Year: 1867

he could compose himself to sleep. He slept at
last, but not soundly, waking frequently Win
anxious ,i shuddering starts and moaning t ing at


THE soAFFoLD.


Meanwhile without the gallows had been
erected, and the minister of death waited for
his victim The excitement among the simple
country folk of the neighborhood as the day of
execution approached had been immense.
Threats were widely circulated of the intention
of the mob to tear down the gallows and pre-
vent the execution, and the sheriff and jailor
had teleRraphed urgently to the Attorney-Gen-
eral for troops and a detachment of police to
guard the scafiold.


The fatal day dawned grey and gloomy, with
occasional showers, no exception TO the dismal
three weeks of rain and raw weather which
had preceded IL. From an early hour the little
town of Sorel was all alive. The roads were
crowded and choked with French carts and
skeleton horses, and three hours ere the exc
cution the space around the fatal tree was
thronged with grey coated hdbttdnS and poke
bonneted women, all bound to the scene of the
last act in the tragedy OF Provencher's guilty
life. Every moment the crowd thick ened until,
as the bells tolled out and every head was
barred. from ten thousand to fifteen thousand
must have been present.


The prisoner awoke early, and dressed and
shaved carefully. He at first betrayed consider
able agitation, but as the day advanced became
calm and self possessed. His spiritual adviser
was with him from an early hour. He bade fare.
well to all the officers of the prison, and then
continued some moments in conversation with
the director.


THE LAST SCENE


At thirteen minutes past eleven the cortege
moved out and directed their way in solemn
silence 10 the scaffod. The prisoner walked
very steadily, with a cheerful countenance, but
with his eyes cast down. On mounting the
scaffold the rope was Immediately adjusted by
the eXecutioner, q tall Canadian, with brawny
arms half barred, and a blackened face. The
prisoner desired 1t to be left loosely about his
neck while he received the last rites of religion.
During the ceremony his face was very pale,
but his lips set firmly without q quiver. He
declined to acknowledge his guilt TO the very
last He then told the hangman to tighten the
rope, the cape was drawn down over his eyes
and the drop fell instantaneously. The body
fell the length of the rope, one or two convui-
sive tremors agtated the knees and lower por-
ton of the legs, and then the body swung sus-
pended and motionless, a lifeless corpse. In a
few seconds more than three minutes life was
extinct,


A piercing shrek was heard second be ore
the drop fell. 1t proceed from Sophia Boisclair
Mrs. Jutras) who, from the window of her
cell, had watched the procession move to the
foot of the gallows. But her agitated mind
failed at the supreme moment, and with q loud
shrek she tainted. Her hands clung so closely
to the bars of her window that force was neces-
sary TO unrivet their grasp before she could be
removed by the attendants.


The vast crowd now began to disperse quietly
and in perfect order. The corpse still swung
and turned in the raw air. In few moments
more it was cut down and cofined, and one of
the guiltiest wretcheS that has ever disgraced
humanity in Canada has gone to his last
account, and was ensepultered in unhallowed
ground.-N. y Herald