The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1871-01-20

beams of cloudless SUI the autumn
nal stiffness of an October day pervaded
the atmosphere, and the beleaguered
city lay hushed in "a corresponding qui-
etness. It was verging upon noon, the
hour appointed by his remorseess captor
for the murder of Albert. All the city
mad crowded to the walls, and with
hushed breaths and beating hearts,
watched the preparations for the fearful
scene about to b. presented to them.
The Spanish camp seemed wrapped
in the same stiffness that hung over the
city neither trumpet nor drum, nor
any of the usual sounds of war we're
heard, and the oDly symptom of life liz
the beleaguern. host was the appear
auce of small party, who, a little in
advance Of the outward lines, were 81.
lenlly employed in preparations for The
work of death. This party, composed
of detachment OF the prisoners Of the
army, had already erected lofty gibbet,
and were diligently engaged IN con-
s,ructiog platform beneath it, The
wild and savage garb of these men, the
perfect silence in which they pursued
their gloomy task, aud the gauut aud
horrid gallows that bestrided them, gave
to the scene a diabolic character, and to
the actors in it the appearance of so
macy fends. The citizens Of Harlem
gszed 90 the dreadful work with pallid
cheeks and contracted brows horror
seemed to be freezing their blood and
paralyzing their energies leaving them
only conscious of fearful oppression,
and burning, thirsty craving fr re-
venge. All felt for the youthful victim;
but there was one 10 that gazing crowd,
whose sufferiugs could not be expressed
in external symbols: whose deep an
guish lay like hidden viper at the
heart drinking the blood that gave it
vital warmth; this was Van AnderIin.
He bad been the first to take his station
on the wall, and had remained there for
hours steadily gazing on the prepars-
tons for the murder Of his beloved son:
The swarthy hue which constant expo
sure bad given to his cheek had now as
sumed a death.Ii like sallowness his eye
was bloodshot and seemed straining 10
It's socket as il continued riveted on the
fatal scene he spoke not, he moved
not, but rigid as a s'atue,and apparently
as lifeless, still stood on the same spot
and in the same attitude which he had
at first assumed.
The sun continued on its course, re.
CARELESS of the agony which his immu-
table career was conveying to the hearts
of thousands, aud like conqueror,
sweeping to his meridian, which his
glory was making desolste At length
the death-like stiffness which had so
long pervaded both camp aud city was
suddenly broken by shot from the
Spanish lines. A convulsive start agi-
tsted tho assembled crowd; the smoke
of the fatal signal arose through the
quiet atmosphere in 4 spiral column,
and The melancholy roll of the muffled
drum sent forth its death note on the
air. Immediately we're seen issuing
from the lines of tho besisGers. q body
Of close-formed Infantry, who marched
up to the Intended scene of slaughter
and formed around il q massive square,
two squadrons of horse followed the To-
fsutry and halted on their TANKS. The
drum now ceased, aud was succeeded by
another pause of perfect silence, which
was broken by the second shot. The
smoke again rolled away, and now were
seen upon the platform the figures
they were the priest, the executioner,
and the victim. Van Anderlin recog.
nized his SOD his bosom heaved with
one great throb and his eyes closed
the next moment they re-opened and he
was calm as before
Whilst the fate of Albert was thus
approaching, bis sister remained alone
within her chamber. She sat upon her
bed, pale, but fearless. There was 40.
guish depicted on her couutenance
but it wore an expression of that Won
deriug, vacant cast, that is generally the