The independent press. (Abbeville C.H., S.C.) 1853-1860, 1858-01-22

'Have you any request to makea" he in
quired fthe patient.
"Yes," replied the wrechcd man, in a
sorrowful and scarcely audible voice.
"Wbat is itl"
II request my pardonl"
l do not know whether the joke was inven-
ted on that occasion, but then or never was
the time to conceive and utter it. The
Scigneur Of La Piroche shrugged his shou-
ders, and ordered the hangman to do his
office. That official parsonage prepared to
mount the ladder, leaning against the glib
bet, which, impossible, with out-strctchcd
arm, was about to tear soul out Of liv
Ing body, and he tried to make the crimi-
nal monnt before him but the thing was
not easy. 1t is scarcely credible what an
amount Of difficulties condemned men in
general make. The executioner and his
present client appeared to be engaged in a
contest Of poltcness. The point at issue
was, who should 60 first.
The hang,nan, to make him mount the
ladder, had recourse to the same means
which he had employed to make him get
off the ass he took him by tho waist, set
him on the third stave Of the ladder and
then pushed him up behind.
"Bravo!' shouted the crowd.
There was no help for it, except to
mount. Then the executioner adrotly
| slipped round the patients neck the run
ing moose which ornamented the end Of the
rope, aud giving him violent kick in the
back, Sent him swinging into open space.
An immense clamor followed this expec-
ted scene, and shudder ran throughout the
crowd. Of whatever crime he may be
guilty, dying man is always, for an instant
greater than those who come to see him die
The hanged man swung two or three
minutes at the end Of his rope, as he had
right to do. kicked, writhed, and then re-
maincd motionlcss and stiff.
They stared Il few minutes longer at the
sufferer, whose gilded armor glittered in
the sunshine; the spectators gradually for
med into groups, and then went their seve-
raj ways homcwarls, discoursing on the
late event.
The next morning, at break Of day, a
couple ofguards walked ont Of the chateau
LA Piroche, to take down the body Of the
criminal, and to strip it of the armor belong
ing to their lord but they found what they
were very far from xpectng-namely, that
the gaIows and the rope still remained in
heir plac es, but that the hanged man was
nowhere to be seen. The two guards rub
bed their eyes, doubt whether they were
dreaming or not but such was the fact.
No body, and as natural consequences, no
armor. The most extraordinary circum-
stances was, that the rope was neither bro
ken nor cut but exactly in the state in
which it was before receiving the criminal
8. The guard went to announce the news to
the Seigncur of La Piroche. lie wond
not believe them, but insisted on ascertain
ing the truth with his own eyes. So puis-
SAINT was this same Ssigneur, that he felt
assured the body would be found in its
place, in obedience to his wishes; but he
only saw what the others had seen.
What had become Of the dead man
For the condemned thief was certainly dead
the day before, as the whole population had
beheld with their eyes. Had another thief
taken advantage Of the night to take posses
sion Of the armor which covered the body I?
Perhaps so but, while taking The armor,
he would evidently have left the body, for
which he had no OCCASION. Had the friends
or relations of the sufferer determined to
give him Christian burial! The case was
far from impossible, except that the sufferer
had neither friends nor relations; and peo.
pie acting under religious motives would
have taken the body and left the armor.
That supposition, therefore, was not to be en-
tertaned. What, ,sthen, were they to sup
posea
Z The Seigneur Of La Piroche was in dis
pair! He was mad about his suit of armor.
He offered reward often golden crowns to
whosoever would deliver up the criminal
attired as he was at the time Of his death.
They scar cbed the houses; nothing was
found. Nobody came to claim the reward
They sent fora learned man from the city
Of Bennes, and put, this question to him ;
How can man who is hanged to death
contrive TO escape from the rope which sus-
.Epends him in the air BY the necklp
The wise man delnaned weeks time to
think the matter over. At.he end Of the
wesk, he replied" He cannot manage tn =.
Then they put asseoond question: Can
/ "a thief, whoidid not succeed Fin. tbeft tlo.