The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1870-05-17

uy-NeS, HY, my lDan
What did he mean By the word s'ay p
l knew that l had to deal with mad
man, and the best way to deceive such :
people was by humoring them. SO
said, as calmly as was able:
Baron, you promised to relate to me
q story"
) "Yes, have not forgotten it, cried
he loudly; .'but first l will prepare oul
lunch"
With these words he took glass box
from the basket and placed it in a niche
close to the foot of the stairs; then ht
TOOK out s Hummer which he laid beside
it. With his left hand he kept hold oil
his pistols5 Now is my time, thought 1
as he was bending down. l jumped
down three steps at time, hut ere could
reach him he had risen and fired.
The bullet grazed my temple, render.
ing me insensible.&
When l awoke was lying upon the
third step, near the top of the first stair.
case.
"Ah, you have sleptw were the first
words that struck upon my ear.
| l looked down. Part of the lower
steps We're gone, showing only black
chasm, into which the feeble rays Of the
candle could not penetrate.
Near by the aperture stood the Baron,
with fendish delight depicted upon his
face.
"Look at this candle, sir. Do you sec
+. anything unusual2 7"
I nodded my head up and down-my
tongue seemed TO refuse to utter the
word "yes."
1 distinctly saw three black rings
around the transparent wax candle. They
wefe at equal distance from each other.
This candle will go out at the expiration
of forty-five minutes. Each ring repre-
resents fifteen minutes. Ihave plenty Of
time left to relate to you story of q
faithless woman Will you promise to
listen ?"
"What. else could 1 do? ! promised.
Perhaps some one might he attracted by
the light and release me from my I sril-
GUS position Besides / had a hope that
when the candle went out could find
some means to elude his vigilance.
AFTER ! have related my true story,
we will fly. yes, flyw continued he with a
chuckle.
Again he mentioned the word "fy."
What could he mean2
"But first have to get seat feel
t;rol ,,,,ttoroJ b> vAt fha tomas ~
his voice came distinctly to my ears.
He put his hands into the chasm and
drew from it a black, oblong box, that
looked like collin, upon which he seat
ed himself The pistol was within his
reach, for saw the glitter Of the polish
ed steel barrel.
He looked straight at me and the light
Of the candle shone upon his distorted
face as he began his narrative.
About two years ago I attended a
grand reception in the Kings palace in
Munich There I became acquainted
with Eleanor,t the daughter Of General.
1t is not necessary to describe her beau
ty, for you know her well !'
He paused.
"Impossible! never was at Munich,
and l don't know a lady by the name
Of" g
SILENCE interrupted he; "do not
mention her name You know her well !;
that's sufficient for the present. Now
listen. 1 became her slave; followed
her everywhere; I asked her to marry
me. She scorned my offer-she loved
another He'll and furies. that other
was poor miserable student. You know
his name!'
He paused and clenched his hands. l
dared not to contradict him I only shook
my head in the negative.
"Yes, you know him well. I sent one
of my agents to him with the offer of a
large sum of money if he would leave
Bavaria and never write to her ex.
cept what would dictate to him. He
scornfully refused my offer, and threw
my agent out of the window. l caused
the arrest of the student-money can do
almost everything, The student was
tried and sentenced to ten years in the
penitentiary. He boldly refused to give
any reason why he had thrown the agent
out of the window. He said that he
only resented an insult.
ga few days before the time appointed
to remove the prisoner to the peniten-
tiary sent another we'll paid agent OF
mine to visit the convict. Prison diet
and close confinement had tanned the
ferv temper of the student. He prom
ised to write letter to the Generals
daughter, releasin G her from her prom
ise to become his wife. Next day ! had
the letter in my hand, and on the follow
ing evening the student was free and on
his way to parts unknown. My money
had triumphed over prison bars; gold
had melted the convict's iron fetters.
II caused the letter to be sent to her
Five days after called and again asked
her to become my wife. She looked
pale, she trembled, yet she gave her con-
sent. The General had not the least OBJ
lection to our union, for I was Baron,
was rich, and consequently able and will
ling to pay his debts, in which ITO use a
common expression) he was stuck over
head and ears.
1--WE were married. During our we'd
ding tour she scarcely spoke word. Il
asked her the reason of her silence.
"'My body belongs to you. My ac-
tions are under your control, but my
thoughts are free! These were her very
words.
"Onc day we arrived at Bruckenau
The landlord of the Red Lions Inn told
me about a Roman tower. am very
fond of relics of the past. Therefore !
made up my mind to visit the tower. My
wife remained at the hotel. She said she
had headache.
"The view from the tower justified the
praise of the landlord; it Mas magnif-
cent.
"On my return l found my wife with
bright color and smiling face, the first l
had seen since our marriage. She over
whelmed me with questions about the
Roman tower. After had told her
what saw, she expressed wish to visit
the ancient structure. On the following
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