Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1883-01-16

mediately sprang upon him and tore hin
to pieces as a punishment for guilt. Th'
moment that the case Of the crimina
was thus decided, doleful iron bells were
changed, great walls went up from the
hired mourners posted on the outer rim
Of the arena, and the vast audience, with
bowed heads and downcast hearts, wend.
ed slowly their homeward way, mourn.
ing greatly that one so young and fair,
or so old and respected, should have mer-
tied so dire fate.
But, ifthe accused person opened the
other door, there came forth from it la
dy, the most suitable to his years and
station that his majesty could select
among his fair subjects, and to this lady
he was Immediately married, as re-
ward of his innocence. II mattered not
that he nigh, already possess a wife and
family, or that his affections might be
engaged upon an object of his own Sc
lection the king allowed no such subor-
dinate arrangements to interfere with his
great scheme of retribution and reward.
The exercises, as in the other instance,
took place in the arena. Another door
opened beneath the king, and priest,
followed by a band Of choristers and
dancing maidens blowing joyous airs on
golden horns and treading an epithala-
mic measure, advanced TO where the pair
stood side by side. and the wedding was
promptly and cheerily sOlemnized. TheL
the gay brass bells rang forth their merry
peals, the people shouted glad hurrahs,
and the innocent man, preceded by chill
dren s,rewing flowers on his path, led
his bride TO his home.
This was the kings semi-barbaric
method Of administering justice. Its
perfec, fairness is obvious. The crimi-
nal could not know out of which door
would come the lady he opened either
he pleased, without having the slightest
idea whether in the next instant he was
to be devoured or married. On some
occasions the tiger came out Of one dooI
and on some out Of the other. The de-
cisions of this tribunal were not only
fair, they were positively determinate;
the accused person was instantly pun
ished if he found himself guilty, and 1t
innocen, he was rewarded on the spot,
whether he liked it or not. There was
no escape from the judgments of the
kings arena.
The institution was a very popular
one. When the people gathered ,oseth-
er on one of the great trial days, they
never knew whether they were to wit
ness a bloody slaughter or hilarious
wedding. The element Of uncertainty
lent an interest to the occasion which 1t
could not otherwise have attained. Thus
the masses were entertained and pleased
and the thinking part of the community
could bring no charge Of unfairness
against this plan, for did not the accused
person have the whole matter in his own
hands:
This semi-b rbaric king had daught-
er as blooming as his most aorid fancies'
and with a soul as fervent and imperious
as his own. As is usual in such cases,
she was the apple of his eye. and was
loved by him above all humanity.
Among his courtiers was young man
of tina, fneness of blood and lowness OF
station common TO the conventional he
roes of romance who love royal maldens'
This royal maiden was well satisfied
with her lover, for he was handsome
and brave to degree unsurpassed IN all
thi, kingdom, and she loved him with an
ardor that had enough of barbarism in it
to make it exceedingly warm and strong
This love affair moved on happily for
many months, until one day the king
happened to discover its existence. He
did not hesitate nor waver in regard to
his duty in the premises. The youth
was Immediately cast into p rison, and
day was appointed for his trial in the
kings arena. This, of course, was ar
especially important occasion, and his
majesty, as we'll as all the people, wa'
greatly interested in the workings and
development of this trial. Never before
had such a case occurred never before
had subject dared to love the danghte'
of the king. In after years such thing
became commonplace enough. but the'
they were in no slight degree novel Ant
startling. Tine tiger cages of the kin g
dom were .arched for the most savag
and relentless beasts, from which tn
fercest monster might be selected for tn
arena and the ranks of maiden yout
and beauty throughout the land wer
carefully surveyed by competent Judge