Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1878-11-06

acquainted with Spanish. He was re-
moved and thrown into a room worthy
to have been one of the dungeons of
the inquisition in its worst days.
When the Spaniards took him pris-
oner he had eaten nothing since the
previous evening, and when his dungeon
door was closed on him he had tasted
for eighteen hours; no, wonder, then,
what with exhaustion, fatigue, anxiety,
and the agony of his dreadful situation
that the unhappy prisoner fell almost
senseless on his hard couch. Night
soon closed in and left HIM to realize, in
his gloom, the full horror of his hope
less situation. He was brave, of course;
but to die at eighteen-so suddenly!
But youth and fatigue finally yielded to
the approach of sleep, and he was soon
buried in profound slumber. u7, r.ral
He had slept perhaps two hours,
when the door of his dungeon opened
slowly, and some one entered with eau
tious steps, hiding with his. hand the
light Of a lamp; the visitor bent over
the prisoners couch, the hand that
shaded the lamp touched him on the
shoulder, and sweet and silvery voice,
woman's voice, asked him: ado you
want to eat"
The young Pole awakened suddenly
by the glare Of the lamp, by the touch
and words of the female, rose up on his
couch and, with his eyes only half
opened, said, in German, 'What do
you wantn'
Give the man something to eat at
at cnce," said Castanos, when he heard
the result of the first experiment, "and
let him go. He is not q Frenchman.
How could he have been SO far master
Of himself? The thing is impossible.
But though Leckinski was supplied
with food, he was detained a prisoner.
The next morning he was taken to a
spot where ne could see the multilated
corpse Of the Frenchman, who had
| been crully massacred by the peasan-
try of Truxillo. and he was threatened
with the same death. But the noble
youth had promised not to fall, and not
a word, not an accent, not a gesture or
look betrayed him. .ssis
Leckinski, when taken back to the
prison, hailed it with a sort of Joy; for
twelve hours he had nothing but glib
bets and death, in its most horrid forms,
before his eyes, exhibited TO him by
men with the looks and the passions of
demons. He slept, however, after the
harrassing excitement of the day, and
souudly, too; when, in the midst of his
deep and deathlike slumbers the door
opened gently, some one drew near his
couch. and the same voice whispered
in his ear: .... IT.
"Arise and come with me. We wish
to save your life. Your horse is
ready" E"#
And the brave young man hastily
awakened by the words, eve wish to
save your life, come" answered still in
German, "what do you want ?"
Castanos, when he heard Of this eX-
pertinent and its results, said that the
Russian was a noble young man; he
saw the true state of the case.
The next morning, early, four men
came to take him before sort of court
moss staff During the walk, they ut,
tered most horrible threats against him;
but true to his determination, he pre-
tended not to understand them.
When he came before his judges he
seemed to gather what was going on
| from the arrangements OF the tribunal,
and not from what he heard said around
him. and he asked in German where
his interpreter was? He was sent for
and the examination commenced.
It turned at first upon. the motive of
his Journey from Madrid to Lisbon. He
answered by showing his dispatches of
Admiral Siniavan and his passport.
Spite of the presence and vehement as
sertions of the peasant, he persisted in
the same story, and he did not. contra
dict himself once.
"Ask him." said the presiding officer,
at last, elf he loves the Spaniards, as he
is not a Frenchman?"" .sss- v.c.. BE -
The interpreter put the question:
''Certainly," said Leckinski, Il like
the Spanish nation; I esteem it for it's
noble character; wish our two nations
were friends -. 81. -.- ...... ..,a -.,-
"Colonel," said the Interpreter to the
president, "the prisoner says he hates
us because we make war like banditti,
that he despises us, and that his only re-
greet is that he cannot unite the whole
nation as one man to end this OdiOus
war at single blow"
While he was saying this the eyes, Of
the whole tribunal were attentiveIy
watching the slightest movement of the
prisoners countenance, in order to see
what effect the interpreters treachery
would have upon him, But Leckinski
| had expected to be put to the test in
some way, and he was determined to
battle all their attempts. rTRag
Gentlemen" said Castano, "it seems
to me that this young man cannot be
suspected, the peasant must be deceiv-
ed. The prisoner may pursue his jour
ney, and when he reflects on the hazard
of our position, he will find the severity
we have been obliged to use excusable.' =
Leckinski's arms and dispatches were
returned, he received a free pass, and
thus this noble youth came victorious
out of the severest trial that the human
spirit could be put to. -rg .z~~ r.~Er
A Superiority Of Lawyers.
4