Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1881-07-06
[From the n. Y. Examiner and Chronicle.1
TO BE HUNG FOR A SPY,
BY HART AYRAULT.

1t was five o'clock in the afternoon of
beautiful early spring day. The gar
den at the rear of the long low rambling
Virginia farmhouse was well stocked
with vegetables, over which the passion
flower vine trailed in tangled luxuriance,
and beyond the green meadows sloped in
soft undulations to where broad river
ghstening In the suns rays, rolled
smoothly beside the boundary fence of
the pasture.
Yet Virginia Drake stood in her fathers
door looking sadly across the river to the
houses and spires which rose on the
other side.
''Ohi mother, mother! I can't keep
my eyes off that dreadful place." she
said, turning to delicate looking woman
who sat within doors mixing a cake for
their evening meal
''Now don't zee, Virginia, what good'n
it do anyhow" said the mother, rising
and going over to the door also. 'sCome
in, honey" putting her hand on her
daughters shoulder caressingly.
ooh, mother! to think Of my poor old
she fairly broke down and sobbed out
right.
"Don't, don't, honeyr' cried her
mother, her own eyes full of tears
"Here comes your father; don't let him
see his little gal a-cryin'."
Virginia ran hastily into her bedroom
as her father entered the kitchen.
"There's no chance for poor Archie,
Slas ?" asked his wife, as frank-faced,
kindly-looking elderly man came into the
kitchen.
"Chanee indeed" said he roughly.
while his face clouded. ono, no, he'll
be hung as sure as [ stand here. l never
thought to see poor John Moulton's son
swing on the gallows," he added sorrow-
fully, .' but [ suppose it's the only
way to deal with spies in these fghtin'
times. [ shall go in on the colt to-mor-
row to see the last of him, wife"
"The Lord have mercy on his soul, ;"
moaned the wife.
Over the opposite hill the sun was set
ting-was shedding his lastradiant beams
over the houses that rose in steep success
sion on the hills-on the low, dark strong
building which crowned the height. The
red light seemed to concentrate itself on
the gateway of the building, where men
were putting up strong timber struc-
ture, watched from below by talking
and gesticulating crowd, whose white
and black faces mingled in their unusual
excitement. Inside the walls other
workmen were busy on a more common
place Job. Something was out of order
with the great sewer of the jail, on which
they had been at work for some hours.
Now they were taking up their tools,
putting on their coats, and leaving till
next day. They moved about in I'M
usual silence, ever and anon glancing to
the farther side of the yard, where
youth In a faded and torn soldiers coat,
with manacled hands, was pacing meas
uredly up and down.
"Wal, said one of their number,
blessed eff hain't sorry for him, if he
is "a Yankee. "
''Tain't as eff we hadn't knowed the
hull family befo' the war;" answered
his companion. 81 recollect well
enough when he was pIayin' round with
my own boys. %
An official came across the yard to look
at their days work and to hurry them
through an inner court, whence the
great doors opened to let them into the
street.
The manaeled youth gazed after their
retreatlng forms with groan, as he
thought of their return to their homes
free and happy while he = and glancing
UP at the structure that reared its horri-
ole frame within his sight, = his soul
sickened within him.
He was not confined to his cell on this.
the last day of his life, but was permitted
to walk about the quadrangles of the
prison. No one was with him, and the
sentinel pacing up and down an angle
of the building was the only person in
sight.
His thoughts were bitter and despair
ing indeed. He thought of his gray
haired widowed mother far off on the
bleak New-Hampshire farm; of his
gentle and sickly younger brother, now
her only stay ; of kind-hearted farmer
Drake, who had been to see him for his
fathers sake; of his sweet little play
mate Virginia of long ago. Mechanic
ally he walked across the square to
where the sewer work had been going on.
and as he did so he thought involuntarily
of how large the opening was, and where
it emptied itself. Suddenly an idea fash
ed through his brain, making his wan
face flush and his manacled hands trem-
BILE with excitement. Heglanced sharply
around to see If his thought had betray-
ed itself, and seeing no one, forced him
self into his former weary tread, though
his knees shook under him with emotion.
Presently he turned to go into the
building. A turnkey started up the
steps, where he had been lounging, and