The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1874-02-25
!. WoMANsS Howe.

babe asleep, she heard the tramp Of pleil
10 the court-way Of tie castle.
saddculythe d5srwas Opened, ,Iana srs&
ed men rushed rudely into die atarfincpk
r.ee Infe sat guarding Inroceucc, 80
Your husband. madam. and your brosk-
cr--wheie have you hid thems' asked. fl8
schicf Of tie band Of soldiers. in meraeid&
tones. as he rudely clu,chcd the slrinldtfg
Awe0ssa blythe sxps a-n s1@;k -
Her wonaii's instinct NJ once diyinea
that those she loved wcfe ii danger. and
she answered, III trembling tones
.Ipdeed. sir,'I know not. i Have not
seen them.
-.W-ife and sister Of the mur,lere,s, tell
the tru:lr he replied sayagely. Dur
queen- Agnes. Of Hungary. die daughter
If ou- murdered Eaiperpf Alteft-has sent
us. with the sword Of Vengeance. to hunt,
to tie ends uf the earth, for tie ren who
have taken her fathers life. On them and
their dliIdreh stslp fall tie punishment
.Mercifu! lleayenr gasped out Gertrude,
Is the dreadfuhncws broke upon her. has
the Emperor been killed1 Oh, sirsi NY
husband and my brother had 10 aand in
the cruel deed
.Pratc not With the woman. said one Of
the soldiers. Do ouf Queens bidding.
There is the child.
lii an instant, the mother. wild with ter
ror. few 70 the sleeping babe. Ii awvke,
snd stretched out It's arrss 10 her. She at
tempted 10 take it, but sword cleaned
between her and the infant.
mol no.! she screained. in thrilling
tones Of agony aud fear; take not ny clgld
frulk me | kiil nc. Il. yni viii. bat'dh !.
by ibs love you bear Jour own little ones,
save this innocent babel Kill. me, but
spare ny child T
@aIhteht on their bloody purpose. the sol-
diers needed not the cries Of agony which
went up from the nio,her's heart. rs p.ung-
ing their swords into the cllId, they tramp
ed out vf tie room with heavy steps, nnd
mounting their horses. gailoped away from
y Thsis hi, 81 k moments K M q fSi Of $50,
ny thst il seems as If human nature must
sinh and expire nader the frightfnl ordeal.
Such moments had conc TO Gertrude Won
Der WartE, as stunned by the llorrid deed,
she stood, speecLless, BY the pOOr little VIC
tim Of wonlan's revenge.
All that night. sad and silent, she sat
beside her dJibg bsbe aud when mprning
broke over tie earyl. low walls vent up
from the room where mourned the chiidless
woman.
To reach her husband was now the one
mish vf Gertrude. The tie that bound her
TO the secluded castle was bruken--her
child was dead. But she was rri~rnsr IN
her house for guard had been placed u
round the castle " prevent the e'cApe of her
husband aud brother. ia case they should
be sscre,ed there.
Eluding the vigilance IL the soldiers,
however, she escsped The news Of her
husbands arrest and imprisonment had
reached her. and. uigcl on by the most
devoted love, she made her way tn the roy
ii chateau. ThrvwiG1 herself. IL an agony
Of grief. 1T the feet Of tie widowed Empress
Elizabeth aud her daughter Agnes, she ex-
claimed
spare him Oh. spare my husband lie
Is innocent oi the crime Of which lie is ac-
cused Ny only child Las been slaughter
ed by your soldiers let one victim sullice
spare nie-Uh. spaFJ me my husband /
The frantic prayer fell on stony hearts.
Sileut aud stern SAT the Queen aud her
daughter. hers was no Pity in their
brrasts---no tenderness IL tier words.
Rcpused aud driven from the royal resi-
deuce, Gertrude hcvcrej around the pri4
sou that contained her Insba,id. As death
drew near. love grew sirOns ser. pnu sup
ported ksrllaipting spirit nlllse dark valley
Of the shadow VI wue through which il was
passing.
Though strong her love aud unwegfied
her efforts to save her hasbaud. she could
not avert the fearful doom that awaited
him; aud il was with heart oi agony that
she heard the dreadful sentence TO be
JrOkeH on The tcheei!
The fatal day arrived. AMI the young
aud handsome Baron De Wariz. was remOy.
Cd lreaa his prisop, aid slru,shad on the
seaifcld to have bis limb. broken ou the
wheel
Silently the sympalhising crowl stood
around 10 NituessiLo dreadful spectacle.
.'Stanl back Y said yoice. .auj let her
rass.'
Tnc crowd made war. IS Gertrude attit-
ed in upurning- pale, but. still beautiful
-slowly advhnctd. aud tIIroviag herself
al the feet Of the exeeuiioEer, cried out, 10
piteous tones:
.IIayo mercy on me and let me stay with
ny husband TO support bin through bis
dreadful trial l.
llef prayer was answered ,and ascending
the seaiEold. she placed herself beside the
victim, who turned bis eyes upon hcr with
looks Of love aud gratitude that haunted
her over after
Silent. almost crushed by agony. ready
70 shrek out ss the blows descended on her
husband. she yot stood resoluto and firm,
while the crowd looked on 10 tears.
When the executioner had finished his
So - n.F. a