New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1858-11-27
The Prieat az the Robber.

J
qnaIntaHce Of very venerable and worthy Roman
age.
More than forty years ago said he i was sent for
from the prison tor criminals to confess highway
r0bber, condemned 70 death and ~ Vag tbe custom
at that time was locked up with the prisoner in the
arguments s0joiued BY holy religion ana did nv
best to bring the poor fellow % sense IF his terrible
situation, and bis urgent need Of repentance but all
my efforts appeared TO make no impression. ne was
absentminded, pre-occnpied, and did not seem even
to hear me. Young man, said /, g do you realize
the dreadfsf certainty that at SUNRISE this yery dav
your soul must appear before the throne OF God?
Why do you not listen to my -exhortations and what
this dread hour take your thoughts away from
your perilous situation? ~
'You are right, holy father said be, II ought to
listen to your kind exhortations and be grateful for
the interest you take in my sad fate, but cannot
Danish the conviction that it is in your power to
my lfe.D
II save your life p cried, "how can Isave it and
if could, ought to attempt it II ! succeeded in
saving your life, which consider impossible shonld
but enable you go on in your career Of ickedness
and crime"
III that is all that prevents you from hearing what
have 70 say, the poor fellow replied, 'you may set
your conscience at rest for am brought too near the
scatfod and the fatal to again run the risk. Help
me % escape, and swear from this moment to live
and die an honest man.
what could do? a fellow mortal imBIored me
70 save him from dreadful death. He had siuned,
| put would SIN no more. He was young too and but
for the paieuess caused by the foul air OF felons
cell ana ns own gloomy forebodings, he would have
been welElooking, handsome even and III perfect
health He pleaded eloquently, he fmplored me to
aid him to escape. hesitated but finally could not
resist his earnest entreates, that would II least
listen to his plan, He at last oveEeame nv scruuies
aud listened, and in short Joined my exertions to
his in trying to devise how his deliverance could be-
brought about
The chapel in which we were locked had but one
window, which was very near, the rafters Of the
building, and more than fifteen feet from the chapel
floor You" said the prisoner, have but To put
your chair upon that pulpit which Is moEeable and
can be placed against the wall, under the window
then stand mp in the chair will get your shoul-
ders, then spring up to the window and ont of it,
then get upon the roof of the chapel and once there
! shall find way to get in safety to the ground"
This hazardous undertaking was soon accomplished
without noise or accident and after having replaced
the pulpit and chair sat down to await quietly the
| coming Of events. After having been thus seated
between three and four hours, which my TobheF en-
ployed, Doubt in very different manner, the ex-
ecutoner and jaier getting impatient, knocked at
the door came into the chapel were astonished to
| find me alone, and asked what had become Of the
prisoner. =" He must be an angel y I answered with
all the simplicity and camness | could assume afoF
assure you, on the word of priest, he went ont OF
that window The headsman who lost his vile pay
and perquisites By this flight Of the prisoner, Of
course in brutal passion and, after inquring in no
gentle terms whether meant to make 8 fool Of kim
hurried off 70 find the magistrates
They came Immediately to the chapel, remain
ing seated as before. assured them that the pris-
oner did take flight through the window that the
being who could accomplish an act SO extraordinary
might be looked upon an angeI-certainly not
/ criminal that | myself might even beg one pos
| sessed of such superhuman power to infercede for
my sins, instead Of receiving his confession and
! finally, il the prisoner was guilty. which could hardly
| be the case in view Of his miraculous escape was
! not placed there to be his keeper. Ny manner was
calm and serious for my solitude Of three hours had
quieted the nervous agitation had felt first. The
magistrates listened to my recital with evident mis-
giyings not at all complimentary to the soun6ness Of
my intellect but finally laughing contemptuousy at
my stupidity, they wished my protsge good jour
ney, whether on angels wings or on his feet, and
went away. ! quickly walked out Of the chapel
breathing as may well be imagined, much more
freely than had done for the last four eventu hours
Some twenty-five years after my robbers flight, |
was travelling alone in the forest Of Ardeunes, so IA
miliary known to all readers of Shakespeare / had
lost my way, and night was coming on, when over
took man dressed in the gaFb of the country who
first looked very hard at me, then asked me where
wished to go, adding that the road was extremely
danFerous-tha if chose to put myself under his
guidance, be would take me to peasants cottage,
where | could pass the night in safety. was in
doubt as to my best course and the scrutinizng look
| of my rude companion was far from ENCOURAGING
But, said to myself am completely in his power
and if he means to murder and then rob me- there is
no escape; and l. therefore, followed him with fear
| and trembling.
was not, however, kept long in this anxious sus.
pense for we soon arrived at the cottage be had men
wife as he entered the doorway, to lay the poultry
yard under contribution and to prepare the best sup
per she could in honor of her husbands guest mean
| ing my worthy self. While they were executing
these orders the peasant went out of the cottage but
soon came back leading in eight children-sons and
/ daughters My children he said " thank this
good man on your knees for your lives, for without
| him you would never have been born and I shonId
not now be alive; he aaued my ife.m / them in the
utmost surprise, looked at my host Closely and
brought to mind the coantenance of the robber whose
| flight had aided. / was of course overwhelmed
with caresses by the Children and received the kndes
attentions from the peasant and his wife
When alone with my host, asked him to relate his
adventures, and especially TO tell me how he had
managed to get so well off in the world as appear
| ances indicated. YOn.may remember that 1 prom.
| ised to live and die honest man. said he "and
| from the hour you saved my life have kept my
! word. | begged my way from the prison door to
this part of the world, where was born was hired
farm aborer by the former owner of this cottage
and the lands belonging to it, and having gained first
the confidence and afterwards the friendship OF my
employer, he gave me his daughter only child in
! marriage Heaven has blessed my determination, and
given me strength to lead an honest and useful life.
am riCn enough in this worlds goods, but all pos
sess is yours, and shall now die in peace, since
| have again seen you, and it is in my power to be
| grateful.
| Ireplied to his warm protestations that was but
too well repaid for my agency in efecting his escape
from death, by bis having made so good use of the
| years that had passed.
would not, of course, accept any money from my
grateful host, hut could not refuse to remain with
him a short time, and no prince could have been
better treated. He did, however, force upon me one
of his horses for the remainder of my journey, and
he insisted upon being my guide until was well on
my way, and fairly beyond the reach Of danger.
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