Fisherman & farmer. [volume] (Edenton, N.C.) 1887-19??, 1892-01-22


we are going tc
travel was bordered on the left by tall
reeds, on the right by the sea. It is use
less to say the sky was blue, the sea
brilliant, rolling in long, tapping waves,
and the road hot and dusty.
will only add, this road wound along
the coast of Bretagne from Poterie to
Piroche, a little village like all other
villages Of that period, and two peasants,
father and son, mounted on two asses,
were trotting along this road very CON-
fortably for the asses as we'll as the
peasants.
"Will we get there IN time?' SAID the
son.
eyes, it is two o'clock, replied the
father, land the sun now marks quar-
ter to twelve"
'T am anxious to see it," said the son.
eyes, l can we'll believe YOU"
"Will he be hanged with the armor
on?"
eyes, l am told So"
''What made him think of stealing a
suit of armor?'
at is not so difficult to think of as"-
"To do" interrupted the son, who
wished to have his share in the JOKE.
sEWas the armor very handsome?"
s'Magnlfcent-steel lnlaid with gold. "
"Was he taken in the act of carrying
it OFF,"
eyes; you understand the armor could
not be moved without a terrible clank-
ing, and the noise woke up everybody in
the chateau"
"Then they caught him."
E'Not at all; they were afraid"
'Naturally-people are always afraid
in the presence of robbers; without that
there would be no advantage in being
robber."
mo; but these people didn't think he
was a robber."
'EWhat then?"
ga ghost. The rascal carried the
armor in front of him, holding it high
above his head. 1t looked like gigantic
giant walking through the corridors; be-
sides, the scamp made hoarse, grooming
noise behind it. You can imagine the
fright of the servants, but unfortunately
for him, it aroused the lord of the cha
teau, who was afraid of neither the liv-
ing nor the dead; he arrested the rcbber
and handed him over to the proper JUS
tice."
''And the proper justice?" interrupted
the son.
''Ordered him to be hanged IN the
armor he had stolen"
"Why was that clause in the judg-
ment?''
''Because the Lord of Piroche is not
only brave soldier, but a man of wit
and intelligence. You know, everything
that belongs to a hanged person becomes
a talisman of good luck to those who
possess it; that is Why the Lord of Piroche
ordered him to be hanged in the armor.
After death it was to be returned to him.
He wanted it as a talisman in the next
war"
''Come, let US make haste; I am
anxious to see this hanging"
"We have plenty of time; don't fatigue
our beasts, for we must return home to-
night"
Thus father and son chatted, and in
half an hour they reached Piroche.
There was a great crowd il the grand
place, in front Of the chateau, where the
scaffold had been erected-a beautiful
gibbet placed upon it of superb oak
wood.
Our peasants approached the scafold
as near as possible, so as to see all that
passed and waited with the others, having
the advantage of being mounted on their
asses, where they could see better and with
less fatigue. They had not long to wait.
At II o'clock precisely the door of the
chateau opened and the prisoner ap-
peared, preceded by the guards of the
Lord of Piroche and followed by the
executioner.
The robber was dressed il the armor,
mounted upon an ass, his face turned to
the tail of the beast, and his hands bound
behind him. The visor of the armor was
lowered so one could not see his face,
but you can imagine he was i'll at ease
and prey to very sad reflections. They
brought him in sight of the gibbet.
The executioner placed his LADDER to
the scaffold and the chaplain of the Lord
of Piroche mounted the stage and began
to read the sentence of death. The