The Passion of Sacco and Vanzetti: A New England Legend Read Online Free PDF Page A

new trial to us they will take us there. And between Friday and Monday, if nothing happens, they will electrocute us right after midnight, on August 22nd. Therefore, here I am, right with you with love and with open heart as ever I was yesterday.”
    â€œIf I stopped hunger strike the other day, it was because there was no more sign of life in me. Because I protested with my hunger strike yesterday as today I protest for life and not for death.”
    â€œSon, instead of crying, be strong, so as to be able to comfort your mother, and when you want to distract your mother from the discouraging sourness, I will tell you what I used to do. To take her for a long walk in the quiet country, gathering wild flowers here and there, resting under the shade of trees, between the harmony of the vivid stream and of the gentle tranquility of the mothernature, and I am sure that she will enjoy this very much, as you surely would be happy for it. But remember always, Dante, help the weak ones that cry for help, help the prosecuted and the victim, because that are your better friends; they are the comrades that fight and fall as your father and Bartolo fought and fell yesterday for the conquest of the joy of freedom for all and the poor workers. In this struggle of life you will find more love and you will be loved.”
    â€œMuch I thought of you when I was lying in the deathhouse—the singing, the kind tender voices of the children from the playground, where there was all the life and the joy of liberty—just one step from the wall which contains the buried agony of three buried souls. It would remind me so often of you and your sister Ines, and I wish I could see you every moment. But I feel better that you did not come to the death-house so that you could not see the horrible picture of three lying in agony waiting to be electrocuted, because I do not know what effect it would have on your young age. But then, in another way if you were not so sensitive it would be very useful to you tomorrow when you could use this horrible memory to hold up to the world the shame of the country in this cruel persecution and unjust death. Yes, Dante, they can crucify our bodies today as they are doing, but they cannot destroy our ideas, that will remain for the youth of the future to come.”
    â€œDante, I say once more to love and be nearest to your mother and the beloved ones in these sad days, and I am sure that with your brave heart and kind goodness they will feel less discomfort. And you will also not forget to love me a little for I do—O, Sonny! thinking so much and so often of you.”
    â€œBest fraternal greetings to all the beloved ones, love and kisses to your little Ines and mother. Most hearty affectionate embrace.”
    Your Father and Companion
    â€œP.S. Bartolo send you the most affectionate greetings. I hope that your mother will help you to understand this letter because I could have written much better and more simple, if I was feeling good. But I am so weak.”
    Even though the little girl did not understand all of the letter, and even though her brother mercifully omitted some, enough remained to bewilder her. Out of this bewilderment, she tried to form a few words of her own to send him.
    The turmoil of thought injected by this, hardly began to settle, when she received her own letter, addressed to her, with this salutation: “My dear Ines.” And then her father went on to talk to her. Each word of the letter meant that her father was talking to her. These were his words:
    â€œI would like that you should understand what I am going to say to you, and I wish I could write you so plain, for I long so much to have you hear all the heart-beat eagerness of your father, for I love you so much and you are the dearest little beloved one.
    â€œIt is quite hard indeed to make you understand in your young age, but I am going to try from the bottom of my heart to make you understand how dear you