Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1896-01-08

and Ramoa, was forced to retreat with
the scattered remnants Of his band, not,
however. before he had slain with his
own hand our lieutenant colonel, who
opposed desperate but vain resistance
to the fury of his antagonist.
Toward sunset the fortunes of war
turned against us and part Of my unfor-
tunate company was, with myself, cut
off from the main body and forced to
surrender. Twas taken prisoner to the
little village OF -. which the Carlists
then occupied, and as the war was with
out quarter Oh their side expected to
be Immediately put to death.
While ccaGHed, 3disheartened and
weary, in the village Jail l heard the
hour OF l ring out, the time for my
meeting with Ramon. l asked for my
friend and was told. 'He is hero
killed a lieutenant colonel with his own
hand-but he must undoubtedly have
perished in che last hours Of the battle. :,
"Why do you think so?" asked.
Because he has not yet come back
to camp and those he commanded can
give no account Of him.
Oh, what I suffered that night But
one hope remained to comfort me-that
Ramon was still awaiting me at the her.
mitage and for this reason had not re-
turned. How troubled he will Be when
he finds I do not comeH / said to my
self. He will believe me dead, and,
indeed, am very far from being so?
My last hour cannot now be far dis
tant." At daybreak chaplain entered
the prison. My companions in misery
were sleeping.
"Death?" l exclaimed upon seeing
the priest.
eyes, he replied softly.
"Now?'' asked.
"No; within three hours"
A few minutes later my fellow pris-
oners had awakened. Sobs, cries and
blasphemies filed the prison.
Every man about to die usually has
one idea that is ever present in his
thoughts and to which he clings So it
was with me, and weakness, fever, or
madness, know not which. filled my
mind with thoughts of my friend-of
Ramon living, of Ramon dead, Of Ra-
mon waiting for me in the hermitage,
of Ramon waiting for me in heaven
and SO powerfully had these ideas taken
possession of my mind that thought Of
nothing else during those hours of agony.
They took off my captains uniform
and wrapped me in an old soldiers
cloak, placing upon my head the Carlist
cap Thus I marched to my death with
my 10 companions in misery. One only
had been pardened, and this because he
was musician. The Carlists at that
time spared the lives of all musicians
on account of there being great scarcity
Of them in their battalions.
ssAnd were you musician, Don Ba
silio? Did You save yourself by that?"
exclaimed his hearers with one breath.
"No, my Children responded the
veteran. ST then knew nothing of mu-
sic.''
Well, the execution squad drew up in
line and we were placed facing it. I
was No. IL i'll tie row-that is to. say,
should be the eleventh to die. Then I
thought of my wife and my child-of
you and your poor mother, my daugh-
ter!
The firing began. Those awful death
volleys maddened me. As my eyes were
bandaged I could not see My compan-
ions fall one by one. wished to count
the discharges SO as to be able TO prepare
myself for the last moment, but at the
third or fourth volley lest count Oh,
the echo of those shots will reverberate
in my heart and brain forever as they
rang out thst fatal day At one moment
they were thousand leagues away
the next, their thunder seemed to peal
within my very ear. And the volley con-
tinued
''Now!' thought. The sharp report
followed, and I was still alive.
''This will be iti'' said, and then
felt myself seized by the shoulder and
| dragged ont Of the ranks, while voices
sounded in my ears. I fell unconscious
to the ground, the last thought that
passed through my mind being that I
had been shot and was dying.
Afterward it seemed to me that l was
lying stretched on my prison cot. / half
raised myself and looked around me,
trying to pierce the darkness with my
eyes. A shadow more Obscure than the
others appeared to detach itself and
bend over me. It had the outline OF a
man. My lips murmured mechanically
the name of him who had been SO much
in my thoughts.
stRamon!''
ssWhat is it?'' replied the shadow.
I shuddered. my God!" ex-
claimed ssCan I be in the other worldT'
ssNo," replied the same voice.
sRamon. you still ive!'
eyes.
"And r.
sAlso''
"Where am 1? This is not the her
mitage Of st. Nicholas and still a
prisoner, or has it all been dream? ?'~
"No, Basilio, you have not been
dreaming. Listen:
cas- you know, yesterday I killed the
lieutenant colonel in fair fight. After
ward, mad with the excitement OF the
battle, / went on fighting desperately
until the close of the action. Then, as
the moon rose, / thought of you and OF
our appointment, and directed my steps
to the old hermitage, with the lntention
of awaiting You there. It was about ~
O'Clock when arrived; go, as the hour
agreed upon was 1, I lay down to sleep.
At the stroke of /, awoke with start
to find myself alone Two, three, four,
the hours rang out. and still you DID not
come. Without doubt. said to my
self, he is dead, and with a heavy
heart 1 set out at daybreak for the rebel
camp. All had given me mp for lost, SO
/ was received with joy and the general
showered distinction upon me-
"Afterward learned that some pris-
oners were to be executed that morning.
A presentiment filled my mind. Gan
Basilio be among them?' | thought. !
ran toward the place of execution. Inc
soldiers of the firing squad bad already
taken their position. I heard the report
Of the rifles as they rang out in volieys
on the still morning air. At iengtn !
reached the scene and threw my eyes
rapidly along the line of victims, put
- do TV1n