Connecticut western news., 1894-03-08

at the same time he promised large reward to whomsoever would point out the governor 8 hiding place.
 His threats and promises were equal ly vain. All remained silent.
 Then stepped forth an old man-it was the governor himself in his disguise and said that he would reveal the se- cret if the duke would, swear on his word to pardon all the inhabitants and protect their property.
 "Neverr' roared the infuriated duke. "In town taken by assault the victor allows no terms to be dictated to him, and I will take such measures to dis cover your governor as shall strike ter TOT into your hearts. Whereupon he declared that every tenth person should lie and ordered his hefalds to proceed to the work of numb bering 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 fortification 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 defied the enemy; the men stood silent with bent heads.
 The duke now signed to his heralds %rb hn md tr cd I'd 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. 9. 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 un- 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 talk 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 hes1tated long as to how he should decide; he was quite ignorant of whom he had before him, for nc 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 tG which of us you shall condemn to death | will give up to you the man who has | so reused your vengeance, for whom SC many brave citizens must die. See, the governor stands before you; kill him but spare my daughter, thls peerless ex ample of filial loye!'
 | The bystanders as they listened ts these words were filled with dread ex pectation of what would follow. Al were moved to tears and trembled fol 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 rampar I so that the murderer s swo might only reach him through their faithful hearts
 The duke, accustomed though he wal to slaughter and destruction, had never before witnessed such atouching scene The whole people raised cry of suppli cation and implored their conqueror t. put them to death and spare him whom they held so dear.
 Gradually the stern features of tn, duke relaxed, softened expression stol over them, and at last. rising from hi seat, amid universal silence, he ad | dressed father and daughter in the fol
 lowing words:
 You have touched the innermos depths of my heart; you shall not die
 If it is sweet to conquer, let me fee that it is sweater still to pardon. Nohl Telesila, you have saved your father
 May you enjoy for long years the hap piness of watching over and caring fo
 his old age. And you, noble old man
 brave as you are ln war, may your hap
 piness as father exceed your brayer.
 you, who have reared so heroic
 daughter. It does my heart good in tn
 midst of the awful bloodshed ant
 slaughter to find such love and devotion
 You have made me experience hoy
 sweet and pleasant are the feelings o
 benevolence, and therefore not onl,
 you, but all the inhabitants, are pardon
 nd ''-Cfrap6 Mauazipa