Barre evening telegram. (Barre, Vt.) 1898-19??, 1898-05-20

speculateT la2lly as to what was going
on III the condemned cell, it was so quiet,
Not even murmur could be heard, and
finally the men agreed that the padre
was praying silently, with Santiago
cursing in the other corner of the room.
1t was dark-quite dark-whon Padre
Francisco came out, with head bowed
lower than ever, cloak wrapped discon-
solately about him and fingers still
telling his beads He had been there for
al hour, and surely Santiago was either
talked down or dead by this time
"Shall we go and seer" asked guard
"No, hombre Let the poor brute
alone" said another
To the men who watched all night
for fear that the prisoner might escape
it 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 to die, and
there was sound of relief when ut last
the first bugle sounded. 1t was time to
get the prisoner and march. Because
soldier is allowed two privileges-to be
his uniform-there was no need to
change the clothes Of Private Santiago
Moreno. So far as costume was concern
ed he was ready.
In front Of the prison, stiffly drawn
up into line in the darkness, stood the
squad of the Twenty third Private Mo-
reno own regimenD which was to at
tend to the claw of fire., and in the
corridor waited impatiently the two
guards who were detailed to walk on
either side of him. The prisoner, how
ever, was not ready, and deep disgust
and scorn were shown on every face
when the warder appeared and stated
grimly that the prisoner was weeping
como un nino and had begged one mo-
ment's grace. Weeping indeed A pref
ty way for soldier of the Twenty third
to die And men who had thought pri-
vately that they would aim low in tho
ley de fuga hardened their hearts. A
coward did not deserve such treatment.
That the prisoner, barely visible i'll
the gray dawn, was perfectly calm and
composed when he did appear made no
difference to them. Perhaps be had
mustered up some courage after bis
weeping, but he had played the coward
for all that, and towards death was
no loss.
Out on the bare, swanpy plains OF
San Geronimo, just where Mount Aus
co rises up, bleak and rock covered, was
the place of execution. The walk WAS
not long for the men, to the sound OF
the muffled marcha, 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
understanding the regular pace OF the
Others he walked out bravely, as
though going to another decoration by
ell presidente instead of to the death OF
a murderer at the hands OF the very
men with whom he had fought at Ma
tanzas and Huela 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 morning resting like a pail about
him, the prisoner was allowed to stand
for moment, while the captain made
brief address, concluding with the
statement that only because the prison
er was a soldier the claw of fire. would
be put into etfect-when the word
"uno' was pronounced be was to run
for his life. On the crapgy side OF
Ajusco be might find shelter, perhaps.
"Uno-dos-tres' would be counted.
at tires" tho squad would fire. There
fore he would have to has1en-other-
wise, God have mercy on his soal.
"Atencion!" The soldiers stood on
guard.
"Uno" was counted slowly. The
prisoner stood stock still, and the man
nearest swore that there was a smile Oh
his face. "Dos!' (Dios dc Ia vida, was
he paralyzed, that he could not run,
even to save his lifeD and at last slow
ly, "Tres! Fire!'
Motionless, Mortified, the men had
watched. Still the prisoner stood there,
head up and shoulders back At the
sound of the "tres, however, muskets
were lowered and every hammer pull
ed, Out thunGered the salute of bullets,
yeritable hail of them and the soil.
tary, pathetic figure tottered, then reel
ed over, face downward in the damp
grass Dead, of course! How could it
be otherwise: The captain should have
looked to make sure but lie wanted his
breakfast and some cGgnac. Merely
glancing casually at the body, be gave
the order to march, and with the MAJ cha
once more ringing out the men tramped
back through the light of the coming
day to barracks and breakfast, leaving
the dead man alone on the plain.
The next day Private Santiago More
no himself, whom we have seen shot
and left dead Oh the San Geronimo
plains, was there at sunset pale, crazed
with grief and holding in his arms a
dead body in the uniform Of a soldier,
but with the sweet peaceful face OF a
woman who had offered up her life for
a friend. When the sun went down, his
lifeless form remained, still clasplnR--
even in death-the other body TINT had
been thought his -llermnn Felix in
Argonaut
A chime made of Is bronze tubes ar
ranged in two parallel rows and struck
nv hammers working from keyboard