Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1870-05-17

and by following his advice all the officers
drew white beans except Captain Eastland
After the officers had all drawn, the SINUS
ter rolls of the men were produced, and We
were called forward pur names appeared
upon them. Some 5 The Mexican officers
present were evidently much affected by the
courage and nonchalance manifested by the
men in this fiery trial others, on tho con-
trary, seemed to enjoy the whole proceedings
hugely, particularly one little swarthy baboon
visaged chap that looked as if he had subsis-
ted all his life on short allowance of red pep
per and cigaritors. He appeared to take an
especial delight in the hesitation of some of
the men when they put their hands in the
vessel, for even the bravest felt some reluc~
tance to draw when he knew that life or GER
tain death depended upon the color of the
bean he might select Whenver there was
the slightest hesitation, this officer would say,
in apparently the most eommiserating tone
Take your time, mi ninO,' (wy child); don't
hurry yourself, mi mucbaco,' (my boy) be
careful, mi muchaco, (my boy) be careful.
mi pobrecito,' (poor fellow; you know it
you get black bean you will be taken ont
and shot in ten minutes,,-a fact we had al
ready been fully apprised of.
''Ah that's unfortunate" he would say
when poor fellow drew black bean, "but bet
fer luck to you the next time"
Yet all the while he was talking in this
way, in the kindest accents, a devilish grin
GU his baboon face indicated the great pleas
ure he took in the anxiety and distress of
these ''poor fellows"
am not of revengeful disposition, but if
that Mexican had ever fallen into my power,
his chances of living to ".good old age"
would have been miserably slim, and / could
have recognized him among ten thousand, for
his weazen features and his diabolical grin
were indelibly impressed upon my memory.
I'll tell you how l would have served him..
| would have bought bushel of black beans
cooked them about half done in big pot, and
made him set down upon it and eat until he
bursted. I'd have given him dose that
would have stretched his little tawny hide as
tight as bass drum. He should have had
his fill of black beans for once, to a certainty.
Those who drew black beans seemed to care
very little about it. Occasionally one would
remark, as he drew out the fatal cOlor-"Well,
boys. the jig is up with me !" or They have
taken my sign in at last )" or something of Il
similar character, and then give way to the
next, apparently as unconcerned as if he had
no interest whatever in what was going on
around him.
There was but single exception to this.
One poor fellow, messmate of mine, too,
appeared to be completely overcome by his
apprehensions of drawing black bean. He
stood until his OVID time to draw came round.
wringing his hands aud moaning audibly, aud
continually telling those near him that he
knew lie should draw black bean that he
had .presentiment such would be his fate-
When his turn came, he hung back, aud alb
solutely refused to 90 up at all until file of
Mexican soldiers forced him forward at the
points of their baynnets. He lresitated so
long after he put his hand into the vessel con-
tanning the beans that Mexican officer near
him pricked him severely with his sword to
make him withdraw it. All this. of course,
was immensely gratifying to the little bahoOn-
faced official who'niHoed" aud ''pobrecitoed"
him in his kindest tones. all the while. though,
evidently snickering and laughing in hissIeeve
at the fears exhibited by the "pobrecito."
At last the poor fellow was forced TO with>
draw his hand, and his presenti,nent proved
too true, for in it he held'the fatal black bean.
He turned deadly pale as his eyes rested upon
it, but apparently he soon resigned himself to
his inevitable fate, for he never uttered
word of complaint afterwards. pitied him
from LHe DOL(Om OI my neafJ.
My name beginning with W. was of course
among the last on the roll, and when it came
to my turn to draw, so many more white beans
than black had been drawn out in proportion,
that there could have been no great difference
in the number of each. l observed twenty
four white beans drawn out in succession.-
The chances of life and death for me were.
therefore, not so very unequal | will frankly
popfaES rhan I mt bo1A 1pfr fIa
and this fact recurred to my mind, s,.asm Of
fear or dread sent momentary chill 10 my
heart, but mastered it quickly, aud before
even the lynx-eye of the little baboon-iaced
official detected any sign Of such weakness
At any rate, he bestowed none of his endear-
ing epithets upon me.
All the time the drawing had been going
on l stood pretty close TO the scene of opera
tions, and l thought l could perceive slight
difference in the size Of the black and white
beans-that the former were a shade larger
than the latter This difference, know, may
have been purely imaginary, but at any rate,
l was eventually decided by it in my choice
of bean.
When 1 first put my hand in the pot took
up several beans ar once in my fingers, and
endeavored to distinguish their color by the
touch, but they all felt precisely alike. l then
dropped them and picked up two more, and
after lingering them carefully for an instant,
l thought that one Of them seemed little
larger than the other. 1 dropped that one
like hot potato, and drew out the one left.
1t was white one, of course, or should not
now be here to tell my story-but not uery
white one, and when [ cast my eyes upon it,
it looked to me as black as the lace Of spades"
I felt certain for a moment that nv fate
was sealed, but when l handed it to the
Mexican officer who received them as they
we're drawn out, saw that he put it on the
wall with the white beans, and not into his
Waiscoat pocket, as he had done the black
ones. 1 knew then that l was safe, and the
revulsion of feeling was so great and rapid
rnr L.. kn stiidaTl