Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1867-05-19
THE SCALE OF WOMEN.
BY EMILE soUvEsTRE.
1857.
TRANSLATED FOR THE APPEAL
mu- ~~~=AT OF THE People.


I TRANSLATED FOR THE APPEAL
mu4 we4zAES OF THE PEOPLE.
CHAPTER Y.
AN EXECUTION.
Nothing among men G ugnt to be determined
and settled, without errors excepted; where
Iore ind nothing to object against impFtson-
money and liberty but is life restored, is a
head cut or restored 3.....-... U Judges! 70 cut
on head, errors excepted ,:-:..,;,. IT,, -,
An execution was prepared FOR al Bress. II
had been announced for several days, as
popular and instructive solemntty, and there
was 10 talk in the streets Sept-Satlts, tefits-
Nouligts, Brds-d'Or and RsTRpoTts, except Of the
spectacle being prepared for on the PiGes SGt
I people so greedy OF all emotions which take II
| for a few instants ouL OF its animal and dull
existence i....... 1t went there, as to the pot.
house, 20 fiud stupefaction of some hours
length; il went there, as a crowd In better cir-
I Gums ances, and more taeile TO impressions.
had hOcked the evening before TO q dTaIna
played at the theatre. The people! II had lost
one after another, all its ceremonies OF other
days AL its public pomps; lhe nne professions.
embroidered with blue and gold, with their
magic Of chauBts ana perfumes the saturnalla
Of Tue Goddess Reason, with the sans-eulottic
dances round the Tree Of Liberty; unaiiy. the
reviews OF the Empire, SO resonant OF the clat-
ter or muskets, the roaring OF cannon, and the
. 1asass
ing had remained TO it, except the practice
nrinss Of the National Guards and, on the
great days, the feast Of the King. or an execu-
s., it was a sight TO see! how 1t aocsed
there! Two heads 20 be cut OF, in the interest
OF morality That must needs be striking and
nne, Already the multitude was sWRrmiDg in
the place OF execution; already groups We're
forming the women OF the people hOcked there
/ with their children, ike the young OF wild
beats, attracted by the smell OF blood A little
girl wept, and her bOltae said 70 her euihng
Q hr,a nasFa
havest III, thou shalt not 20 with me 10 see the
roDbsr suiuou ned" And the little gri Or ed
other. They questioned each other. Each told
his neighbOr what he knew about the soieinni-
~ which was being prepared for ware
bouse-nan, seated on the steps OF the tatne-
dIal, told how that the Marine had lent the
guillotine for the execution, and had even
carried is pollteuess 50 far as to offer Us
I cutioner-the virtuous adm lnistration He who
said so was certain Ofwnst he advanced, for the
: hcud-cigtsr was ia his ware houses, il was he
And the honest man, as he said that, raised
his Orehead, full OF a Gignined and peaceful
pride, and those who surrounded him looked
/ on him with a naive admiration.
Then another spectator told how the execu-
z TONER lrom Quimper had arrived tue evening
I before by the stagei he had seen him; he was
| 4 fne-lookins man, who wore trinkets and ear
1 There we're atheIs Who spoke Of ne can
I deuned, who had known tfiemi ard these
were surrounded, and listeHed to with q curious
establishment
hastily, testfying their disgust at this seagerneSs
{ OF tue people 70 see man decapitated. New
er. .heless, they were all in favour Of the death
penalty all spoke OF the necessity OF me eIeli-
pie. only they did not ike for the people 10
JTue. and BY seeing Il be prOhtably Instructed,
I PoEerful logictspsl whose names ugrred N
the electoral lists, by right OF legal capae ties.
Z But, among them, there was one IN parfteu-
/ lar whose whole soul was disturbed BY ind e
nation aud pity, al the sight Of the crowd sur
/ rounding the seaGold. He dressed the Place
/ almost at a run.
Z look on and see the blood Of a man SHEDS
/ And ne almost wePt, the hurgher WIKI the
/ But he was 0sss of the Jurors who hs& con-
I demRed to thAe4iIe those Ehq were about =
/ die, ,.,.,-
/ air another was being hnishei in the depths Of
/ the black prison F; this was, ahe t0st dag Of the
| condemned.
Barazer had felt, during the night that had
Just passed, all the agony OF that death, at set
! hour, which awaited him His soul was not
/ strongly sn ough sheathed with creeds TO bear
/ such a shock: he determined TO md means TO
[ attain oblivion Of his fear. ne man
who knew his rights, and who had sold bis
I life IN good earnest. He demanded OF the
I Tailor what was necessary TO stupefy himself in
( drunkenness, and that oticer hastenet to sat-
I isfy him; for he knew that no hing should be
/ refused to the condemned on the day Of his exc
3 cutiOn. Human Justice had so ordered, TO the
J end no doubt that, by surrounding the unfOr
/ tuna1 ~Fretch who was about to perish with
/ ali theoon.fQrts Of earth, 1t should seem harder
. TO him to leave our pleasures, and that he
ducement to live that was fiung 10 him ct the
brink Of the grave.
| As TO Margaret, some shr ds Of Christian faith
! had still hOated in her SOU she clnng 20 them
/ fervently, and sought 70 flnd strength In con-
fession and prayer The murmur Of her lits-
ntes, psalmodized in a loud voice, soon min zled
I with the drunkeu songs OF her sccom piice, and
[ one could learn that both sought comfort and
! assistance in the two only consultations which
can remain TO the heart OF the people at the
I end Of life cod and brandy
! Meanwhile, the hour had arrived the cart,
fne efrrng faaFr HNa
| Barazer, almost senseless rom drunkenness
lay GOWN IN Il at full length. The mOnotonous
1 him drowsy. Margaret, the cruoitx elaspcd 10
I her breast, devoutly prayed, while betws en- the
two sat the priest, very pale, and as It were
reeling under the hurthen OF his ministry.
So they came to the street Saint-IveS; but
there, cries and sobS were heard; the crowd
/ opened, and woman tprsng forward, having
I a child hanging to her neck.
Ny motheri cried two anguished voices my
mother!
Catherine and her little Marie.
The cart stopped the young girl passed the
child TO her mother, over the side OF the tum-
Then Il vas pitifuI to see the little thing cling
10 the neck Of the poor peasant Yonan- She
held In her little trembling hands Margal et s
thin pale face: her little feet casped the sides
OF the co demEed; she pressed her little body
to her, until she could not breathe And Wnat
convulsiOnS of griefl And amid her cries
kisses, billings, she repeated.
Mother, l do not want thee to die; stay with
me, W0LntTa 1OkntIs lltl " bcNgALAe VI AAAo Z
dc no want thee TO die
Then she begged the gendarules, she begged
the people, she begged the priest, ana all heid
down their heads without reply Ing; some
among them only wept.
Margaret vainly endeavored TO fnd strength
to console Marieis despair. Her heart was
breaking under the caresSes OF her two daugh-
For Catharine. too. had climbed into the cart
and was near her. The poor mother held both
in her arms, and let her head sink upon theirs.
The crowd looked on and sOhoed.
But all the noe the cart moved on.
Already il had turned out of the st-eet Saint
, Tres and was in Ia Marie street, Cabherine,
who had looked mp, trem oled, and ten on her
mothers bosom. IN the distance she had de-
Margaref. also seeing IT. felt in a manner re-
/ l{eyed, She looked At her children and the
! crucifix which she had for a moment neglected
: for them; then, taking both hands OF the llttie
Marie, she put them upon the Crcss, win
I movement full of fervour.
, God will have pity upon thee, child, she
said; God is Just. He knows that have net
~ y do not want thee TO die! repeated the be-
wildered child.
) hush my daughter, hush my Marie s1-
murmured the condemned, huggipg the little
2 thing 10 her heart, with mothers fonding
tenderness; do not cry so!
Then the priest, who bad TIL then been silent
began to spask: he eShorted the woman who
was about TO die 10 lay bare her whole heart
; and TO conceal nothing IN That supreme l.i hour
: her child, the woman repeated that she
: was innocent OF the blood that had been shed
] Then Inc pIl6 baNN hCA a0s14ANtoA AAO-A Aei
sins, a. they prayed tegesher.
Al last the ear storped. they had arr we'd.
The Place undulated with neaes, rs thick 4 a
! rain that began TO fall could not disperse tina
multitude; all eyes were turned towards th'
BaS-zer Bare was TAX en- upon 1t, drunk. his head
h1A a,s foT the other, said the exeeutioner
Risr the other dld not ascend. There was
stir at the foot Of the seanOld, and. altar. wer'
be4rd cries and sobs; women were seen 4
l. cling together-to tnterlace theic arms; and, II
the ioidSt or the stir, child's head apps AIRED a
Intervals, With blond, dishevelled hsir
All eyes were turned thither; everyon
stood tiptoe t. see; everyone was astonishe'
A' AiTeady The executioner had cried
quicker, thereI Don't you see II Is rain
81 last a woman appeared on the fatal lad
aPgortsd oy sSe eo3sa5e s 6p her snsas 30 30
priest pleased her, and gave her the cruelhx !
Esr ewes seemed 20 look for something at tn
fo-t ~ IN scaffold her arms were outstretchet
then. as IN suddenly losing her senses. she fe
Info tha arms OF the man who had helped he
~ ascend. There was an instant's silence .
dead, dull blow was heard. At the same tim
t. rose two loud cries
The crowd slowly retired.
.i..,..,so o, hopra after,xarsis. there wassee
PASS along the street Ia Marie troop Of wome
of the town, supporting one Of their eompar
ions who had hwoore1 or ans cilS yIs Sns ~
lures tnres We're swslled and her cheeks wet wit
The Young men who were passing. stopped.
lis that the little girl Of the woman just gui
Iotineds one Of them asked the woman WI
1t was carrying Marie.
p Poor child, what Is TO become Of 1t 2 mu
" INJURED the young man, turning TO his eompal
D. ion. - ,,
Of Fortqnaiey she Is PEes'y trb1s, sns MAN Tepe ,s
u Both knowlnGSS Ky ssr win their ca,,ss ~ -
Ot low iron -.