The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1896-12-22

upon which my tears ran SILENTLY
"a hand suddenly laid upon my
shoulder made me tremble. 1t was the
good sister, bowl of broth in her hand.
Take it, my child, said she, and
a little of this bordeaux with tit will
give you oouragel' But I pushed the
glass aside. 1t seemed to me like blood.
You must, she persisted. You
mustI You have prayed, you have ex-
plated. God is merciful. He will par
don Drink, my little one, drink as I
bid you. I protested no longer, but
drank as she told me and was still on
my feet when the door opened and the
sergeant reappeared.
g 1t is the hour, conscript, said he.
Come, the picket awaits you.
'sThe hourl The hour for what?"
"Drawn up before the door of the in
Urinary, in the center of the Grand al
ley, under the trees white with frost,
the picket did await us-a dozen of my
own classmates, armed from head to
foot, in full uniform, their guns upon
their shoulders, their bayonets shining
ia tic morning light. l had guessed
aright-it was the platoon of execution.
cat the sight of it, explain it as you
will, reaction took place in me, SAL
utary reaction. My agony left me, my
vision cleared, my speech returned to
me.
so much the better, said aloud,
so much the better This torment will
soon be ended. And loosening my vest
and the collar about my neck, SO as not
to impede the bullets, I sought the tree
against which they wished to place me.
At this moment tall and we'll known
figure detached itself from a group Of
officers behind the pickets and stepped
in front of me. 1t was General Bella
vene wrapped in his military mantle,
his hat pulled close about the eyes that
had more than once made the enemy
tremble.
g Have you nothing you wish to say
to us. conscript-nothing to demand of
us before the execution?'
No, my general, nothing-unless,
as was the officer of the exercises this
morning, will you allow me to COM
mand the platoon now? wish to die
like soldier.
TO die like soldierl Well, SO be
It'll Receive your ORDERS, turning
brusquely to the motionless picket Re-
peive your orders from the officer of the
day. And he returned to the rear again.
"What did / think Of as faced the
muzzles of those guns? What did ex-
pect, hope or pray forP Nothing-abso-
lutely nothing, save that was soldier
and must die as one; that must wedge
myself firmly in the snow at my feet in
order to remain upright upon the slip
perry earth; that must give my orders,
even to the last, in voice clear and
strong.
''But the moment had come. The
general and the platoon waited. hest
tated no longer.
Attention. drawing myself up to
my full height Attention. Loadl
Nor cried the general, stepping to
the front The command is useless.
The guns are charged already. And he
darted upon me an angry eye. His an
ger, however, or the technicalities of
the manual mattered little to me now
Carried away by the exaltation Of my
atonement, I was insensible to terres-
trial impressions-wandering already
in unknown realms. I, too, like the
corporal, smiled at the death that called
to- me
. 'ReadyF I cried again. Ready T
And the clicking Of the locks resound-
ed through the stiffness.
'Aim!' Ny heart throbbed to burst
ing, my eyes turned to the heaven above
me, but my voice was still mistaken,
my pose erect, as, with thought Of
mother and hasty sign Of the cross
gave the last command, 'Fire!'
\ y
ga heavy defamation followed, blind
ing smoke from the powder, then
nothing. was still upright against the
tree, without wound or scratch. In
front of me were the lowered guns, the
smoke curling lazily from the barrels,
behind them the waiting officers and the
general himself.
You have tricked mel I cried, al
most weeping in my rage. you have
tricked me. Load and fire again at once.
order it'
And /, the contrary said the gen.
eral loudly, placing himself before me-.
'Ah, thou wicked conscript'-his voice
softening into tenderness-'come, en-
brace me, for thou art gamin of sound
sense And, STOPPING quickly, before ]
knew what he was about he had lifted
me in his arms and kissed me upon both
cheeks.
But, my general, urged with hon
est bitterness, 'didn'tyou see-don' you
know that they had put no balls in the
gunsf'
"'Of course not. Parbleau, but thou
art hard to comprehend Dost thou take
me for an ogre of the fairy tales? But
fret no more, my boy. Thou art truly a
soldier who remains at school no longer.
This evening thou goest to the grand
army. / shall send thee to the care of q
friend who will see that thou art placed
above the lower grades Return with
epaulets upon thy shoulders wish
it-but no more duels. They are Grim
inal and take away the gallant men of
whom the emperor has need. And now
must go. They await me for the EVIL
dence. Later on they will bring thee to
me. Till then, my child, adieuP F"
"Behold. said the commandment as
he finished his story, why I made the
campaign Of Russia at 16 years of age,
why / was wounded at Beresina and
why, at last, was sous lieutenant six
months before my comrades by promo
ton. Come with me" he added, rising
to his feet. II wish to show you the
portrait of the man who saved me and
who addressed to me his last regard be-
fore dying for the good Of his country.
1t hangs beside the crucifx above my
bed. "-Pearson's Weekly.