Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1894-09-28


ans yet, and their brave commander re-
fused to do so except under treaty stipula-
tions.
A treaty was drawn up and once again
false vows were pledged by Spanish lips.
Water was not reached until sunset of
the next day BY that time only four of
the mon were able to walk. Harvey among
many others, had fallen and been lifted
and strapped across saddled horses and
thus brought into camp. After three
days rest in which their half spent lives
were restored by those arts Of healing to
Mexicans known so well, they were carried,
handcuiled in pairs into Saltillo and
thence to Salado.
The hoary walls of the old hacienda
looked down in sinister strength as the
Trimmed ranks filed in. Eight Mexicans
were outside digging trench. Ned ex-
changed a look with Harvey, his compan-
ion in irons, and whispered, THAT means
death. " He was not wrong. AT o'clock
of the Same day the prisoners were ordered
out and ranged in double line against one
of the walls
The officer in command then read the
written decree of Santa Anna, president
of Mexico, decree which pronounced for
these men fate so ingenious in its tor
ture to mind and body that it might have
been conceived in the subtle brain of
HcrOd.
Every tenth man was to be killed, the
decision to be made by lottery. Into
Jar were to be dropped 10 bcans-153
white and r black.
Each man was to take out bean. Those
drawing the black ones were to be shot
before the sun went down; the rest spared
1notb lint ,,otnfDpI C.
On March 2j the roll was called
AS each hand was slowly lifted and
poised for one single instant above the
mouth Of the jar life and death must
have met and made salute.
Tho game was for souls, and the die
was Il Mexican bean.
Fosters name was called near the last,
and he carclessly dropped in his left hand
with perchancc a rcminiscence of childish
days when he had done such things for
luck" and found he had picked up white
bean.
As he returned to his place Harvey
passed him. and Ned saw in the white
drawn face Of his friend no sign Of fear
but the mental anguish of Gethsemane.
What was it he had said last night in
one of the pauses of that long march?
That perhaps oven now a baby voice
was waking faint echoes in his little
homo and that the anxiety he was bearing
for another was sharper with pain than
any physical torture he had experienced.
Ned looked at the smooth white oval Of
the vegetable seed in his hand and made
a resolve.
When he looked up, Harvey was just
raising his hand. Ned noticed how it
trcmhlcd.
When the fingers were withdrawn, there
was something black outlined against
their bloodlcss tips.
The change in his face was as of death.
With quick movement toward his
friend Foster made a sudden thrust and
gesture, and-how it was done no one
could ever cxplain-but after the slight
confusion and percmptory orders to fall in
line Harvey was seen standing in his old
place, staring with bewildered gaze at a
white object in his open hand, and Ned,
erect and calm, with brow of more than
mortal beauty, awaiting the signal of
death.
AS soon as Harvey rcgained control Of
his confused faculties he made frantic,
pitiable efforts to communicate with his
friend, but was sienccd at the point of a
musket and compelled TO throw himself
- ! -, ~ 100 WV
'o"-''.' la i 'iv i,u ioi' ~ pouii" W
~ .',' In, ,, '..,.iI ~ - o"iuiseu'
anu a., e'lo, ICIr '''"iH "iI'" me was extinct
ny iii,S Co. 'i'V Ply i'c-e u p'lHE anoI
iiV'i l '''1 49, ""' N'ir r'iu9eu anu
ti''',O ~ -. '',t' iA ~ '' .''' wall win
'"tir "'''NN '' '"e 'Accu'''H'I9'
- W. '"'H u"' "Ia'' '"eH DIX ilore'
AZ, ~ i'' a., q, -,
I"IH io97 iVH IKE d great luher'i pan
a. Wv I"9' S"",9 N'I' H''"' anu Sl"i7 aheu
Si''il i"I' ''ii'i' IrE9 ui'" inc uea"-th
His,.oii l;1, i',H III ono great IeAP'
pou9 Pllcu "'"p u ''ouE'
lhere I'VE To-Day those whose eyes Look
ca upon thn' scene ana although the suns
OF more than % summers have since
swung above the Tort, and rains beaten
upon IT, ana winds tanned Its rugged
SIDES IL stands today ana VIII stand for
an the tollorroWs' grim ana changeless,
IN eternal pehAnce, marking the spot OF
putchery So lhhuman that 1t IS worthy to
mate with the murderous deeds OF Nero.
months spent III irons in the Castle Perote,
OllA u NltAltb-indI Harvey Armstrong