Lewisburg chronicle. [volume] (Lewisburg, Pa.) 1850-1859, 1858-04-23

ton. AS you have despised my threats
and have ventured, contrary to my express
commands, to appear again before me
Your children shall be put to death bu
the rest, with their parents and the towr
Of Naumburg, shall be spared. This i.
certainly reasonable decision, and more
desirable than if l were to destroy the
town, together with all these children
leaving only you and yours alive"
Poor Wolf was struck dumb at this tre.
mendous sentence. He pressed his hand:
upon his eyes. and then looked down up
on his children, who were still standing
closely round him, be falterej out: at
nothing vii! induce you to alter your De.
cision, grant me 8. leas: one favor Kill
me first"
Wolf, firm aud courageous as be had
hitherto shown himself, staggered and
would have fallen to the ground, had no,
his children supported him.
II was evidently PrOkop's desire to try
the courage of VOLTS children. He turn
ed to them and said-"Could you dare to
die!"
"Oh yes" cried Erwin, eagerly; "if
you will spare our father and mother, and
the res. of the children, and the town"
"YOu think it is easy to die, youngs.er,"
answered PrOkop; "but you would sing
to another tune if you fel, i, near you.
Janeck !" he continued, addressing a SOL
dier, "draw your sword"
Erwin looked fearlessly a, the soldier
as be approached. "You will not bur,
me, Janeck. am sure" he SAID, uvi1Iy.
"D!d not help to carry you into our
market-place ? and did l not nurse you
and give you good soup? To be sure
you wen; away secretly, and did not even
thank Us, and took fathers shir. and man.
tie with you besides.''
"What is the boy pra.ing about ?" ask
ed Prokop Of the soldier, who stood listen
ing to ErwiD's lecture in surprise and con.
fusion.
81 do not know" he s,anmered, let
ting his sword drop in bis hand. 81
know nothing Of the boy"
"But know you !" cried Erwin, conf.
1ently. ~ am sure of those two scars on
four face. Oh and if your waistcost is
lot made out Of fathers blue cloth man.
lie, my name is no. Erwin. Father,
aiher. is not that your cloth? Martin.
"What was the matter with the man ?"
.sked Prokop, frowning. "How came he
% your
"why," replied Erwin, "ihis man,
y hom you call Janeck, was found in our
town, lying half dead beside the fountain
in our marke.-plsce. He seemed very
thirsty, and my brother Martin gave him
water to drink, and piece of bread be
had for his breakfast, too, although Stein
said be was a Hussite. Aud none Of the
people would help him, because be was
Hustle, and they feared that be was i'll
of the black death, until father took him
into his house and nursed him. And as
nobody liked to lend US handbarrow, We
were obliged to make one Of our house
door, and carry him upon that. Father
and mother and had great deal Of trou.
bic with him; at first be was quite out of
his senses, bu. he soon got better, and
was as rayenous as a wolf On the third
morning he was gone, and had taken with
him fathers shirt and mantle, which We
had lent him whilst his own clothes were
hung up to dry"
"Is this true? asked Prokop, turning
to the man, his eyes flashing with indig.
nation.
Shame and fear rendered Janeck unable
to reply; and Erwin said: SIT is, indeed,
true My father and all the rest are wit
nesses. One could not invent such sto-
ry in a moment, especially with sword at
ones throat"
"Meau, thankless man. thundered
forth Prokop in rage, striking Janeck
such blow on the ches. with his iron
fs. that be esnk senseless to the ground.
''Hang him up to the nea.es. tree be
cried to the soldiers "he is disgrace TO
the name of Hussite. Away with him,
ou, Of my sight"
ooh. dear sir, "..in.erposed Erwin, be-
seechingly, spray do not be SO angry. ia
neck deserved punishment, perhaps, for
his ingratituds and dishonesty, bu. not,
surely, to be put to death. shall have
it on my conscience for the rest of my
life tha, 1 told you of him. But, per.
hap. for the sake of the kindness We show
ed him, you will have mercy upon US,
and lie. US 60 home with the rest
"Mercy. mercy! mercy cried the
children with one accord; and again they
bent their knees and raised their folded
hands, and cast their earnest pleading
looks on Prokop. He glanced upon the
kueeling children, and then turned TO-
vard Wolf. who stood motionless, absorb