Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1886-05-26

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choly way, as though IL were trying TO
inspire pity. The appearance OF the
ground and the dogs singular conduct
led to search being madc, when the
body Of Montdidier WIS discovered.
The dog subsequently attached itself to
the owner of the kitchen where IL had
gone daily for food; and it was noticed
that every time 1t met Macairc, who
moved i'm the same society ~ his new
master, it few at him and would have
worried him il II had not been pulled
away by those who were at hand.
This behavior of the dog caused some
suspicion to grow up against Macairc.
Charles ", hearing of the matter,
wished to inquire into the truth of IL,
and gave orders that Macaire and the
dog should both come before him. I'M
mediatcly the dog saw Macaire it again
flew ut him with its accustomed fury.
The King severely questioned Macairc
as TO what he knew of Montdidicr' 5
death, and exhorted him to tell
the truth Macaire denied all knowl-
edge of it. Charles then dccreed that
Macairc and the dog should meet in
single combat; the man being furnished
with a thick staff; and a barrel, with
one end Knocked out being pro-
vidcd as place of shelter for the dog,
in case il should bc hard pressed. The
duel commenced. The dog began by
bounding about, Just outside the reach
of the stan, till 1t saw its opportunity.
Then IL made furious spring and
caught Macairc- by the throat and
dragged him to the ground. The un-
fortunate man, finding he could not
free himself, cried for mercy and con-
fesscd his crime. He was thereupon
delivered from the dog, but only to be
given into the custody of the law, by
whose sentence he was afterwards OK
ecutcd.
The Duke of Ossonc is celebrated fol
the many quaint judgments and decis-
ions delivered by him while Viceroy OF
Naples. Some of them seem actuated
rather by spirit of pleasantly than by
one OF justice.
One day the Duke had to choose 8
| gallcy-slavc who should be liberated in
honor Of some great festival. He went
on board one of the gallcys, and stand
ing i'm front of the 1irst bench of row
ers, six i'm number, he began to ques-
|
them there. The first one contentcd
himself by calling God as witness to
his innocence, and protesting that
h, was there for no reason ut all.
The second said his punishment and
disgrace were the work of his enc
mics, and not the consequence OF
any crime. The third protested that a
crying injustice had been done him by
his having been sent there without
any trial. The fourth said that the
lord of his village had become cnam-
orcd of his wife, and had caused him
! to be sent there out of the way. The
fifth declared that he came from the
| hamlet of Somma, and that he had
been implicated in Il robbery there, in
| which he really had had no part al
all, and that all his ncighbors would
bear witness TO his honesty. The sixth,
who had observed that all these cx-
cuscs and justilications did not seem
to please the Duke, took u different
tone. "Your EXccllcncy," he said,
~ come from Naples; and though the
town is large one do not believe il
contains greater scoundrel than my
self. They have been mcrciful to me
in only sending me to the galleys."
The ViccrOy looked ut the man
/ kccnly for some moments, and then,
! turning to those in attendance upon
him. said: 81" Let this scoundrcl he re-
leased from his chains; he will corrupt
! all those honest men," Then he pre-
scented him with some money to pro-
vide himself with clothing, and be-
sought him to try TO live better life
in the future.
Two days, afterwards, another pris-
oner was to be liberated, and the Duke
again proceeded to the gallcys to Sc
lect one. Information rs to what had
happened on the previous occasion had
reached the slaves In the galley which
the Duke boarded and they believed
that the best way of getting their lib
crty was to blackrn themselves as much
as possible, seeing that that course had
succeeded So well before. Of all the
three hundred in the galley there was
not one who did not confess that Inc
was s0ilcd with the viest crimes, and
had richly deserved wheel or gallows.
This is strange" said the Duke,
Ito see SO many people with souls so
black. Their ~ nishmcnt is the health
of the state, which they would infect
by their bad example. What crimes
would they not commit if they were at
liberty! shall order them all 10 be
still more vigorously guarded" Which
Inc did, freeing only Il monk, because
he fAgeniously said that the chains of
the galley were less oppressive than
those of the monastery. His punish
mcnt was the penalty of double
apostasy of which he had been guilty.
"Wcll," said the Duke, return TO
your monastery, since there YOU under
20 scyorcr punishment"
A rich old merchant, seventy years OF
age, named Morclli, boosted that he had
| gained the whole of his fortune with
out leaving Naples. He had never
been away scOm it, he said, for five
and-forty years, and he vowed he
would never 20 beyond tho sight of its
walls. The Duke of Ossonc heard of
the old mans speeches, and sent to
him ono of his officers forbidding him,
on the part of tho King, to leave the
kingdom on pain of forfciting fine of
a thousand crowns. Morclli received
the prohibition with mockcry, and
tested about it with his friends. To
leave the kingdom was the last thing
in the world he should think of doing.
Had he not said that nothing could I'M
ducc him to travel out of sight of his
beloved Naples? Soon, however, he
began to feel curiosity rs TO what
could have prompted this command of
the Kings, and he began to torment
himself by all sorts of vague guesscs
and reflections, till the matter took such
hold Of his thoughts that it threw him
into nervous and miserable condition,
and even prevented him from sleeping.
At last, to deliver himself from u
state of inquietudc which he could no
longer bear, and to satisfy his long
ings to do that which had been
forbidden him, he sent a thousand
crowns to the Viceroy, and passed
over the Ncapolitan border into the
Popol Sfofce Hc cfaiI thar, nulv ono