The Daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1845-1850, 1849-01-18
THE PRIEST AND ROBBER.
A TRUE STORY.

change, a highway robber, about 10 perish on the
scaffold The good father used all his elouuence
and all his efforts. to lead the prisoner to renent
OF his aggravated crimes, in vain He observed
that the mind OF the latter was absorbed-that he
seemed to heed him not. What would engage
his thoughts at such an awful hour'
'Do you reflect said the priest, shat in two
hours you are to appear before your Maker;
Il DO, said the criminal; shut wish lust nou
to live and repent, not to repent and die-and the
thought has come into my brain, and can't tor
the soul OF me- drive it out, that you are the yerv
man to save me from death, not TO pave nv way
to it, -
But said the priest, seven il had the pow.
er-l can't see that have-should / not be do.
ing wrong TO mankind by setting you free. and
be subjecting you to further load Of guilt !
III that's the only obstacle in the way. Won
may, my good father, be entirely easy on that
score. have seen the scaffold too near, ever m
expose myself TO its terrors again. Never will
l rob or defraud more. | will be hencefortb a
changed man.
With eyes imploring and bathed in tears, he
knelt before the holy man and begged his life
lie appealed to kind heart and saw the impress.
sion he mad made. The chapel in which thew
were, was lighted only by window near the
celllng, which was more than fifteen feet from
the floor.
You have but to put your chair upon the al.
tar, said the prisoner, (which we can place near
the wall; you will then ascend on the chair and
VIII mount upon your shoulders, from which
can gain the window
In an instant the criminal was bevond the
reach OF the law. The priest remained TRANQUIL.
~ seated In the chair, having restored the altar
to Its place. Some hours after the flight. the
hangman, impatient at the long prayers OF the
priest, who, he thought, might have mt hall
In hoav
knocked at the door. Not seeing the prisoner he
demanded what had become of him.
he must be an angel OF light, said the father.
'lor on the faith OF priest, he went out by that
window. saw it with my own ewes
Inc nangman was in maze. Having closely
questioned the priest, he demanded il he was in
earnest. On replying in the affirmative. he ran
70 warn the Judges They fastened TO the chan.
ell, examined the chair, the window the beiob,
from the floor and saw no other means of escsne
than that stated by the priest Their braine ~ are
perplexed. But they could not preserve Their
gravity at the sang troid OF the GOOD father
while describing the flight OF the angel az he
styled him, as he vanished to take him aIonr,
with him to the skies. Be this as Il nav ,he
church was too powerful in those DAYS 10 opss,;on
Inc word OF the priest, who assumed TO bimsalC
the merit oil converting sinner into an angel in
an hour. "so' III
JN"'S ai'er"drus, the holy father was
lost In the woods OF Ardennes The nigbt 60
on, he was without food or place of res, WI,
beasts wore prowling around. Step by sten uoas
ana responding, he still wandered farther in tha
mazes oil the woods. His frame sank exbaus,aS
win munger, fatigue and terror. He rommend-
ed has soul to the care of heaven. and la;d ~,
down to die He had laid there somo hor-n
when the light OF a lantern shone on his faco i,
was held by peasant, who examined his teatures
dt'en'Vely. lie aided him to rise With his
slheWy arm he bore the exhausted form of a.,
priest to neat farm house, deigbttpIlv sisnataS
IN fertile plain on the skirts OF the woods IT,
lather was nursed with care and restored 70 a.
ana warmly thanked his benefactor. On bis ~
Co'efy suhclenuy to eat, the table was snread
Tor the new guest. A fine capon WAC caoseS
ana nicely dressed, and every LUXURY the tarra
anorueo set before him. A female neatly attsred ,
WIN eight little ones, surrounded the table.
amer exclaimed the peasant apart to him
49, my hdu nnisned their rerast, "a wife. chill.
.n' oil OF tnese blessings owe to YOU.
You saved my life when was condamnos a. Jo ".
on the scaffold l have, In turn, saved vours VIC
nave redeemed my pledge to you. Wander;no
Wehdlcaht, chance brought me IN tb;o -
where, by industry and honest d.aIinn ~
me confidence of the father of INV vito ~ WI
MS death, lett US this farm. | have nrosnn w
ever since In my affairs. NV wife has haa.
.esl pressing to me, and my children. with th.;-
luuuy races and their sweet smiles, re mimi M
each day, as return from my daily toll Of -.
owe to heaven and to you.' 'Oi' u "hA'
The good father, whose conscience b.d o,...
smote him for the fraud he had practiceS ~ o te
inaglSTa.e' and the danger of letting rohhsr
80. .o1Se 70 oeprecate on the public highways. was
tbanI =. Ease tS ne embraced the peasant. and
thanked his God that he had been ,be ,,,n Gnu
:eeiai'n'hg guilty soul from pr rditiop. and rais
ing condemned telon to the dignity ~ %, Gnu rsls