The Orangeburg news. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1867-1875, 1871-07-08
SATURDAY MORNING, JULY s, 1871.


yard the doomed nlsn were hurried by
their executioners Tbut their terrible
march mad o momehtary interruption
Suddenly, from beneath the spreading
branches Of the tree which the victims
knew so well, the graceful figure of a
young girl bounded forth asif her feet
were winged, and I,eonio, finging her
self on the breast Of her yGance, exclaim-
ed, in tone of horror, "Eparisto, que,
ia ton .faire de toi fp"y
"a dieu mon anges p was his only an-
swer; but the instinct Of her woman's
heart told her all the dreadful truth.
She fang up her hands with litter
cry, and as his bound arms could not
hold her, she sunk at his feet as if she
had herself already sustained the death
blow he was about 70 meet. Vevette,
who had followed her, was clinging to
Martel, uttering shriek on shrek.
"Remove these women" exclaimed
the commanding officer, With angry i'm
patience, and the soldiers instantly tore
Vcvette from Martel's arms, while 9TH
ors lifted up the senseless form of Le-
onie, and both were roughly flung aside
upon the churchyard grass. and the cap
tives hurried on without another mo-
ments delay. Then Indeed did the bit
terness Of death pass into the hearts Of
Marte aud Evariste, while Jules, turn
ing to them with pathetic smile, said
softly
81 may we'll be thankful that have
no .fancee :"
Yes, truly, that hour had come to
them, as conc it will to all of us, when
those are happiest who have fewest
earthly blessings, and whose best trea.
urcs are garncred in. chat relm where
all that has been brave and sweet aud
good, like the sclfdevotion of these
three young men, will have n place
throughout Tic eternal ages, among the
impeTishablc things of God.
There was an oren field just below
the church yard wall which had been
the favortc playsr@sbii of Evariste and
his companions thr3E1h all their happy
'tso5hpud Fhcrsswrfe esthey- -rased by srife'
Uhlans, and placed with their eyes han
jagged, facing the sun they were never
TO see again
A few me nj nn's more, and through the
wall Of the De Pofuals, risirl, and
falling amid the subs of men grown
weak as swomcn in their anguish of pity,
there went the sharp ringing report of
the vollcy which told that the sacrifice
consummutcl, and that il the brief
carthl, life Of the noble young men was
over, Oh the roll of the glorious army Of
martys their names would live forever
more.
The st ry we have told is no fiction.
1t is but few weeks since the village
of Vaux Yilaine witnessed the execu-
tion Of three friends, who, lest tho lot
should fall on the fathers of families
ounteered to satisfy the blood claim of
the Prussians for the death of the colo
mel. 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 in
stance of that glorious springing of good
out Of evil, which has been the deathess
consolation of the human race since the
first man woke to the mystery of suf-
fering.
Amid the horror and anguish, and
aching helpless compassion with which
this dreadful war has filed the world,
such deeds rise up full of swce hess and
refreshncss, like the fragrance of flow
ers which only give iorth their richest
perfume when they have been crushed
aud beaten down under the foot OF the
destroyer.
--z-szsz-rle 1razE,s--.-