The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1871-07-06

life quenched in blood but when he saw
: That Martel, his own son was amongst the
offered victims, the words died on his lips
and he turned his face to the wall, groan4
ing In uns peakable anguish. He felt,
Brutus-like, he could not ask that father
OF family should die to spare his own
unwedded son. No time was given him,
however, to struggle with his heart. The
Prusslan officer held out his watch, ex
claiming that the ten minutes were ex-
pired-he must have three men Instantly
for execution
w are here we are ready!' said the
three friends, coming forward with firm
step and dauntless look.
'One moment only" exclaimed Eva
! rlste, and taking bis two companions by
the hand, he drew them down on their
knees before the cure, SAVING. Father
absolve us, bless us in this supreme mo.
ment /"
The good old man, appalled, and bewil-
dered turned toward them his ewes
streaming with tears. He seemed too
muchsoverwhelmed to know almost what
ne was doing, but,upheld by the habits of
prlestly functions, he murmured the form
OF absoiut'on, made the sign of the cross,
and blessed them in the threefold name
OF Him before whom they were about to
appear.
They thanked him, adding "Adieu,
mon PEREZ" and rose from their knees. Tn.
stantly the Uhlans surrounded them.
bound their hands and hurried them to
the door. One moment those gathered
In church saw their shadows darker the
threshold as they passed out into the daz-
zlIng sunshine, and the next instant they
were gone, to be seen of men no more for
ever Them with simultaneous impulse,
the whole assembly fell upon their knees
ana as the cure, turning to the altar in.
toned the DE PrQfWndd8 the wailing voices
joined IN the funeral chant with one deep
heart Wrung cry, that rose in mournfuI
appeal to the listening heaven.
Meanwhile, across the sunlit church
yard, the doomed men were hurried bv
their executloners; but their terrible
march had momentary interruption.
Suddenly, from beneath the spreading
branches Of the tree which the victim
knew so WELL the graceful figure of
young girl bounded forth, as If her feet
were winged, and Leonie, f1inging herself
on the breast of her 19Gncee exclaimed, in
ftire de tot ?"
Ad5e~, mon a'agS was his only an
swer but the instinct of her woman's
heart told her the dreadful truth. She
hung up her hands with bitter cry. and
as his bound arms could not hold her.she
sunk at his feet as if she had herself al
ready sustained the death blow he was
about to meet. Vevette, who had follow
ed her, was clinging to Martel, utterino
shrek on shrek.
Remove these women" exclaimed tho
com handing officer, with angry imna.
thence, snd the soldiers Instantly tore
Vevette from Martel's arms, while others
lifted up the senseIess form ofLeonie and
both were roughly flung aside upon the
churchyard grass, and the captiyes hur.
ried on without another moments delav
Then indeed did the bitterness of death
pass into the hearts of Martel and Eyar-
isle, while Jules, turning to them with
pathetic smile, said softly:
may well be thankful that have no
fanceei"
| Yes, truly, that hour had come to them.
as come 1t will to all of us, when those are
Lapplest who have fewest earthly bless
lngs, and whose best treasures are garner
ed lii that realm where all that has been
brave and sweet and good, like the self
devotion OF those three young men, will
have place throughout the eternal aces
among the lmperishable things of God.
There was an open field lust below the
chnrchyard wall, which had BEEN the ia.
vorite playground of Evariste and his
companions through all their happy bow
| hood Wern fol
and placed with their eyes bandage6, ia
eng the sun they were never to see again.
A few moments more, and through the
wall of DE fr0fundas, rising and falling
amid the sobs OF men grown weak as wo.
men In their anguish Of pity, there went
the sharp ringing report of the Yolley
which told that the sacrifice was consuma-
ted, and that if the brief earthly life of
the noble young men was on the roll of
the glorious army of martyrs their names
would live for evermore.
The story we have told is no fiction. It
is but few weeks since the village of
Vaux Vilaine witnessed the execution of
the three friends who, lest the lot should
fall upon the fathers of families, yolun-
teered to satisfy the hlood.claim of the
Prussians for the death of their Colonel.
i We have given this little record of their
fate, not to harrow the feelings of our
readers by the mere recital of a tragedy.
but to afford them another instance of
that glorious springing of good out of
evil, which has been the deathless conso.
lation of the human race since man first
woke to the mystery of suffering.
Amid the horror and anguish, and ach.
ing helpless compassion with which this
dreadful war has filed the world, such
{ deeds rise up full Of sweetness and re-