The Canton times. (Canton, Miss.) 1893-1906, 1894-08-10

dark in the room to see the color OF
the beans in the hat, had one wished /;
but the first man looked straight ahead
as he plunged his hand within and
brought it slowly forth again, closed
tightly over the bean he had selected.
His hand remained closed as he passed
the hat to his neighbor, and thus it
went down the table.
A strange, odd feeling ofterror came
over me as I watched the progress of
the hat along the board. ! am not a
coward; but something seemed to be
sitting me, and could scarcely re-
frain from crying out. I felt that the
black bean would fall to me; yet |
know not why. I looked about upon
the faces of my companions; but all
were SO grave and stern that l was
ashamed of my fear. Was I, Fran
co.'s Ducret, to be child in the SUI
preme hour of trial?
Then the hat was passed to me.
A mist rose before my eyes, and the
dingy, stuffy room seemed to reel in
my vision; yet through it all saw
Pulaski's stern, set face, his thin lips
drawn back over his white teeth, and
his eyes fairly blazing. I CROPPED for
the hat like blind person, and thrust
my hand within. Perhaps l occupied
no more time in drawing my lot than
had the others; but it seemed an
eternity to me. All, yes; time is not
rightly measured by hours and min
utes, but by events 1t t'kes ages to
do some things, though the hour glass
may tell you but few minutes have
passed.
Before my fingers clu1ched the lit
tie bean had been terrified. by GER
tain knowledge that should draw the
fatal lot. When it was firmly in my
clasp, however, and had passed the
hat along the board, that feeling left
me. I felt rel1eved-almost happy;
the terrible ordeal was over, and wes
impressed now so strongly by fesl-
ing of exultant relief-so great a re-
action from my previous morbid fear
that was willing to swear that I |
had been lucky, and that the fatal lot
had fallen, or would fall, to some
other should not have to die! All,
We young, and life was sweet to me
then.
I sat back IN my chair, and my eyes
followed the course of the hat about
the table, while there was almost
smile upon my lips. My hand re-
NAMED tightly closed over the bean,
however, and the others did likewise.
could feel the small, hard particle
against my palm, yet 1 had
40 feeling of fear as to its color.
Then the hat came back to Pulaski,
ind almost feverishly he seized it and
the remaining bean, turning
he hat upside down upon the table,
md rapping it smartly to show that it
vas empty. The noise startled us all
INTO more upright positions; still, for
several seconds, none sought to view
what he held i'll his hand. Then Pu-
ask opened his palm outward that we .
night see, and displayed-a white
)ean. !
looked from one to another of nv .
omrades as their hands slowly opened,
hat strange feeling of safety still in !;
ny heart, and the half smile upon my :
Ups. Who had drawn the fatal lot?
Who among my comprehension !,
7hom [ had known in the university, !
len whom I had known from child /,
God - who among them all was !
oomed to perform the bloody work, :
nd in the same hour end his own ex-
,tence?
Suddenly, with the amazement that !;
peal of thunder from a clear sky :
light cause one, saw that the eyes /.
them all were bent on me 1 :.
lanced swiftly about the table; each !.
and lay open, and in the palms thus =
isplayed were the thirteen white
cans! 1t took minute, perhaps, for 2
lie full significance of this fact to !.
avn upon me. !,
Then 1 opened my own hand.
'eThe lot has been drawn" 9,
Pulaski's deep voice reached my ear 4
intly, as though from great dis d
nee. still sat at the dirty table; ii
lie candles still sputtered in their n
'ckets; the pale, set faces of my Z,
'mrades were all about me. But L 4
I'd lived over my whole life again, a
I'd its end was now at hand. a
According to our agreement" Sc
lr leader said, more distinct
than before, 'ithe messenger q,
death is to take this weapon" 4,
he drew pistol from the table
aver and laid it before him r;
md with it do his work. 1t is load a,
with two silver hullats. ono IL f1r -