Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1871-12-22
The Last of the Commune.

sHOOTIsG o. Eosssl, FERRE AND BoUR IEoIs.
At halt-past SIX the prison doors opened, and
saw Rossel come out, accompanied by the oler-
gyman and advocate, who. with him, entered
the van which was waiting to receive them, and
which drove of az once with its escort. ROssels
step was calm and firm, aud his face pale. but
resigned snd placid B1urgeos, the sergeant,
followed him. pufiing great jets Of smoke from
his cigarette, aud assuming an attitude Of def
auce aad Indifference which produced a painful
impression Ferry was even more jaunty in
manner He, zoo. wss smoking, and Jumped
into the yaa with the air Of man who was do
ing everything for eIect. Ii is half hours
drive from the prison TO the Artillery Butts on
the Plain Of SAtory. thick hoar frost
wbitened The plsls, and cold morning air
swept Sharply across il. Forming three s'des Of
an immense tqgsre we're arranged, tN0 deep,
sbout three thousand men the fourth side vas
filled up by the high mound which forms the
Init. sud 10 front OF Wl'ch, a, intervals OF about
thirty ysris, were three white stakes before
these iiakcs were the three shooting psrues,
composed each OF twelve men. Az the left
corner. and about thirty yaris from the nearest
stake, were group cfhsers and shout dozen
civilians, with the !runs and tlgles. Here
was stationed.
In q few moments the drums announced the
arrival Of the vans. which drew up IN the
middle Of the SQUARE. 1ni from each one a pris-
oner desceuild B1ssel, still accompanied by
his pastor and advocate, between whom he
walked. attended by a s;rgie genilrme, sp-
pros .hei the STAKE ue.-est T. me lie was still
Z %. ..f q . r.
fee. reser There vas an cnure shsence o.
ANYTHING like bravaio. Sc anytaiug like fear.
Ills attitude was exactly that which brave
mans under such circumstances should have
been. lie shook hznis warmly with hose who
were with him, aui also with an otioer Who
came up and spoke TO nm, and once more
sskei in 4 cletr tone. aui!1.e to us al, II there
WAS one Of his jllg present, IS be wished 70
shake hiut by the haul h-f1re he died a. an
evidence that be admitfci be had t-ue his duty
ia coudemuiug him. This caused q moments
celly sud buIz in the group in which was. but
no officer answerci 90 thc sppesl 20 klssel
quietly took Of his g,ea; coat. put his back 70
the stake, drew himt,.f up 20 tall height AZ the
hsudage was tied owes hs eyes, ard remained
mltionless
Meant ue the 1.la- TOO prisoners approached
their respective s;sscs, the sergeant with less
swscrcriue but perfectly firm step, FerTe, with
even more defiant sir than before, still smok-
ing and pgdns large Je's. tAa, there might be
10 mistake lbaltir. Wi'h short, qui;s step
be walked up o. zoe sraGc, turning sharply
round AMI boldly hcilc tho shooting party.
When The white hsuEe-chief with which the
ewes cf The other two were beng btuis-ei. was
5lacsI as waved LIS hand Is6eutly. dung his
La. ca-a.tsllv up-u the crouui, drew him
self uu 20 ha foil height. waica cannot De
% re than :ur feet siT inches and waited
iraaohius'y ;Jr The fatal word !, vas imp-s-
sih.e for men % lace ise'h with more iheroism
than Rossel. Cr With greater eiirontery and in
difference than the other two The spectacle,
which hsi up % this time been invested in my
Imagination with every element Of horror seemed
In the rr5teuce Cf - much co0ness 20 be robbed
ofhllfitsterr1rs. When, indeed, the nnal word
vas given. aul the iatsl yo.iey rang out simul-
tsne5uslY from three shooting parties, who bad
sii sdvsuce1 90 within tea PAGES, bad almost
ceasel % rea e the terrible nature OF tie TRACE
which vas passing before me. k0ssel was shot by
4 rartv Of tle c1rrs % Engineers 90 which be be-
loneei, aui they shosei true mercy. As ihe
volley rang out, with slr rht spring be ieil sack
stone dead There vas not the lapse Of seconi
between the moment BE was standing strong
living man, AMI thai in which his corpse was ly-
ing ca the ground, without even culver. Il Wa
not 90 however. with the other two Bourgeois
who Was IN the middle. ..ei 81 once. but wa- found
70 he lot dead. ami colder, as is ususl in such
cases, put the mu1ze @ BIZ rifle 20 his head,
and the sharp ring seemed 90 curte once
blood Ferre. Wao was looking d1En the mus
z'es Of the rifles which were aimeI =; him.
seemed 10 have uervel himself 20 su.a a pitch
that be remain standing m0tiouless afIer the
two others had fallen. For tive or three seconds
he stood uprirh, after the whole v0ley had been
fred from the first rank. /; vs. not until the
second rank Grei. one or two seconds later, thaJ
bis knees slowly bent and be sank gently to the
ground Even thea she dreadful coup ts grace.
which proved thst in the opinion Of the doctor
l'e was not quite extinct, hai % be given, sad
with a thuiier Of relief. SIS if | hsd passed
through zone terrible nightmare, l hurried from
the spot, leaving the army in the At of marching
psst ihe c0rpses As cast = last Look AZ them,
could DO, Ga; feel hos different was the spir,
which hsi animated esch a the last moment. Rlf-
sci hai died commeniiug his soul TO G1d Bour-
ceois hal eoue through the form of confession. .
and iici probably IA the ignorance % a super
siit0us soldier while Fesre died. caring as
little for HE OWE life 81 be hsi for those OF othcrs
aui declaring, 10 the last lines he ever wrote, ca
the morning Of his death. that he would die. as
be had ligel. a Materiaist-C.r. L7nlor
YIm.f