The Hartford herald. [volume] (Hartford, Ky.) 1875-1926, 1875-11-03


said, he had advanced to the very fore
most ranks ung'tiJus ct ro8trc; that is to
say, coaxing some, and kicking the
others.
And when the e4ecutioner had conducts
ed the prisoner to the scatfold, the burge-
err who had mounted on the stone of the
pump, the better to see and lie seen, made
to the executioner sign which meant
ats a bargain, isn't itT'
The executioner answered by another
sign, which was meant to say
"Be quiet, it's all right
This burgher was none other than Myn-
heer Isaac Boxtel, who, since the arrest
of Cornelius, had come to the Hague. to
try if he could not get hold of the three
suckers Of the black tulip.
Boxtel had at first tried to bring over
Gryphus to his interest, but the jailor
had not only the snarlng fierceness, but
likewise the fidelity of dog. lie had
therefore bristeled up at Boxlers hatred,
whom he had suspected to be a warm
friend OF the prisoner, making triflng in
quiries, to contrive, with the more GER
tainty. some means of escape for him.
Thus to the very first proposals which
BoxteI made to Gryphus to flch the bulbs.
which Cornelius Van Baerle must be sup
posed to conceal, il not in his breast, at
least in some corner of his cell, the SUR
ly jailer had only answered by kicking
Mynheer Isaac out, and setting the dog
at him.
The piece which the mastiff had torn
from his hose did not discourage Boxtel.
lie came back to the charge, but this
time Gryphus was in bed, feverish, and
with broken arm. He, therefore, was
not able to admit the petitioner, who
then addressed himself to Rosa, offering
TO buy her head dress of pure gold. if
she would get the bulbs for him. On
this, the generous girl, although not yet
knowing the value Of the object of the
robbery, which was to be SO well remu>
nerated, had directed the tempter TO the
executioner, as the heir of the prisoner.
In the meanwhile the sentence had
been pronounced. Thus Isaac had no
more time to bride any one. lie there-
fore clung TO the idea which Rosa had
| Il. ha tn 81,
Isaac had not the least doubt but that
Cornelius would die with his bulbs on his
| heart.
Bnt there was too things which Boxtel
did not calculate upon.
Rosa, that is TO say-love.
William OF Orange, that is to say
clemency?
But for Rosa and William, the calcu-
lations of this envious neighbor would
have been correct
But for William, Cornelius would nave
died.
But for Rosa, Cornelius would have
died with his bulbs on his heart.
Mynheer Boxtel went TO the headsman,
to whom he gave himself out as great
friend Of the condemned man, and from
whom he bought all the clothes of the
dead man that was to be, for one hundred
guilders, rather an exorbitant sum, as lie
engaged 10 leave all the trinkets Of gold
and silver to the executioner.
But what was the sum of a hundred
guilders to a man who was all but sure
TO buy with it the prize Of the Harlem
Society 2
1t was money lent at a thousand per
cent, which, as nobody will deny, was a
very handsome investment
The headsman, on the other hand had,
scarcely anything to do to earn his hun
dred guilders. lie needed only, as soon
as the execution was over, to allow Myn-
hcer Boxtel to ascend the scaffold with
his servants, to remove the inanimate re-
mains of his friend.
The thing was, moreover, quite CUSTOM
AIRY among the faithful brethren" when
one of their masters died a public death
in the ButenhoE
A fanatic like Cornelius might very
easily have found another fanatic who
gave hundred guilders for his remains.
The executioner also readily acquiesced
in the proposal, making only one condi-
tion-that of being paid in advance.
Boxtel, like the people who enter a
show at a fair. might not be pleased, and
refuse to pay on going out.
Boxtel paid in advance and waited.
After this the reader may imagine how
excited Boxiel was; with what anxiety he
watched the guards, the Recorder and The
executioner; and with what intense inter-
est he surveyed the movements of Van
Baerle. How would he place himself on
the block how would he fall and would
he not, in falling. crush those inestimablt
, bulbs had rot he at least taken care tc
f inclose them il s.golden box? as gold i,
the hardest of all metals.
Every trifiing delay irritated him. Why
, did that stupid cxecutioner thus loose
time in brandishing his sword over the
head of Cornelius, instead of cutting tina
head off?
But when he saw the Recorder take til,
| l..