The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1898-04-28

The oitcer took bic bag aside, snd I'D
&c eIsmtas,lon BY which be satisfied hii
ssIi thai the papers With the red cross o
wofe actually iyirg siih the rect, aud To.
u vas lmposaihls to distinguish them b
the feeling rhen be shock up The CO
tttls Of The bag ouoe "a Are, aud rssame
biz duty, Bat ntithsf ssbrehiog OF su
ring ~ Of tue papers changed the oours
Of eveats Fifty mole blank lois wer
dtsSG; aud thtt, Il last, there wsss NOV
meet. slr ot excitement, murmur 0
sympathy. Ia the miitt oi oil wet
heard the iraulie lre.ests OF the u-fottur
ate prisoner. whose arms were beinl
strapped by the guard. lie wildly ei
claimed against his fate Why Was he Il
ba shot when 250 had fsoApedf II wa'
moustfousl Ii was ulflir. unfair Hs
would not submit, Ihen he began Il
plead aud Tor mercy, .nd when thai
pro uced no effect, be screamed to bis
Niu peAblsuos W rhfo hiAu itOu1 h4u'uVi
Finally be wss gagged as we'll as strapped
And borue ofi 10 the left, TO the spot select
ed for the execution.
THIS horrible scene broke down the
nerve Of more than one among the missrs
bic remnant OF prisoners, and they began
to drag the tsteful papers more aud more
slowly to the light, hardly daring to look
to look Ut them, lest the awful red cross
should be upon them. Still, from man to
man the bag moved on. aud no one drew
second death paper, booming him to
lon the first victim. The third hundred
had all passed through the ordeal, and
only Que III all the number had drawn the
blood red cross. The tension now be
osme well nigh unbesrsble for OF the re
msinder almost every other man, woman
snd child must OF necessity prepare to die.
Pre- eutly the former CHASTITY scene was re
pested smother victim was marched of to
death; then a third, and fourth, and 3
fifth. Yet between these i'll iated wretch
es there had been many who bad drawn
blanks, 10 that at last 90 exlraordius re
suit Was reached.
Forty papers remained in the bag, and |
thirty five bore Ihe red cross OF death, It
was at this stage that the tflioer holding
The bag advanced. and presented it to one
whose face showed him to be foreigner.
lie was br0nzsd, but he bad the fair skip,
md light brown bsir Of the Englisbmsn.
There was an air OF distinction about the
nan and the | ificer looked st him with o
)uzzled expression, as who should say
low do you come to be here with this yer
nin2 The surprise in his face was not
ost upon the Eoglisbmsn, who, however,
made no ado, but plunged his hand 10 the
,hg and drew ont white paper, held it
Ip ss il to satisfy the Off GER, then thrust
is hands into bis pockets, turned on his
eel, and walked apparently the
east concerned OF oil the oulookers at
|
bis curious drsms.
Before, however, he reached the ranks
I those who had successfully passed the
tdesl. Wild cry cached bis ear; ard he
,oked back. The man whose turn to
raw had now come was q tall, hsggsrd,
cree rebel, and he prepared to try bis
tie without ado But bis wife, who
.ooi next TO him, threw herself between !
i'm and the bag, with most affecting
y that they would pass by her husband.
be poor creature was nearly beside her
IT with terror; and the soldiers we're pro
,eding TO unlock her arms from her bus '
,nd's neck Without moments hesita
on the foreigner stepped back to the
INKS, and IN quiet, deierentisl way &C
,stei the officer
Sir, he said, II cannot mstter TO you
hom you shoot | will draw instead OF
is womsn's husband Let him take my :
ace and | will tOke his.
lhere was mufmur OF aomiration
non8 the soldiers. Inc woman ceased "
u h5s'eticsl Cries 10 iook al tne sulhof
this strange Interruption There was g
"liesp'esa cohsuitstion smons 'ue ONO
g. AT last one o. them spoke
10 you qni'e uhue'T'ann 'bs' thete are -
itty uiue papers IN this bac, aud thirty
awe one Of them mns' dief =
lhe stranger ooVen' :
Iben II knowing that, you are prepared "
to draw Tor this msn' We have no oh
'son to oiier
The stranger Wltboot word, thtnst
: hand Into the beg drew out paper =
d bell 1t up ior sll to see IL was :,