The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1898-05-01

Francisco came out. with head bowed
lower than ever, cloak wrapped d!scon-
solately about him, ard fingers still tell
ing his beads He had been there for
an hour and surely Santiago was either
talked down or dead by this time Shall
we go and see" asked a guard.
No, hombre: let the poor brute alone.
said another
To the men who watched all night for
fear that the prisoner might escape. il
seemed century before midnight gave
way TO the darkness that comes before
dawn. though, to the prisoner-quien
sabe, Such waiting is hard, even on
the men who are not 40 die. and there
was a sound Of relief when ar last the
first bugle sounded: il was time to get
the prisoner and march. Because a sol
der Is allowed two priyileges-to be ex-
eeuted before dawn. and 20 be shot in his
uniform There was no need to changs
the clothes Of Private Santiago Moreno:
so far as costume was concerned. he was
ready
In front Of the prison. stify drawn up
INTO line. in the darkness stood the
squad OF the Twenty-third private Mo-
renos own regiment. who were TO at
tend 10 the law of fire" and in the cor
rlstor waited impatiently the two guards
mo were detailed to walk on either side
OF him. The prisoner. however. was not
ready; and deep disgust and scorn was
shown on every face when the warder
appeared and stated grim:y that the
prisoner was weeping como un nino. and
had begged one moments grace. Weep
ing. indeed, A pretty way for a soldier
OF the Twenty-thrd To die And men
who had thought privately that they
would aim low in the ley de fuga. hard
ened their hearts-a coward did not de-
serve such treatment
That the prisoner, barely visible in the
gray dawn. was perfectly calm and COM
posed when he did appear made no diff
ference 10 them: perhaps he had mus
. tered up some courage, after his weep
ing, bur he had played the coward for all
that and a towards death was no loss.
out Oh the bare. swampy plains of San
Geronimo. just where Mt. Ajusco rises
up, bleak and rock-covered was the
place of execution. The walk was not
long for the men. to the sound of the
mufned marcia. but very dreary
There was hardly light enough to see
each others faces, and the trees and
cactus shrubs doomed up gray and ghost
ly along the side of the rocky trail. As
for the condemned man. though he might
have played the part OF coward in the
, prison. there was no sign of fear now.
With quick, light steps. almost out,Sst-
ancing the regular pace Of the others,
he walked out bravely. as though going
to another decoration by el presidente.
instead OF 10 the death Of a murderer al
| the hands of The very men with whom ne
| had fought at Matanzas, and Huelle, and
! other places. arm TO arm, back to back.
Here was-the spot And. with his back
! to Ajusco. his feet sinking into the damp
| ground. and the gray mist of the morn
! ing resting like a pail about him. the
! prisoner was allowed to stand for mo-
ment, while the captain made a brief
! address, concluding with the statement
! that only because the prisoner was a sol
! der the law of fire. would be put into
/ effect; when the word 'uno' was pro-
nounced, he was TO run for his life. On
| the craggy side of Ajusco. he might find
shelter. perhaps. ''Cno-dos-tres' would
be counted; al tres, the squad would
fire. Therefore he would have to hasten
otherwise. God have mercy on his soul.
"Atencion. The soldiers stood on
guard.