The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1886-11-04

voted non at the plebiscite. The mis-
cradle man has a sickly wife and three
small children, of whom the oldest one
has just begun to run about alone.
The death of the father will leave his
family to die of hunger. But if he did
not absolutely kill the Prussian, he is
capable of doing it. Then, too, he is a
beggar-a thief-and the others are rich
farmers, honest tillers of the soil
Yes. justice before mercy.
In vain the unhappy wretch protests
his innocence of the crime affirming
that the day and evening of the murder
he did not leave his hut. He had hurt
himself the day before in telling tree.
All day long he lay on mis- bed; they can
send for 2is wife, she will bear witness
that h. is telling the truth. In vain he
drags himself on his knees from this
one to the other. praying in voice suf-
located with agony for mercy, for pity,
not for himself. but for his sickly wife,
mis- children of such Il tender age. Sill
ence. stern, inexOrable, replies to his
prayers.
From his corner, bathed in sweat,
Jean Pegolan listens to the condemned
mans pleading, dreading that the pray
ers of the unhappy wretch may succeed
in melting his hearers hard hearts, and
he may obtain the mercy for which he
implores-a useless fear on Pegolan's s
part. The peasants are only too relieved
to have at last found a way out of their
difficulty. They are anxious to have
done with the matter, to be rid of the
sight of this man. who kneels there tear
ing his hair and shrieking out curses on
them for their selfishness and cruelty.
And the great white image of Christ
bends over them all; his gracious head
crowned by the cruel thorns.
Now the portals of the church door
are suddenly thrown wide open, show
ing the square outside bristling with
bayonets. In the doorway appears the
platoon of execution, their guns shining
IN the warm, dusty light which falls
down from above. Twelve o'clock rings
out from the belfry.
Avolley of musketry rings out, fol-
lowed by short, painting shrek, and
the corpse of the beggar lies there in
the dusty road. his blood cleaning in
the sunlight stains the soles of the shoes
of the soldiers us they wheel about;
while the mounted German officers look
down scornfully as they ride away. upon
the body of the French coward who died
screaming like a woman.
Jean Pegolan is returning to his farm.
Sapristi, how pleasant it is to be home
again. The hens are comfortably
scratching in the barnyard. the pigeons
cooling on the roof, the ducks lazily
swimming up and down the pond.
From the outhOuses, which have for
tunately escaped the depredations of
the Prussians, comes the grave lowing
of the mich cows, to which the strident
neighing of La Grise responds The
sheaves of wheat upon the granary
floor fill the inclosure with a warm, vel
low light; above the piled up hay
threatens to burst through the low win
dows.
The farmer of Eyevettes gives himself
shake; he feels that his shirt is still
damp upon his back. He enters his
house. A woman-it is his wife-is
kneeling. weeping by the bedside. She
rises at the sound of the opening door.
What, have they not shot you?" she
exclaims. ut was you," she continues,
''who killed the Prussian at the Croix-
Verte. After you We're gone found the
blouse you wore-there was blood on
it"
keep quiet, keep quiet 1t is quite
true. But you will not betray me?"
Have no fear; but you," returned his
wife with shudder, ''you-you let an
other man be shot in your place?"
1T was not my fault. 1t was the
marie who made the choice"
jean Pegolan, you wretch; you
wicked coward, adieu-"
Pegolan has fallen into chair Deep
down in his heart there stirs a feeling
akin to remorse. And as the cart drives
off, carrying away with it his wife, who
has left him to return to her parents, he
remains huddled up in his chair. Even
ing draws on. The Saxon battalion
marches away to the sounds of fife and
drum.
The wife and children of the murder
ed man are left to die of hunger. By
this time Jean Pegolan had recovered
his serenity. After all. those bandits Of
Prussians did not burn his farm.-1enl-
S1Io R0J