, 1886-10-24

NI
minute before 3 o'clock, but thcn would
have to 60, tho colonel locked the door
and left nc with my friends.
They had secured the privilege OF
spending these last few hours with me
] knew to comfort and console, perhars
to strengthen me for the fearful ordeal
through which | had to pass. But / Ind
TO comfort md console them.
My father IVES broken down. 1t inuat
be a horrid struin on a fathers feelings
to sit and lcol, at his son, in the prime of
manhood, and count Of tho few inter
vening minutes of nat boys remaining
life.
Brothers and sisters could only cazc at
mo in speeches misery, appalled, by tic
gloomy shadow of death that WIS then
casting cbout me.
l had to become consider, and strained
every nerve, called forth every power 10
smile. | would not permit Tie trcu-
blng man of God to offer PRAYERS. know
Ing his words would fell upon those low
Ing cars ns death walls, as clods falling
on my coffin. | drew them, by cvcrythinu
interesting | could think of, to contem-
plate anything but my impending doom.
As | would about succeed the LITTLE
clock in the nantcl would strike, or n
footjtop on the stair outside, or some
movements of the gcrrison, would recall
them with q sigh to the horrid present.
The little clock on the mantcl seemed
to nc in these intervals to tick as loudly
as the CHATTER OF II mill.
1t struck the half hours as well as the
full stroke; and it seemed to rle its little
whir would buzz and the tiny manner
strike every five minutes. Tcnl half
past Lleveni and II half Twelve!
Half One
IIanupnuf 1,nVv ~ tf,1sal ct tl. .....~.
gallopcd the minutes, end startled and
panied our GERS with those leetinr half
hours.
We were seated around the room, close
to each other rs we cocld get. Father on
one side, mother on the other, of me, a
hand claspe1 by each, us the little moni-
tor on the mantle broke the gathering
stiffness with its metal voice crying the
half hour gonel
lust then a step sounded without, u
hand touched the knob, the key turned in
the lock. the door was thrown open and
the colonel stood looking in upon us.
Instinctiycly l jumped to my feet, us
father end mother sprang to my side, a
hand each upon my shoulder.
How rapidly thought does its Office in
such emergencies
My first thought was, their dining hour
approaches, and these officers wish to ret
through his unpleasant duty before din
ner.
For II minute-it seemed eternity,
that the little clock had ceased to
tell off time-wc Stood, the colonel and
myself, silent, gazing stcrnly Mt each
other.
He evidently expected me to speak.
But | did not, would not.
At length he slowly drew from his
pocket n slip of paper, and saying: Cap
tain, | have just received this telegram, -
read, while We gazed upon him in strained,
listening eagerucss:
THE execution of the sentence in the
case of Capt. William F. Gordon is
postposned until further orders. by order
of THE PRESIDENT"
None of us spoke.
You can stay with your friends till 3.
Then you 20 back to your ccll,n he said,
closed the door and fcft us hurricdly.
Father drew n long, trembling sigh and
sank slowly to the floor, where mother
had already fallen. Their support gone
tie sudden, unlocked for lifting of the
cloud of death, the rush OF relief from
the horrid nightmare, caused n quick re
vulsion of feeling that made me limp as
n rag, weak as n dying babe. And 1, too,
sank between my parents.
The minister said something | did no
hear, brothers and sisters knclt around
us, and | heard the preacher pouring &
prayer of gratitude that the dark shadow
of death had passed by, leaving the light
of life.
My sentence of death was committed L
imprisonment md labor during the war.
But it was lifei-W. f. Gordon IN
Southern Bivouac.