The National tribune., 1880-07-01

square, and being drawn up in ne awaited the appear.
ance of the solemn cortege
Slowly down the road from the ruarr-house it came
enered the square, and marched along the inward facing
lines Of troops entirely around the open guard
by four large horses with their sadfaced driver seated
above and in the wagon with their arms pinoned be
hind them each his coffin, facing the rear, rod
two men, and took theirast leave OF their comrades
This second man was private from the Fourth Cav
ayy and was tried and convicted by the court as
the sergeant, for deseronthe third fourth ofense
lie had been vagabond and criminal before he became
soldier; and never having been patriot he de-
serter from the irst and was paying the just penalty of
his crimes without even the pity eomeraon of his
own messmates goint 6Ig a9lslu3s vf8Y3 MtH 5aff3e
The sunshine the coudloss sky the songs of birds
the graceful swying of the long estoons of spanish
in the woods the shallow, lnurxy river Fastening
awayto the gulf. the dreary old tube-down village he
hind it's iapdated levee the long haired sarty iclad
remnants of the late confederate army gathered th
street the dstrustf impoverished citizens
ing about disconsoatey the e6Ss of two armies
tered IN every direction 1.-THE outyng devastated sugar
plantations covered with camps and this scene
OF an imposing military execution these the OBJ
vious details of neverstobeorgotten picture. Down
into the hearts of five thousand it sank-photograph
eel blythe ndeibe and mpalpabe chemicals o the mind,
there to remain forever They felt the wheels of that
monsous hearse tuggingat all their strings If
they srove TO chain them with their sympathes and
sver nod them back sfrom the end of9that sofrowul
JourIey9 ss aHA N9 aq8u np.s 18sll 4Hffd hnG
Atlast the procession the place of entering
filed out into the field and halted short distance front
of the general and staff The assisted down
from the and seated upon their cofns
of their graves Eight men, with pallid faces halted in
line few PAGES before thems and exchanged their
bnes for others specially loaded for the the
provost marshall who had charge of all the
He had loaded seven of them with ball. but eighth
with blank carrifge leaving the in einercess
certainty allowing each lthnkthat pera ps his the
haLniess shot, atd d8ffQ s9nis 9ne bad w sal0t p9
H Theresswas delays9l Eyerything was done
quickly and WITH the utmost precision vol nH1 ieas
l The provost marshal reahs the execution
drew the fatal the eyes the prisoners stepped
back little and in the midst of the most awful sience
commanded visor s3 sam g5s5 gf 90 Egf 91fg s a.a
8 Attention Ready ~ ..s.+
The click of Those eight locks horrible The vic
Tins stirred little it were involuntary. The air
seemed stiing Bdhe calm, m0notonous regularity of the
commands wassexciutiang The apparently heartiess
and business like anrer Of theinarshal madening
Instantly he slipped to the side of the sergeant, and
lightly pulling his sleeve, led him few steps aside; them
before the action could be fully realized commanded
dim Fire ~
+ There a crashing blasta cloud of snokeAaa dull
heavy thud as the soldier fell back dead upon his con
and the sergeant fell limpand motoness into the
of the marshall who stopped down knee him
on the other and pulling Oft the blackcap nursed him
back to life and consciousness. yttpaaaa3
There murmur of grateful applause along the
whole line. The general had been intimdated and
yet had granted the prayer of his had punished
the sergeant severely and been mecifu to them both
he had spared the life of though sentenced and kept
knowledge of it from the other, though shot
We did not know then that the second cavalry
to the execution with loaded carbnes and forty rounds
their cartridge boxes If we had might have felt
quite at easebut it would have made other difference