Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1882-10-07

ground. The roof was steep, and rendered
slippery by a dense mist the moon had
gone down far below them lay Venice,
and as they crawled to the ridge pole, 1t
was at the momentary risk of sliding eli
and being dashed to pieces against the
pavement
After vainly endeavoring to find some
bolt or beam to which he might attach
their cords, Casanova went on voyage Of
exploration around the roof, peering across
the blackness Of the intervening space at
the clock. tower of st. Marks, which rose
darkly above them, but finding no way by
which they could get down from their dizzy
elevation. When the effort seemed almost
| hopeless a garnet window was discovered
at an apparently inaccessible point below
them. By means of a ladder left upon the
roof, very perilously adjusted by them, the
monk and the chevalier managed to gain
an entrance by the window into the garnet,
from which they made their way, little ty
little, to the lower apartments, passing
through the grand audience gallery, and
at last, in the early morning, when the
janitor came to open the building, walked
leisurely down the grand staircase, I'M
questioned, into the open air.
Casanova met with many adventures
on his way to the frontier tpassing one
night under the hospitable roof Of a high
officer of the police, who had left home
IN search of HIM, but at length gain
ing place of safety without the juris.
diction of Venice, whence he went not
long afterwards to Paris, and recounted
his hair breadth 'scapes with great eclat in
the drawing.rooms of that wonder loving
capital.
BARON TRENCK.
Frederick Baron Trenck was the son of
high officer in the Prussian army, and
cousin german of the famous Trenck,
Colonel of Pandours in the service of Maria
Theresa. At the age of eigh;e n the Baron
became an officer OF the body. guard of
Frederick IL, and was greatly IN favor
with that sovereign. Young, handsome, of
approved courage, he had many enemies,
among whom, unfortunately, he had soon
| TO number the King himself. One reason
/ that was given for the change in the royal
disposition towards Trenck was that he
had made himself acceptable in the eyes of
the Princess Amelia, the Kings sister.
Carlyle altogether discredits this Gfaire du
cdeur;; and, indeed, throughout his life of
| Frederick II mentions Trenck only in
most contemptuous Carlyese, as fraud,
as babbling, conceited, empty fellow, who
had not quite got his deserts. Whatever
may have been the cause OF Frederick's
dislike, it is certain that it was manifested
in very decided way.
| An imprudent correspondence with his
cousin, the Austrian, was made the pretext
of mis- earliest imprisonment in the castle of
| Glatz. Trenck, who could not conceive
that man of his rank and distinction
should remain long in duress, wrote a
somewhat bold letter to the King, de-
handing to be tried by military tribunal.
| Frederick did not respond, and Trenck,
seeing that his place in the royal body
| guard had been given to another, after
peace had been concluded, began to medi.
| tate upon escape.
| His first attempt ended quickly in NOR
! tifying failure. He had won over many of
the guards of the castle by liberal use of
money, with which he was abundantly sup.
| piled. Two OF them agreed to aid him
aod accompany him in his fight, but the
three most imprudently desired to carry
! OFT with them an officer who had been con.
| demned to ten years Imprisonment in the
same fortress.
When all their preparations had been
made, this scoundrel, whom Trenck had
| loaded down with favors, betrayed them,
and received his pardon as the price of
| his perhdy. One of the officers was
warned IN time to save himself, and the
otter got off with years confinement, by
dlnt OF Trenck's money. As for the Baron
himself, from this day forward he was
more narrowly guarded. But years after
wards the villain who had sold them, meet
ing Irenck at Warsaw, received the chas.
tisement he deserved, and, desiring salts
faction with weapons, was left dead ON the
spot.
The King was greatly irritated at the
discovery OF this plot, which seemed to him
to confirm the imputations against the
prisoner. Solicited a Short time before by
IreDck's mother to Set her son at libersy,
he had replied IN terms that gave her rea.
son to hope for his pardon after year
spent in prison. But Trenck had not been
advised Of this, and his more rigorous
treatment drove him to fresh efforts 80 gain
his freedOm--eforts which the good naEure
or the wellpai com llcity of his keepers
greatly favored.
Oar hero's second attempt covered him
at once with mud and ridicule He was
confined in tower looking out upon the
town.
By making saw of q pockst-knfe the
Baron VS. enabled to cut through Il rec
bars Of his window. grating An offi;er
then procured him file, with which he
severed five more. Then, with a rope
made of strips of leather cut from his
portmauteau and of the coverlet OF his bed,
he slid down without accident to the
ground. The night was dark and rainy,
| aud all things favored the fugitive Bat
an unexpected difficulty presented itself
in sewer, which he was compelled
to cross in order to reach the town, and
| there the luckless Baron foundered,
| being neither able to advance nor to retire,
and was at last fain tossall upon the senti.
mel to extricate him.
Eight days only had elapsed after this
most absurd and unfortunate adventure,
when Trepck, with unparalleled audacity,
had nearly gained his liberty in way
wholly unprecedented. The commandment
OF the castle made him visit of Inspec.
tion, and improved the opportunity of Civ
ing this desperate young fellow a lecture
on his frequent attempts at escape, by
which he SAID his crime had been seriously
| aggravated in the Kings estimation.
| The Baron fired up at the word crime,
and demanded to know for how long term
he had been consigned to the fortress. The
commandant replied that an officer who
had been detected In reasonable CORE.
! spondence with the enemies OF his country
could never expect the pardon Of the
| King. The hilt of the Communicates
sword was within easy and tempting grasp
there were ol}y a sentinel and an
officer of the guard in attendance !;
1t seemed a golden moment; Trenck
seized If, in Selling the sword, rush
| ing rapidly from the room, hurting the
sentinel aud the officer down the stairs
and cutting his way out of the building.
He leaped the first rampant and fell upon
his feet in the fosse he leaped the second
! rampant, yet more daring and perilous
venture, and again fell upon his feet, with
out so much as losing hold of the Majors
/ sword. There was not time for the garri-
/ son to load piece, and 10 one was dis.
posed to pursue the Baron along the steep
| way ne had chosen. IL was considerable
| detcur from the interior OF the castle to the
outer rampant, and Trenck would have had
a good half hours start of his pursuers had
fortune, so far propitious, continued to
favor him. a sentry with a fixed
bsyonet opposed him in narrow passage :;
the Baron cut him down.
| Another sentry ran after him Trenck
attempted TO jump over pslisade, but
caught his foot between two of the timbers
| hepnnd all hnna of fytrication seeipu tb 2