The Hancock Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Ohio) 1857-1870, 1865-06-02

who made law that to every stran
ger who came TO his court fried fish
should be served. The servants were
directed to take notice IT, when the
stranger had eaten the dsh TO the
bone on one side, he turned it over
and began on the other side. if he
did, he was to be Immediately seized
aud on the third day thereafter he
was TO be put to death. But liy p
great stretch of imperial clemency
the culprit was permitted to utter one
wish each day, which the empefoi
pledged hniseil to grant, provided il
was not to spare his life. Many had
alrendv persisted in Consequence of
this edict, when, one day, . count and
his young sou presented themselves
at court. The fish was served as
usual, and when the count had remov.
ed all the fish from one side, he turn.
ed il over, and was about to com
mence on the other, when he was sud
denly seized and thrown into prison,
and was told of his approaching
doom. Sorrow stricken, the counts
Young son besought the Emperor to
allow him to die in the room Of his
father; favor which the monarch was
pleased to accord him The count
was accordingly released f'on prison,
and his son was thrown into his cell
in his stead As soon rs this had
been done, the young man aaid to his
gaolers-"You know have the right
to make three demands before | die;
go and tell the Emperor to send me
his daughter and n priest to marry
us" The first demand was not much
TO the Enperor's taste. nevertheless
he felt bound to keep T. wore nd
he therefore complied with the re
quest, to which the princess had no
Kind Of objection. This occurred IN
the times when kings kept their treas
ures in cave, rim tow set apart
for the purpose, and on the second
iav Of his imprisonment, the young
man demanded the kings treasures
IT his first demand was bold one,
the second was not less so, still an
Emperor's word Is sacred, and having
made the promise, he was forced to
keep it; and the treasures OF SJid and
silver and jewels were placed Mt the
prisoners disposal o. getting pos
session OF them, he distributed them
prorusely among the courtiers, and
soon he made host of friends by his
liberality.
The emperor began now TO feel ex
cpcdingly uncomfortable Unable to
sleep, he rose early on the third morn
and went. with fear in his heert, to the
prison to hear what the third wisl
was to be.
Now" sail he to the prisoner
"tell me what your third demand is
that it may be granted at once, q I'd
you may he hung ont of hand, for
am tired Of your dema ds"
"Sir," answered his prisoner, "l
have but one more favor to request
lof your majesty, which, when yor
have granted, shall die content /
is merely that you will cause the eyes
Of those who saw nv Gather turn thu
fish over to be put out
every good replied the Emperor
"your demand is but natural, anC
springs from a good heart. Let thu
chamberlain he seized" he continued
turning to his guards.
II sire! cried the chamberlain; :"
did not see anything it was the stew
ard"
1 "I.ot the steward be seized sai,
the king.
i But the steward protested with tear
in his eyes that he had not witnesses
anvthing of what had been reported
land said il was the butler. The but
Ter declared that he had seen nothin:
of the kind, and that it must have beel
one of the Wallets. But they protest
; ed that they were utterly ignorant 0
what had been charged against th
count; in short, it turned out that no
body could be found who hal seen th
count commit the offence, upon whicl
the princess said:
II appeal to you, my father, as T.
Lsnother Solomon. If nobody say
the offence committed, the count can
not be guilty, and my husband Is in
uOceut."
The Emperor frowncd, und forth
with the counters hogan to murmur
and then he smiled, and immediatel.
their visagcs became radiant,
"Lct it he so," said his majesty
"let him Ii e. though | have put man,
Il man to deatlsfor a lighter odenc
than his. But il he is not hung, h
is married. Justice has been done.