Grand Rapids herald. [volume] (Grand Rapids, Mich.) 1892-1959, 1892-12-10
.eln rhs tbins = iln possibIs..


ssln The thing i Impossible
But though Lsckinski was supplied
with food DO was detained prisoner
The next morning be Wa taken 20 spot
where lie could see the m1lIlated corpse
or the trencnnAa. VINO had been eraei-
iy mass4cred BY the peasantry of iruxll-
10, and he was threatened with the same
death Bat the noble youth had PROM
ised not 70 fail, and not . word, not al
accent, not a gesture or lock betrayed
him.
Leckinski. when taken back 70 bis
prison, hailed IL with a sort OF JOY. tor
twelve hours ne Lad h2a nothing bat
gibbets and death Ia Is most hOrrid
forms before his eyes-ezhibited - him
by men with the looks and the passions
OF den(SS-s. he slept. however, after the
harrassing excitement OF the day, and
sountly, too, when in the midst OF his
deep and deathIike slambers tbs door
opened gently, some one drew near his
couch. and the same voice whispered In
bis ear:
.'Arise and come with me. We wish
TO save your life. Your horse Is ready
And the brave young man, hastily
awakened by the words, I'VE wish 10
save your life; come" answered still Ia
German, What do you WANT
Castanos, when he heard Of this expert
ment and its result. said the Russian
was a noble young man; he saw the true
state Of the case.
The next morning early four men
came to take him before sort Of court
martial. composed Of officers of Castanos
staff During the walk they uttered the
most horrible threats against him. but
true to his determination he pretended
not To understand them.
When he came before his judges he
seemed 20 gather what was going on
from the arrangements Of the tribunal
and not from what he heard said around
him. and he asked in German where his
interpreter was: He was sent for, and
the examination commenced.
1t turned at first upon the motive of
his journey from Madrid to Lisbon. He
answered by showing his dispatches TO
Admiral Siniavin and his passport.
Spite of the presence and the vehement
assertions Of the peasant, he persisted in
the same story aud did not contradict
himself once.
ASK him." said the presiding officer
at last. IF he loves the Spaniards, as he
is not q Frenchman?
Certainly" said Leckinski, 81 like
the Spanish nation, and / esteem it for
its noble character. wish our two ma
tions were friends"
Colonel" said the interpreter to the
president, ''the prisoner says that he
hates rs because we make war like ban
ditti; that he despises us, and that his
only regret IL that he cannot unite the
whole nation in one man, to end this
odious war at a single blow"
While he was saying this, the eyes of
tho whole tribunal were attentively
watching the slightest movement of the
prisoners countenance, in order to see
what effect the interpreters treachery
would have upon him. But Leckinski
had expected to Be put to the test in
some way, and was determined to baf-
fe all their attempts.
Gentlemen" said Castanos, at seems
to me that this young man cannot be
suspected; the peasant must be deceived.
The prisoner may pursue his journey
and when he reflects ON the hazard OF
our position he will find the severity
we have been obliged to use e&cusable. y
Leckinski's arms and dispatches were
returned. he received a free pass. and
thus this noble youth came victorious
out Of the severest trial that the human
spirit can be put to.-H. X. in New
York News