Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1892-03-18


fatigue our beasts, for we must re-
turn home tonight"
Thus father and son chatted, and
in half an hour they reached Piroche.
There was a great crowd in the
grand place, in front OF the chateau,
where the scaffold had been erected
beautiful gibbet placed upon it OF
superb oak wood.
Our peasants approached the scat
fold as near as possible, so as 10 see
ali that passed, and waited with the
others, having the advantage OF be-
| ing mounted on their asses. where
they could see better and with less
fatigue. They had not long 20 wait.
At 2 o'clock precisely the door of the
| chateau opened aud the prisoner APP
peared, preceded by the guards Of
| the Lord of Piroche and followed by
| the eXecutioner
The robber was dressed in the ar
NOR, 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 aud prey
of very sad reflections. They brought
him in sight OF the gibbet.
The executioner placed his ladder
to the scaffold aud the chaplain OF the
Lord OF Piroche mounted the stage
and began to read the sentence Of
death. The prisoner never budged
They ordered him TO di-mount from
the ass and deliver himself to the
halter. He never moved a muscle.
We can well understand his hesita-
ton.
Then the eXecutioner took him by
the elbows and lifted him to the
ground. What strong old fellow his
executioner was! In the meantime
the chaplain had finished reading the
sentence, and turning 10 the criminal
demanded:
Have You anything TO say
Yes" replied the miserable wretch,
in low, stifled voice. Il beg for
mercy and pardon" This seemed a
good joke. The Lord OF Piroche
shrugged his shoulders and ordered
the executioner TO do his work.
He tried to make the criminal as
cend the ladder, which was not an
easy thing to do. The eXecutioner
had to resort to the same means he
had employed to make him decend
from his ass-he took him by the
arms, placed him on the third round
OF the ladder, aud pushed him up,
amid the "bravosn Of the crowd.
Then the executioner placed the
running knot at the end OF the rope
around his neck, aud giving him a
vigorous kick in the back launched
him into space, or rather into eter-
nifty. a great shout aud shiver ran
through the crowd, the Condemned
balanced two or three minutes at the
end OF the rope. kicking aud twisting
a. it was his right to do, then hung
stiff and motionless.
The crowd regarded him few mo-
ments. the FURNISHED armor glisten-
ing in the sun; then they broke up
into little groups and departed home
ward, all talking OF the event.
Ma fol-" said the son OF the peas
ant to his father, ito be hanged for
carrying off the armor when he did
not get it seems hard. What do you
think?'
Il was just asking myself il he had
really carried off the armor what
would they have done to him. No
matter; he has been punished justly,
no doubt, but it was not a pleasant
thing TO see. ="
Twenty minutes after they entered
the village Of Piroche, where they ex-
pected TO rest a few hours and start
back late in the evening so a. to reach
home that night
Next morning at peep OF day two
| guards came out Of the chateau to un
hook the dead body and take of the
arIuor Of their lord. But they found
what they least expected. There
were the gibbet and the rope, but
where was the body, They rubbed
their eyes, thinking they must be
dreaming. No. it was really true
there was hobody-naturally no ar
NOR.
The guards ran TO announce the as
founding news to their Lord Of Pi-
roche. who would not believe them.
He must see the fact with his own
eyes. He was such Il powerful per
sonage he was certain he would find
the hanged just where he had ordered
him. On reaching the scaifold he
! What had become of the dead BODY?
He was surely dead the evening be-
fore, hanged in the sight Of the whole
village.
The Lord Of Piroche was so troubled
at the loss OF his arnor he offered a
reward OF ten gold pieces to the one
who would bring back the criminal
clothed i'm his ariuor. No Que ap-
peared They searched in every di-
rection, but found nothing.
A month passed, the gibbet re-
mained on the scaffold. gloomy, hu-
inflated. and scorned, for never had
u gibbet betrayed like abuse OF con-
! fdence.
The Lord Of Piroche was about to
resign himself to this strange event
and the loss resulting therefrom,
| uban opa tnorninu he was aroused