Butte record., 1854-05-13
TIE JUDs1aE3T OF HERKENsALD.

character than they are At the present
lay, aud, as 4 natural Consequence, the
pulisAmonts awarded TO crime were Sc
were, anu administered with mdexible
justice
At tie period referred 70, lived Her
kenbald,, Supreme judge Of the city OF
Brussels, man whose perfect integrity
Is cited Is an example even 70 this lay.
lie was then about 70 years Of aye, a
Widower h.s family consisting Of a uoph-
eVg, whom be had reared IL his own house.
and q daughter named Blanche, whose
goodness and affection be value, above
every thing in the world. Brought NJ
together from childhood. mutual attach
meat hal ripened into professions Of love
between the nephew and daughter, sane
toned by the judge, who, thus deeply
interested il lis nephew. desired that
| the young man should replace him IN the
administration Of justice, when either
are or death should remove him from the
ja3gment-soat With much anxiety.
then, he saw this youn. man give him
/ self mp to loose con'panionsLip aad vicious
dlssipatioIs he s~w, however, that his
daughter loved the prodigal in spite Of
all, apl be hoped that time would work
/ the needed reformation
One day, as the judge sat dispensing
equal justice to al who sought ito
peasant IS to lorl--a poor old man. with
terror in his looks and tears coursing
down his furrowed checks, came and
threw himself On lis knees before him.
Rise, good man." said Herkenbald /;
'no one should kneel for ju,tiee-it Is
the right Of all who ask It; Speak what
would you :"
"Jesticc justice, which I know you
viii not refuse me. Ny lorl''-his tears
fsll fsster-"I want but ju8tce-would
TO God | had not needed TO ask for it
You have a child, a daughter, my lord
Judge I too am a father. My child, my
daughter, was everything in the world to
me--tamily, riches, hope, pride She
was chaste and pure. There vas not a
father under the sun happier in his child
than / Now, all Is lost to me my
child-justicc, lord my child IS bat a
shadow Of what she was. 4 young man
"a beast, lrbauched and vile forgive
me. my lord iudge-in spite Of her shrieks
lin spite Of everything-the monstrous
villain has dishonored my child .
Hcrkenbald's checks grew pale, as he
heard the old man 5 accusation, and be
devou'ly crossed himself. H. took up
4 book Of laws, and with trembling hands
looked over It's pages. While the Judge
read, profound silence was in the place,
bTok,n only by the sobs OF tie unhappy
father
After he had read for q few moments,
the judges hand was observed to close
upon the book with tightened grasp
he then appeared to re-read portion Of
| the page with increased attention At
length he closed his volume, and after q
moments pause, turned and said
" Oh shall be avenged the laws give
yoa the blood Of the criminal ~
"Ohl my lord" cried the miserable
father, II DO not seek his lite"
The inaexible Judge heard hin not
The old judges heart stood still For
Il minute he was silent
know you the infamous wretch who
he's done this crime :" he asked at length.
Is he u your friends ~
Painting with terror, aad utterly con
/ founded. the young man At once threw
himself At his uuclc's feet, and confessed
himself the criminal.
Henkerbald's face became deadly pale.
"My Blanche poor child Z" he mur-
INJURED 70 himself. Tears sp:ang to his
eyes, and for while he spoke not
When he did speak his voice was low,
but unflltering.
"You must die" he said.
ooh, Heaven - shrieked the terrified
wretch "forgive me. uncle, was out
Of my senses-drunk with winen
You have done that for which the
| penalty Is death, and--you die ~
The criminal abandoned hope A
coafessor went to his side, and when he
retired, the judge made 8 sign
4 The guilty nephew was decapitated on
the spot
HeTkenbald returned home weeping.
/ Not long could the horrible story be kept
from his child the facts were related to
her as carefully as might be, but the
shock was greater than she could bear ;
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