.
lie blamed no one, and was only sorry
that he had not died upon the battle
field.
Il have triad TO be good soldier,
lie said to his captain. Il feel that
have doneno crime chat should leave a
stain upon my meme.
The captain TOOK his hand, and MS
sured him that his name should be held
in respect
Towards evening Pierre Valiant with
his wife and child were admitted to see
the prisoner This was n visit which
jerome would gladly have dispenced
w.tl, rs his feelings were already Nrougt
up to a pitch that almost unnamed
Inn; lut h braccd himself for the in
teryiew, aud would have stood it like u
hero, had not little Natalie, in the Gag
efnos5 Of her loyeand gratitude, thrown
herself upon his bosom and offered to
die in his stead This tipped the bliju-
ming cup, and Ills tears flowed freely.
Pierre end Ilisette knew not what to
say. They ~ept and they prayed, and
they would have willingly died for the
noble fellow who had been thus con-
dcmued
Later in the evening came a compan-
ION, who if he lived, would at some time
r.tutn to Joromo' boyhoad home First
the condemned thought Of his widowed
mother and ho sont a message Of love
and degotion Then lie thought Of q
brother and sister. And finally lie tho't
ofone bright-oyed maid whose vine
clad cot stood upon the banks Of the
Seine one whom he had loved with n
love such as only great hearts can feel.
20, my dear friend % he cried, bowing
his head upon his claspod hands, you
need not ten them falsohood, but if tho
thing is possible, lot tacm believe that !
fen iii battle r.
His companion promised chat he would
do all he could, and if tie truth could
not be kept back il should be SO faith
fully told that the name Of jerome Du-
bois should not bear d3shonor il the
minds Of those who lad loved him in
other days.
Morning came, duh and gloomy, with
driving siect and snow; and at an early
hour Jerome Dubois was led forth TO
meet his fate The place Of execution
had been fixed on a low, barren spot
toward the sea; and thither his division
was being marched to witness the fear
ful punishment They had gained not
more than haif tic distance when the
sound Of some strange commotion broke
upon tho Wintiy au, and very shortly an
aid-de-camp came dashing to the side
OF the General Of brigade with the cry:
- sordo A soltiel The enemy are
ont IN force. Let this thing be stayed.
The marshal directs that you right about
aud advance upon the peninsula
In an instant III was changed IN chat
division, and tho brigadior general, who
had temporary command, thundorod
forth bis orders FOR the countermarch.
Tho gloom was dlssipated and with glad
hearts the soldiers turned from the
thoughts Of the execution Of a brave
comrade to thoughts Of meeting the en-
envy
what shall We dowith the prisoner
asked the sergeant who had charge Of
the guard
Lead lIiul back to the camp, re-
piled the captain
The edirechon Has very simple, but the
execution thereof was net t. be So easy;
for hardly had the words escaped the
captains lips when a squadron 81 Pfus-
sian cavalry came dashIug directly tow
ards him. The division Was directly
formed into four hollow squares, while
guard that leld charee 81 tie prisoner
found themselves Obliged 10 Aee
IN Heavens name, cried Jerome,
cut ny boudsand lei Ae die Ike sol
diar
Tie sergeant quickly cut tie cord that
bound his elbows behind hsm aud then
dashed toward tile pom, whore bis own
.fF4Itrf4tise 2 81. FL 5fatfeNaH fHe F4tfg4 gF