HOW MAXIMILIAN MET HIS DEATH.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume V, Issue 1450, 7 January 1887, Page 3

HOW MAXIMILIAN MET HIS DEATH.

The momont had come ; eaoh of the condemned men mounted into the carriage that awaited them, and they traversed, the streets of Qaeretero In the midst o f a motley multitude, who, resptot'ul and afflicted, crowded round on their passage; handkerohiefo were waved, and now and again the Bound of subs would reach t} c prisonera' earß The condemned men •bowed on eaoh aide o« they recognised m the crowd many a familiar face. Some minutes bef re aeren o'clock they arriv d on the Oerro de las Campanas, a littlo mo>-e than half a mile distant from th« town ; here they descended from th" CAr'iau;e, walked on foot h»lf-way ap th^ h II called the Oerro de las Cftupa &s and turned their b cks against « «lamp f cactus. The general m command of t)« troops, S Garcia de Leon, caused nn order of tho day to be rend miking it a penalty of death for any person who ohoold try to prevent the execution ; and the prisonera vrere the>.t given leave tv address the crowd The euo was by now ht^h m the blae eky, glowing oves* the profound fzure of the lofty mountains and bxthiog the valley with an interne flood of light and heat. The Cerro, like an immense reck thrown into the valliy, stood f rth bare and yellow look* mi, grpen m place 1 , with patois of oactns and nopals ; a pquare of 40CO men rarrounded the bate of the bill, with lea regular lines and Its uniforms and bsjoneta glit'ering In th^ sun, Outside the mod'ey of tha undulating crowd, towardß the weat, on the prairie, stcetobed a^ny the 'ong and powdery ribbon of the Otlttva road ; toward the east appeared the lines of tho whit 9 housei nf Queretaro all nearly «ov*r+d w'th foliage and surmounted with numerous cupolas and crosnos ; In the far distance the dim bluish outline of the Cordillera*. The officer m command of the file of execution ap proached Maximilian »nd askei his pardon for having to fulfil his duty. The ICmeperor distributed eever«l pieo«y« of god benriog his effigy to the soldiers, recommending them not to aim at hia faoi. He then ombraoe the Genoralß Mojia and Miramon, nnd ps the lntter had placed hlmaelf on biß ria,hl, he paid to him aloud; " Brave men should be respected by their sovereigns to the brink of the grave. General, pa«s to the place of honor." Miraraon attipped to the centre. Then, with a firm v>ice, the Kmporor addreßßed the crowd: "Mexican? ! Meu (f my race and origin are born either to make a people's happiness or to be martyrs. God grant that my blood may be thu laßt shod for the redemption of this unhappy country. Long live Mexico 1" Immediately General Miramon, st the top of hi 3 voic»», as when he commanded hin troopa on the battlefield, cried : " Mexiosns ! Before the court martial my defenders only sought to save my life At the moment lam about to appear before ray God I protest against the name of traitor which (hoy have thrown m my faoe to justify my condemnation. Lot this spot cf infamy be removed from my children's name, and Gid grant that, my country maybe happy Long live Mexico j" General Mej!» raised his eyes toward* the heavens : " Very Holy Mother, T boteech tby Son to pur don me, ac I pardon thos» who are about to sacrifice me " A volley rang out from tha file of soldiers, and amtdst the ol'-ud of smoke which slowly drifted away Maxim'lian appeared writhing oonvuMvely m a pool of blood and proaning " Hay Honibre 1" The coxqt de grace put him out of bis agony. •• Fex.n Figaro.