Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1894-01-19

word TO pardon all the Inhabitants and
protect their property.
Never!'' roared the Infatuated duke
In town taken by assault the victor
allows no terms to be dictated to him,
and will take such measures to dis
cover your governor as shall strike ter
Tor into your hearts, - Whereupon he
declared that every tenth person should
die and ordered his heralds to proceed
to the work of numbering the people.
Then the men and women, boys and
girls, old and young, were placed in
one long rank, which reached from the
spot where Charles was holding his
court to the uttermost ratification of
the city.
All grew pale, and deadly fear was
in every countenance as they listened
to the terrible sentence. AS father,
mother, daughter and son stood side by
side, each trembled for the others life
. The air resounded with the weeping
and wailing of women who had short
time before defed the enemy; the men
stood silent with bent heads.
The duke now signed to his heralds
to begin the counting and to separate
every tenth person, whose head should
fall by the sword.
Telesila had placed herself close be-
side her father and was now trembling
for his life. She watched, with eye
sharpened by love and fear, every move
ment of the heralds, and always count
ed in advance in order to discover if
her dear father would be one of the
doomed. With horror she recognized
that the fatal number would fall on
him.
In moment her resolution was form
ed and carried out. She slipped gently
behind him, and placing herself on his
right side so contrived that he would
be No. 8, while she herself would
be the tenth. The herald drew near,
and it was only when the doom fell
upon his daughter that the father I'M
derstood why she had changed her place.
Wildly he besought. the herald to take
him; he was the one on whom the fatal
number should fall; Telesila had pur-
posely changed her place to save him.
Telesila maintained that it had only
happened by chance, and while TAX
ing care not to reveal the secret of her
fathers identity she earnestly begged
to be allowed to die, as the let had fall
en- on her. For long time father and
daughter maintained the loving dispute,
and at last the herald, not daring to de-
eide, led them both to the duke.
The father insisted on dying for his
daughter: that the doom rightfully was
his; while the daughter implored them
to take her life and spare her gray
haired father.
Charles hesltated long as to how he
should decide; he was quite ignorant
Of whom he had before him, for no
word had fallen during their noble strife
which could betray their rank.
But at length the governor cried
aloud:
Mighty duke, do not hesitate as to
which of us you shall condemn to death.
I will give up to you the man who has
so reused your vengeance, for whom so
many brave citizens must die. See, the
governor stands before you; kill him,
but spare my daughter, this peerless ex-
ample of filial love!'
The bystanders as they listened to
these words were filled with dread ex-
pectation of what would follow. All
were moved to tears and trembled for
the life OF their beloved governor, who,
with such noble heroism. was willing
to die that they might be pardoned.
They surrounded himself and daughter
in close ranks, as if to form a rampant
so that the murderer S sword might only
reach him through their faithful hearts.
The duke, accustomed though he was
to slaughter and destruction, had never |
before witnessed such touching scene.
The whole people raised a cry of suppl
cation and i1nplored their conqueror to
put them to death and spare him whom
they held so dear.
Gradually the stern features of the |
duke relaxed, a softened expression stole |
over them, and at last, rising from his |
seat, amid universal silence, he adj |
dressed father and daughter in the fol-
lowing words:
you have touched the innermost !
depths of my heart; you shall not die. /
If it is sweet to conquer, let me feel |
that it is sweeter still to pardon. Noble !
Telesila, you have saved your father. |
May you enjoy for long years the hap
piness of watching over and caring for |
his old age. And you, noble old man,
brave as you are in war; may your hap
piness as a father exceed your bravery |
you, who have reared SO heroic |
daughter. It does my heart good in the |
midst of the awful bloodshed and |
slaughter to find such love and devotion. |
You have made me experience how |
sweet and pleasant are the feelings of |
benevolence, and therefore not only |
you. but all the inhabitants, are pardon |
ed. Strand Magazine.
Won NIoItke's Predicament.
Won Mo1tke once went To Tindar as