Mountain Democrat. [volume] (Placerville, El Dorado Co., Cal.) 1854-1860, 1859-01-22
Priest and Robber.

Madame dc Beaumont relates the following
story:
Last summer, while in the country, made
the acquaintance Of very venerable and wOr-
thy Roman Catholic priest, who was upwards
Of eighty years Of age.
More than forty years ago." said he, 81
was sent for from the prison for criminals, to
to confess a highway robbcr condemned TO
death; and, rs was the custom at that time,
was locked up with the prisoner in the small
chapel attached to the prison. used all the
arguments enjoincd by our holy religion, and
did my best to bring the poor fellow to sense
Of his terrible situation, and his urgent need
Of repentance, but all my efforts appeared to
make no impression. lie was sabsent-mindcd,
prcoccupicd, and did not seem to hear me-
Young man. said ], do you realize the
dreadful certainty that at sunrise, this
very day, your soul must appear before the
throne of God !? Why do you not listen to
my exhortations, and what at this dread hour
can take your thoughts away from your peril
GUS condition.
"'YOu are right, holy father said he, l
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 save my life.'
"'I save your lifel cried; how can
save it! and il could, ought to attempt it /.
IG succeed in saving your life, which con-
slider impossible, I should but enable you to
60 on in your career Of wickedness and crime
eff that is all that prevents you from
hearing what have to say the poor fellow
replied, you may set your conscience Mt rest,
for am brought too near the scaffold and the
fatal axe 10 again run the risk. Help me to
escape and swear from this moment to live
and die an honest man.
"What could do? A fellow mortal i'm
plOred me to save him from dreadful death.
lie had sinncd, but would do so no more. lie
was young, too, and but for the paleness
caused by the foul air Of felon's cell, and his
own gloomy forebOdingss would have been
well-lOoking. handsome even, and in perfect
health. He pleaded eloquently, he implorcd
me to aid him to escape. hesitated, but
finally could not resist his earnest entreaties
that would at least listen to his plan. He
at last Overcame my scruples, aud listened,
and in short, Joined my exertiOns to his in
tyring to devise how his deliverance could be
brought about.
1.-THE chapel in which we were locked had
but one window, which was very near the
raftcrs Of tho 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 movable, and can be
placed against the wall, under the window
then stand up in the chair; will get op your
shoulders, then spring up to the window, and
out Of it; then get upon the roof Of the chap
ei, and once there, shall find way to get in
safety to the ground This hazardous under
taking was soon accomplished without noise
or accident, and after having replaced the pull.
pit and chair, I sat down to await quietly the
coming Of events. After having been thus
seated between three and four hours, which
my robber employed, no doubt, in very diff