The World. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1891-1896, 1893-07-27

same steps
4 few, sorely weakened. gave up the
struggle aud dropped out OF the ranks
Some ineane elerangcd and. wander
ing on, silppcd down the rocky ravines
and were killed
| On the evening 81 the tenth day they
wore met ~ body " Mexican cavai-
~ and hidden 20 halt and give up their
arms
After three days rest, IN which their
half-spcnt lives were restored by those
arts 81 healing tho Mexicans know so
well, they wcro carried. handcuffcd In
pairs. into Saltillo and thence to
SaladO
The hoary wallis OF the old hacienda
looked down lii sinister strength rs the
thnned ranks filed In Eight Mcxicans
were outside digging trench Ned
exchanged look with Harvey. his
companion Iii irons. and whispered:
"ifhnt means death. He was not
wrong At tive o'clock ia the same
day the prisoners were ordered out and
ranged ia donblc line against ono Of
the walls
The officer In command then read
the written decree " Santa Ana, pres
idcnt 81 Mexico. decree which pro-
nouneed for these men fate so In
Eeninns In ia torture to mind and body
that i might have been conceived Ia
the subtle brain of a Ilerod.
Every tanth man was 70 he killed,
tho decision TO be made by lottery
into a Jar were TO be dropped ono
hundred md seventy beans one hun-
lfcd and ilfty three white and seven
teen black
Each man WINS to take ont a bean.
Tboae drawing thr black ones wore 10
W shot hctnrc the sun went down; the
rest sparel death. but retained as
prisoners
II wna dark and cloudy dry. this
Goth ~ March, with high Winds that
whipped the sand into great waves and
blew II across the plains
Beyond the door Of the courtyard
nothing could be seen but the flying
sand
Over an spread tho dnslsy canopy 81
the henvenS
Mexican soldier mounted stool
ANA held aloft tho fatal pitcher.
The roll was called.
Az each hand was slowly lifted md
poised FOR one single instant above the
mouth III tho luz life and death must
have met and made salute.
The game was for souls, aud tho die
WINS Mexican beanl
Posters namn was called near the
last and he cnrelcssly dropped Ii his
left hand. with perchancc d reminia-
ccnce ~ childish days when he had
done Buch things .'for iucix." and found
| ttssl - ~. II - Il
As he returned to his ptnee Harvey
passed him, and Ned saw III the white,
drawn face 81 his friend no ssgn of
fear. but the mental anguish. u ueth-
aemauo
What was Il bio hal said las night In
one Of the pauses 81 that long mnrch9
That perhaps. even now. baby
voice was waking faint echoes III HIS
little home, and that the anxiety he
WAS bearing for another was sharper
with pain than my physical torture he
had experienced
Ned looked at tho smooth white oval
Of the vegetable seed IN his hand and
made II resolve.
When he looked mp Harvey was Just
raising hts hand. Ned noticed how II
trembled
When the fingers were withdrawn
there was something black outlined
against their bloodIess tips.
The change In his face was that Of
death
With quick movement toward his
friend, Foster made sudden thurst
and gesture, and how Il WINS no one
could ever explain but after tho slight
confusion and pcrcmptory orders to fall
milne Harvey was seen standing In his
old place staring with bewildercd gaze
u white object In his open palm, and
Ned. erect md calm, with brow 81
more than mortal beauty, awaiting the
signal 81 death.
Az soon as Harvey regained control
OF his confused faculties he made fran
tic, pitiablc efforts % communicates
with his friend but was silenced ut the
point OF mnslSct and compelled 10
throw himself face downward with the
rest, while the seventeen doomed men
were led forth. bound together with
cords. their eyes bandagcd, and shot
repeatedly until life was extinct They
asked the privilege Of being shot from
the front, but were refused. and made
TO sit upon 4 log near the wall with
their backs TO the exceutioners
Six were taken ont first, then six
moro and then five.
Darkness fell like great funeral pail
rs the last shots were fred. and stars
shed their holy candle rays above the
dead; the dishonored dead. lying in
one great heap, body piled atop 81
body. NorasC Perry, III Omaha Bee
spoony and Didn't Care who Knew It.
The newly welded couple boarded
the train at village station and a
crowd Of about hundred people saw
them of. The groom was strapping
young fellow, with sunburned face and
hands and bears grease on his hair,
rhile the hride rnif,hk haxe. le.I, ~.