The Newberry herald. [volume] (Newberry, S.C.) 1865-1884, 1874-08-05

WOO nv H'iI' ioi ~, CN-
ccpt to mount.
Then tho cxccuUioner adroitly
slipped round tho patients neck
tho running moose which ornu-
mcntcd the ond Of tho rope, and civ.
ing him violent kick in the back
sent him swinging into open
space.
An immense clamor followed
this expected dcnoucmcnt, and II
shuddcr ran throughout tho crowd
OF whatever crime he may be
guilty, n dying man is always, for
instant, greater than those who
como to soc him die.
The hanged man swung two
or three minutes at the end Of
his ropo, kicked, writhcd, and then
remained motionlcss and stiff.
They stared Il few minutes lon-
ger ut the sufferer, whose gilded
armor glittercd in tho sunshine :;
the spectators gradually formed
into groups, and then went their
several ways hpmcwards, dis
coursing on the late event.
X X x X
The noxt morning, at break Of
day, II couple Of guards walked
out Of the chateau Of La Pirocho
to take down tho body of the
criminal, and to strip it Of tho ar.
NOR belonging to their lord ; but
they found what they were very
far from cxpccting-namcly, that
the galIows and the rope still re-
manned in their places, but that
the banged man was nowhere to
bo seen.
The two guards rubbed their
oycs, in doubt whether they were
dreaming or not; bnt such was
the fact. No body, and, rs a nat
ural consequence, no armor.
The most extraordinary circum.
stance was, that the ropo was
neither broken nor cut, but exact
~ in the state in which it was be-
j fore receiving the criminal.
The guards at onco wont to
announce the news to tho Seig-
ncnr Of La Piroche.
What had become of tho dead
man? For the condemned thief
was certainly dead the day before,
ns the whole population had be-
held with their eyes.
Had another thief takon advan-
tagc Of the night TO obtain posses.
sion of tho armor which covered
tho body?
Perhaps so; but. while taking
the armor, he would evidently
have left the body, for which he
| had no occasion.
Had the friends or relatives Of
the sufferer determined to give
him Christian burial?
The case was far from impossi-
ble, except that the sufferer had
neither friends nor relations and
people acting under religious mo-
tivcs would have taken tho body
and left the armor.
That supposilion, therefore, was
not TO be entertained. What,
thon, wero tn ey to suppose.
The Soignour Of La Pirocho was
in despair. He was mad about
his suit Of armor. Ho offered q
reward Of ten golden crowns to
whoever would deliver up the
criminal, attired as he was ut tho
timo Of his death.
They searched tho house; no.
thing was found. Nobody came
to claim tho reward.
a month was spont in fruitless
search.
The gallows still remained in it's
place, humiIiatcd; downcast, and
despised. Nevor had a gibbct com
mittcd so disgraceful a breach oi
confidence.
The Soignour of La Piroche con,
tinuod to demand tho restitution
Of his armor.
Nothing camo of it.
At last he was doubtless on the
tho point of making up his mind
to this strange ovent, and tho lost
resulting from it, when ono morn
ing, on awakening, he heard {
great noise in the square where
tho execution had talson place.
He was going to inquire wha
"a the matter, whom his chaplain
"" his chamber.
0".,,0" ',, 'nr," he said, "do yo,
"Monscign.. >nonod 9n
know what has hap, "a diroot
mo; but l will inqun>
Iy."
"I can toll you. /"
What is it, then ?"
ga miracle -
"Roally"