The New Bloomfield, Pa. times. (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1877-188?, 1877-06-12

followed, hallooing and shouting, to the
walls their rage redoubled by dlsap-
pontment.
The Governor, his officers, and their
men-at-arms, were speedily assembled;
and Caspar Brandt, with pale, yet un-
clouded and undaunted brow, stood be-
fore his judge.
Young man, said the Governor, 81
am sorry for you; but these are times
when the duty of the citizen becomes
religion. Did you hear the proclama-
tion p''
LAY, my lord" said Caspar, calmly.
"And braved 1t !? am sorry for you.
The penalty is death"
81 am prepared to die, answered Cas-
par, "and yet-yet--"
"Speak," said the Governor, "and
bold. If there be any doubt of your
guilt-nay, If there be the slightest"
My lord,' interrupted one of the off,
GERS, tive have brought testimony suffi-
cient. Room there" and the officer
beckoned to one of his followers, who,
making his way through the crowd,
flung from his back the carcass of the
slaughtered goat.
Caspar sprung like a hound upon the
fellow. May the hand wither," he ex-
claimed, "that did thisl'' And, when,
again seized by his guards, his eyes fell
upon the slaughtered animal, he burst
into tears, and covering his face with his
Lo, L. ttO,otl,ar1
motherl'
''This is no time to cast bread to beasts
let the prisoner have a confessor, and
then," and the Governor paused, sur
veying the youth with looks of pity,
''and then dispatch him."
Here's Father Francis said the
officer, as an old monk broke through
the crowd, and without a word, hurry
ing to Caspar, embraced him.
"My sonl My dear son Oh, my lord
Governor, what would you with this
youth ? A nobler creatures "a gentler soul,
a youth in whom more virtuous gift are
mingled, lives not in this city. And
here captive! What is his crime ?"
asked the monk.
"Look there, father" said the Gov
ernor, and he pointed to the dead goat.
You have heard the proclamation, you
know the measures which our care for
the common good imposes upon ALL"
Mine-mine, is the fault,'' cried the
monk
Thine ~ said the Governor.
"This youth-he has mother, yet a
young and comely woman, but this is
little-it is her goodness, her tenderness,
her more than mothefly affection for the
brave lad, they have made him forfeit
his life for her from whom he drew it,"
But your share in his fault ?" asked
the Governor.
ct was his mothers confessor; and
when her means failed, her physician
for in my youth 1 studied medicine
and hence the lowly poor, thanks to my
saint have often owned the value of my
skill AS the rigors of the siege increas-
ed the poor widow panied and wasted,
coarse food she could not take-death
seemed inevitable. Milk was her only
nourishment-this poor lad sold all but
his last garment to buy the goat, now
slaughtered at your feet; from day to day,
and week to week, unknown to his poor
dying mother, deprived himself of need
full food, that the animal-to him sacred
thing, since his mothers life depended
on it-might not want provender nay,
when your proclamation was made
known, dared to despise it, for parents
life." "h 'i '1n
am sorry for him, most sorry"
said the Governor, with melting eyes,
"but justice must be done, father; pre-
pare your penitent for heaven"
"My lord, grant me one prayer, I ask
not for my life," cried Caspar, "you say
it's forfeited, the cruelty of the time de-
mands it--let it go; the sentence cannot
stain my memory-let it go. But my
mother-ohl my lord if ever yours
were dear to you, protect mine when 1
am gone, save her from the sharp mis-
cry Of"
A piercing shrek was at this moment
heard-a shrek of such wild agony, that
the sternest soldier felt his heart grow
cold at the sound. Another moment,
and the wretched widow nerved by des-
peration, burst through the crowd, and
fell upon her sons neck. 9Caspar my
own boy my brave, brave"
"Oh God, she's dead ~ exclaimed
Caspar, as he beheld the white face, the