The Portland daily press., 1873-12-06

81 promise it. and will conduct her my
SELF If Iced be-" answered. ig1uo3
The colonel clasped my hand. During this
short conversation, five or six officers were
grouped around the table. The General
who was much above medium height con-
tnued to promenade restlessly giving orders
in l0tD voice. Fur
''Do you give me a trial2' inquired the
colonel turning sudden !y towards him.
mo Senior, ouly to prove your identity,
You can then call priest.
"Of wnat crime am I accused to merit
death without trial?'' -g..-
"Of having fought against the troops of the
Supreme Government" 1s.9u .l.
81 commanded them, on the contrary,
answered the colonel sharply. Miramon is the
elect of the people,"
He restrained himself, his respiration was
hard; the veins in his forehead were swollen.
Like myself five minutes before, he compel ed
himself to obey the precept of the sage. At
last in voice, whose calmness, surprised me, he
inquired how many hours he cOuldcommand.
Gas many as you need, colonel answered
Llave.'
Il ask of you only two Senior, one to put
my soul in a state to appear before God and
the other to embrace my children and
attempt to console my wife
Answer upon your honor. Seniors, said
Lave turning to his officers who seemed EN-
BARR. ssed, do you recognize this man here as
colonel?' o~
''Spare them the shame of contributing to
my death, by answering you, general. 1 am
the one you seek" i-...E m
The officers went towards the colonel,
shook hands with him without saying word.
They were pale. For my part was over
whelmed, dumbtounded, sick. The idea that
this man so robust, whose hand ! held, had
only two hours to live, appeared to me some
thing monstro Is, impossible.
The general appeared to me murderer,
although knew he was humane, and hus-
band and father
evil you grant me favor?' asked, ap-
preaching him.
Certainly. doctor, provided it is not grace
for the prisoner"
SIT will take me 4S hours to 60 to the city
of Mexico; will you accord to me this re-
prieve?" .li'5. 3.
At this moment woman rushed into the
room, followed by an old officer, scolding and
holding her by the arm, endeavoring to pre-
vent her entrance.
"outsider' he said, ''wait. at least, until I
90 to my chief" '
recognized my patient; she looked at us
all with her grand black eyes, then. when her
husband, turning deadly pale, rushed to sup
port her, she threw herself on her knees be-
.ore Lave, wishing to speak, and uttering
sobs only. r5A. 2.. go 2, f'07
s'Thank God" said to myself ed
The colonel raised his sobbing wife; he en-
bra ced her, and spoke tenderly to her.
HAllow me to take her bQ5en senor," said
he addressing the general: the hour that
you designate shall face the balls of ~
soldiers" r. d., l,-5.t.. -.f
The general did not reply. The officer
who had endeavored to opp1Se the entrarc e
of the colonePs wife, pushed Eddely into the
room two men, whom soon recognized as
the herdsmen Of the .Cerritos of San Juan.
"Here are two who demand their reward ;
must they be hung?" n,
the face the two miserables, who hung their
heads, and fell against the wall.
"Let them be paid" said the general with
| contempt, aud let them be horses whipped if
they ever prowf round my dwelling.
The herdsmen soon went away, hustled by
the soldiers, hooted by the crowd collected in
the street.
Don Ramon restrained his wife, who
would have thrown herself again at the feet
of Lave, who was looking out of the window.
implored him, spoke to him of the Greeks,
of the Romans, of Scipio of Epaminondos, of
all the heroes celebrated for the grandeur of
| their souls. ~
cited the great king of the Toltecs, Topilt-
zan, who par ioned. not only the enemies OF
the State, but his personal enemies The
Colonel listened to me with visible surprise,
his wife sobbed, watching me intentIy, She
scarcely comprehended what said, but she
knew that was pleading for her husband.
Suddenly Lave turned towards the colonel,
"Will you serve in our ranks?" he asked
"No" answered the prisoner.
ssvVill Won SwQar a laQSt mt IN fivht aOainS Of
us?''
"Swear! for your children's sake" muir
INJURED the unfortunate woman, ''swear ~
she said, seeing him hesitate. At the same
time endeavoring to make him raise his hand.
The colonel held back, his look stony, pierre
ing, sought my face as if to question and con-
| suit me.
II have those who love me,'' said he at
| length, "and have no right to despise life
| but as DESTROYS as I may be to preserve it I
| cannot give the lie to my own convictions,
| der me from keeping. All that can prom
Use, Senior, is not to go out of the city, and to
consider myself as your prisoner, until the
day when my party shall retake possession. -
'You are free, colonel" answered Lave
| whom watched with admiration; 81 trust
your word. fly chance the Supreme Gov
eminent disapproves of my action, I shall
| give you warning twenty four hours in adj
vance, and you will have time to seek place
of safety"
In this manner the life of the colonel was
saved; his wife understood, as I did, for she
| covered with kisses the hand of the general,
who tried kindly to release himself. As soon
| as her husband carried her away, l threw
myself upon the neck of Lave, and embraced
him in true French fashion, that is to say,
| upon both cheeks, which surprised him very
much. He was content to shake hands with
me, and detain me to breakfast. iii
He seemed very happy in his resolution.
| During the repast / recounted to his wife
| so celebrated IN the department of Vera Cruz
| for her beauty-how, thanks to the example
| of the Greeks, Romans, and the King TOpilt-
Fan, her husband had performed an action
which would render his name illustrious.
The general confessed that my arguments
had impressed him, but these grand examples
excite only grand souls, and the general was
one of them. aI
s... CHAPTER v. QA
The supreme government, IS months ago,
ratified and approved the conduct of General
Lave, and since that time the Colonel has
been free. Singular man, this soldier; he
has refused the half pay offered to him by
Lave, and he he has borrowed of me, under
his own guaranty, a hundred piastres. By
Iuc du VI IuiS money Ine COlOnei mas pur-
| chased tallow, and with the assistance of his
children he attempted to dip some candles.
Bless me! what droll things were those can
dies which my protege fabricated the first
time he attempted them. He seemed deter
mined to make them thin, crooked, visited,
but they purchased them of him in the city,
sympathiziDg with the honesty, stoicism. self
aonegation of this brave officer. Little by
little the candles of the the Colonel became
straight. He succeeded in gaining living
for himself and family, and to repay me in
small sums. .--rs .,..---,.
We met rarely; he had his furnaces to
watch and my patients to care for, my me-
moir to finish; besides, we are not Of the
class who find the hours long.
The Colonel was sad spirit. with little ed
ucation, and uncommunicative. His wife,
as energetic as he, supported without COM
plant this obscure and necessltous life-she
who, born in high rank, had wrapped herself
so daintily in the folds OF a sken mantle on
the grand religious feast days. The Colonel,
away from home wore invariably his blue
coat embroidered with black. He read the
journals carefully; the defeats or the triumphs
of his party alone had any power to move