A REMARKABLE STORY.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3556, 1 December 1882, Page 4

A REMARKABLE STORY.

This story is authentic. It is found in the memoirs of a Prussian officer of distinction, who gives a simple, unaffected narrative of the scenes and events through which he passed, and who betrays nowhere the least disposition to exaggerate. The following remarkable incident he gives as it came under his own observation. He was at the time on the staff of Gen. Winterfield, one of the most skilful and competent captains of tho day, and Winterfield was the general in command at the time spoken of. Two soldiers had been condemned to death. In a drwnken condition at night they had assaulted an officer of the line, and one of them had drawn a knife upon him. but ■which one could not be told. The officer had seen the knife, but he could not positively say which of the twain held it. And the men themselves did not know. Neither of them remembered anything about it. So both of them were condemned to bo shot. They were botli excellent soldiers, and only one of them had been guilty of using a ■weapon. The officers of the division, including him who had been assaulted, asked that the men might be pardoned. At length Winterfield said he would pardon one of them. Only one had held a knife, and only that one ought to die. He would pardon one, and the men must themselves decide which of them should be shot. How should the decision he made ? ' Let us shake the dice,' said one of the condemned. And the other agreed to it. .And anon it was agreed to by all interested. The two men took their places by the side of a big drum, and were to throw the dice upon its head. Two dice were given them, and a proper box for shaking. The first man threw two sixes. He groaned in agony. He felt that he had consigned his comrade to death. But when the second came to throw he also threw two sixes. ' Wonderful !' cried the lookers-on. They were ordered to shake and throw again. This time the second man threw first —two aces. 'Ho ! Good. You will live, Peter." But when Peter came to throw, the dice presented the same two aces. And now the beholders, were wonder-stricken indeed. Another throw was ordered, and Peter threw a five and a deuce. The other threw five—deuce. After the excitement had again subsided the men shook once more. The first threw two fours. 'Oh! now throw fives, and save yourself, Peter. , Peter threw two fours. At this point the colonel ordered them to stop. He went and reported the marvellous result to Winterfield. Said he, ' Clearly, General, Providence will have those two men to be saved,' and saved they were. The general dared not oppose the wonderful fate of the dice. It did seem providential, and so he accepted it, and the redeemed soldiers lived to prove that the saving fate had given back to Prussia two of the very best and bravest of her sons.