The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1890-11-02

with himself.
There was not sound in the hall.
Every one knew that life or death hung
upon the next words of the king, and
Ramek gazed eagerly at the stern face
upon which all eyes were turned.
"Your words, Hamassar, said the en-
peror at length, ''are doubtless true, but
they alter not the sentence that must
come In your own home, before two
hundred guests, you break the letter and
the spirit of our law. Your crime, if I
forgive you, would corrupt the land, and
once again the egotist and braggart
would meet us at every turn. My word
would be but wind to my people, and
they would call their king a man of
straw. The law must be enforced. I
and my child have loved you, well, and
your sad fate has filed our hearts
with gloom. But though father, am
also king. l must be firm, although l
long to grant you mercy" He paused
here, and there were those who thought
they heard him sob. ''Ha,nassar, your
sentence / pronounce. Before to-mor-
rows sun has set behind the hills your
head must fall May the deities that
love our land be kind to YOU"
A dread silence followed these Hateful
words. Hainassar's face was white, but
his lips trembled not at all. Suddenly
upon the startled air arose shrek and,
rushing forward, the Princess Bru sprang
up the stairway to the throne Throw
ing her white arms about her fathers
neck she cried: "Oh, spare him! Spare
him! Save him for my sake"'
"Silence, my child" the emperor
sternly cried, though his hand touched
her shoulder lovingly. Remember you
are the daughter of king. Guards, re-
move the prisoner"
''Most gracious lord" exclaimed a
white haired man pushing his way
through the throng, permit me word
before the prisoner DEPARTS
''Speak," said the emperor CURLY,
''but see to it that your words are few
and to the point
Stepping forward until he stood in full
view of the crowd, the old man said:
according to the ruling of our king is
true. l heard them and know. But
in our courts the spirit, not the letter,
of the law is held to be the highest guild
ance for our use. Now, let us look at
Prince Hamassar's case. The witnesses
have shown that III an egotistic way he
boosted of his nose. He spoke not of
his head, nor claimed that any feature
but his nose was worthy of all praise.
What follows? The letter of the law de-
mands that he shall lose his head But
this punishment is too severe. The de-
cree was laid down not to Cypress our
land, but to make our people modest.
Therefore | say that its spirit will be
carried out in full if Prince Hamassar's
nose is severed from his face Let him
lose that Of which he Dragged, and if, in
the future, he shall vaunt the beauty OF
his ears, or call his hands unrivaled, let
further mutilation be his fate. This is
strict justice, and mercy and reason here
go hand in hand"
A roar of applause resounded through
the palace as the old mans clever speech
came to sudden end. The emperor
looked pleased and seemed to reflect thai
a nose is not essential to son-in-law
The Princess Bru clapped her fair hand:
delightedly, and even Hamassar seemed
to lay aside for moment his studied
and phlegmatic pose.
''Old man, you have spoken WE'LL the
emperor said. "Your reasoning is mos
profound l hereby revoke the sentence
just pronounced and decree that -
Most gracious king" broke in Ramek
rushing forward. grant me d momen
before you take another step"
"What means this noise, wise Ramek?'
the emperor cried. ''You were not wont
to be rattlepate."
"Nor am making foolish interruption
now, my lord; but as subject some
times useful to the state I crave YOU
notice to word or two
go on, then, and be quick"
Permit me, then, to say that in hi:
argument my aged friend has spoken
brilliantly. He is skillful in the law ant
his persuasive voice went to my limos
soul. But bear in mind, my king, tina
this especial case will serve for pre-
cedent, and as the late decree is now in
terpreted so shall it's influence for al
time be felt. Now, mark you! Accord
ing to the counselor who just now spok
it is sufficient for the law thai ne wh'
disobeys it should lose that of which h
boosted. Hamassar then forfeits to tn
state his nose. But we must bear il
mind that he also showed in word ant
manner, quote from the decree, over
weening satisfaction in his betrothed
According, therefore, to our friends In
depreciation Hamassar's nose and you
own daughter, gracious king, must b
cut off. There is no middle course.
the spirit of the law demands the sac
rifce of Prince Hamassar's nose i
cries out also for the blood of tn
Princess Bru. put the matte
plainly, for this is crisis when to mine
words would be criminal. | feel tina
the death of Hamassar would be ma
tional calamity. I have always love-
him well and have rejoiced in his ad
vancement. But the life of one ma
only is not here at stake. If the law b
construed in loose and careless wa
there is no telling how cruel its applica
ton may yet become. By holding t
the letter of this stern decree all DANCE
is avoided. and precedent here set 70
many generations yet unborn. LIE
Hamassar rise to a joyous contempls
ton of the fact that i'll his death he wi
confer upon posterity great and last
ing boon. thank you much, O king
for granting me this time, and hope tina