The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1888-01-25

he moves his limbs both of us would
probably be at this moment in a place
of safety. What can you gain by shoot
ing an old man such as hep"
The officer was silent. He neither
favored nor discouraged me by his man
ner. While sat awaiting his reply |
glanced at the hand with which | had
just signed the papers and a sudden
idea flashed into my mind.
cat least" | said, "grant me one
request. If my uncle must die, let me
die first"
Now l made this request for the fol-
lowing reason: In my right hand the
line of life broke abruptly half way in
its length, indicating violent and sud-
den death. But the point at which it
broke was terminated by perfectly
marked square, extraordinarily clear
cut and distinct. Such square oc-
curing at the end of a broken line means
rescue, salvation. l had long been
aware of this strange fguration in my
hand and had often wondered what it
presaged. But now, as once more l
looked at it, it came upon me with sud-
den conviction that in some way l was
to be delivered from death at the last
moment, and l thought that if this be
so it would be horrible should my uncle
have been killed first. If were to be
saved l should certainly save him also,
for my pardon would involve the par
don of both or my rescue the rescue of
both. Therefore it was important to
provide for his safety until after my
fate was decided. The officer seemed
to take this last request into more seri-
Gus consideration than the first. He
said shortly:
may be able to manage that for
you," and then at once rose and took
up the papers l had signed.
"When are we to be shot?" | asked
him.
"To-morrow morning." he replied,
as promptly as before. Then he went
out, turning the key of the guard-room
upon me.
The dawn of the next day broke
darkly. 1t was rough, stormy day;
great black, lurid thunder-clouds lay
piled along the horizon and came up
slowly and awfully against the wind.
l looked upon them with terror--they
seemed so near the earth and so like
living, watching things. They hung
out of the sky, extending long ghostly
arms downward, and their gloom and
density seemed supernatural. The
soldiers took us out, our hands bound
behind US, into a quadrangle at the
back of their barracks. The scene is
sharply impressed on my mind. A
palisade of two sides of a square made
of wooden planks ran round the quad
rangle. Behind this palisade and
pressed up close against it was mob
of men and women-the people of the
town who had come to see the execution.
But their faces were sympathetic, an
unmistakable look of mingled grief and
rage, not unmixed with desperation
for they were a down-trodden folk
shone in the hundreds of eyes turned
toward us.
was the only woman among the
condemned. My uncle was there and
poor " Fon," looking bewildered, and
one or two other prisoners. On the
third and fourth sides of the quad
rangle was a high wall, and in GER
tain place was niche partly inclosing
the trunk of tree, cut off at the top.
An iron ring was driven into the trunk
midway, evidently for the purpose of
securing condemned persons for exc
cution. guessed it would be used for
that now. In the center of the square
piece of ground stood file of soldiers,
armed with carbines, and an officer
with a drawn saber. The palisade was
guarded by row of soldiers somewhat
sparsely distributed, certainly not more
than a dozen in all. A Catholic priest
in black cassock walked beside me,
and as we were conducted into the in.
closure he turned to me and offered re.
ligious consolation. | declined his
ministrations, but asked him anXiously
if he knew which of us was to die first
"You," he replied; "the officer in
charge of you said you desired it, and
he has been able to comply with YOU
request"
Even then | felt singular Joy al
hearing this, though | had no longer
any expectation of release. Death was
l thought, far too near at hand for that
Just then a soldier approached us ant
led me bare-headed to the tree-trunk
where he placed me with my bacl
against 1t and made fast my hands be
hind me with rope to the iron ring
No bandage was put over my eyes.
stood thus, facing the file of soldiers il
the middle of the quadrangle, ant
noticed that the officer with the drawn
sabre placed himself at the eXtremit,
of the line, composed of six men. Ii
that supreme moment | also noticed
that their uniform was bright with stee
accoutrements. Their helments wer,
Of steel, and their carbines, as the,
raised them and pointed them at me
ready cooked, glittered in the sunligh
with the same FURNISHED metal. There
was an instant's stiffness and husl
while the men took aim. Then | say
the officer raise his barred saber as
signal to fire.
1t flashed in the air; then with sud
denness impossible to convey the who'll
quadrangle blazed with an awful light
light so vivid, so intense, so binding
so Undesirable that everything wa
blotted out and devoured byit. 1t crosse
my brain with instantaneous conviction
that this amazing glare was the physica