Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1876-06-06

haps two hours, when, suddenly
awaking, l heard a sound of foot
steps. Thinking that some i'm
proper person had obtained access
to the room, / extended my hand
for the purpose Of ringing for my
people--when-when- l heard the
rattling ofchains, and there stood
at the foot of my bed a tall and
ghostly figure, clad in moldy and
graye-stained garments. The spec
tire in a terrible voice addressed me
thus.
"Joseph F.! Joseph Romish
Kingl l am an unhappy soul,
condemned for a space to burn in
purgatorial fires. Sent by thy
guardian angel, / came to warn
thee from the impending ruin to
which thy friendship with the
Elector of Saxony is exposing thee.
Forswear at once this fatal friend
ship, or prepare for sudden death
and the tortures of the damned y
Herewith the chains again rat
tied horribly, and | became speech
less with fear.
"Thou answerest not! Is then
thy salvation of no moment to
thee?' resumed the phantom. 1.-Two
days are granted thee for reAec-
ton; on the third night from this
| return for thy answer
"With these words my frightful
visitant disappeared, and | was
found half dead with fear. For
myself l cared but little, but for
you, my dear cousin, 1 am deeply
concerned. Only by returning to
the bosom of the true church can
you be saved. Let me entreat
your
"Was your Majesty fully awake
when this happened ?"
GAS fully awake as you are now"
"Then l should like to know"
remarked the Prince, show a ghost
can carry chains about and clank
them, or what the chains can be in.
tended for? Is a spirit to be bound
in chains? Somebody has evidently
played your Majesty a trick, with
the intent to injure me-"
"Who could have dared?"
Augustus reflected and gave his
opinion.
"This court swarms with priests
the priests are all Jesuits, anC
Jesuits are all deceit. May / ven
ture to ask your Majesty if, in an,
of your conversations with thesC
gentlemen, my name has been men
tioned?"
His Romish Majesty admitted
that his director had threatened t,
withhold absolution from him un
, less he ceased his friendship wit
| the Protestant Elector of Saxony
els this indeed so? Then shaI
we soon come on the traces of tn
spectre. l pray your Majesty t
r mention to no one what has hap
t pened, and to permit me to spen
: the night of the rendezyous-th
e third from this-in concealment i
your chamber here"
The Romish King assented t
| this proposal, and entered wit
: great heartiness into his friend
scheme.
At the time appointed the latte
went secretly to the Kings room
(. and ensconsed himself behind tn
9 curtains of his Maiesty's bed.
a All was quiet, and, at the az
: proach of "midnights witchin
f hour" there we're again heard tn
/ sounds of stealthy footsteps an
e the dismal clanking Of heavy chain
d Again his Majesty of Rome saw tn
/, dread and grave-Stained figure
e his ghostly visitor, aud listene
e horror-struck to the accents of h
6 terrible voice:
/ "Joseph! Joseph! Romish King
y A startled cry; short, ferC
e struggle; and the messenger frol
e Purgatory lay PROSTATE on the foo
/ the heel of the strongest man
d Europe pressing heavily on b
throat. The spectre begged fC
o mercy with more than mort,
e, earnestness; but Augustus dragge
z him to a window, and with tt
y. words, "This is the shortest way
lie Purgatory; l will save you tt
10 trouble of going down stairs" fun
g him into the court below. III
lie poor wretch had a leg broken
l. the fall; and when the guard, a
rs tracted by his cries, came to Il
ID mans help, they found-the fathe
IN confeSsor Of the King of the R
es mans!