The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1894-05-27

like the one which you now endeavor to
make with me-"
THE NAUGHTY PRINCESS
This was too much for the Princess. Her
face reassumed its naughty and hard ex-
preston. She drew herself up. and. with a
threatening glance, left the prison without
a word.
On the same evening she returned to vi
emma and Immediately sent for the Count
ess Elsa. She was meditating upon the best
method OF wounding the heart 81 the moth
er, to avenge herself for the disdain or the
son, wnen a dispatch from Pesth arrived
at the palace bringing the news that Louis
Batthyany had attempted suicide by open
ing the veins of his wrists, but had not
succeeded A bitter smile fitted over the
possession of material for her vengeance.
Madam" she said TO the mother OF Louis,
showing her the dispatch, your son is a
mere comedian. He insulted me yester-
day. With great pompous phrases he de-
clared that he would not abandon his COM
panions in prison. But, apparently, tnat
since then he has changed his mind
And she handed her paper and pointed
TO the door. This is a permit TO see him,
she said, and 1 can tell you that it will be
your last visit. All, but / forgot! You can
announce to him that we will be indulgent
They condemned him 10 be hanged, i De-
lieve. Well ne shall be shot,"
The Countess of Batthyany took the per-
NIT and, without word left the palace.
For a whole hour she wandered about
like a wounded fawn. She saw nothing
and only remembered one thing, and that
was that Louis had tried to kill himself;
that he had revolted at the idea of mount
ing a scaffold. And then this mother,
whose heart had experienced the most
frightful fortunes, was possessed or one
fixed idea, an idea terrible in its grandeur:
She determined that her son should do his
duty to the end; that he should advance TO
the place of execution with the same
serenity with which one goes TO banquet;
that he should meet death with defiant
air. and that his executionerS could not
say, like the Princess, that he was afraid.
Since he was hopelessly lost for her, since
nothing in the world now could save him
from falling by the bullets of the soldiers he
should. at all events. fall like hero ano
show the world the way that Batthyany
dies.
The next day, the last day of the con-
demned man, she again visited her son.
She advanced toward him with smile on
her lips and joyful voice. Louis. my
son." said she as she pressed him TO her
breast, Il have. good news for you. L sol,
EMMY promised the Emperor not to tell
il to you, but God will pardon me if
break my promise; am too happy to be
able to keep it. 1 have your pardon, my
me. He comprehended my tortJres and
he has granted your pardon, but on one
condition To punish you he intends that
up to the last moment you shall experience
all the pains of condemned man who is
about to give up his life; and 1T viii only
be when the guns are leveled against ana
when the officer is ready to fire that the
order of your pardon shall arrive. Now
Louis, as you see, you must act as II you
knew nothing. You must be grand and
proud Let nothing but contempt for your
executioners and joy over the performance
of noble duty be seen in your face. You
must be splendid; yes, you must be
A Slight color Hinged the cheeks of the
captive. REST assured, mother, said he.
laof y, faar od hrrfi
that infamous and degrading public execu-
ton in the presence of those wreteheS that
would have spied and watched the slightest
pallor of my cheeks. the slightest tremor
of my body. But now, depend upon 1T, /
shall be courageous and strong; L shall
show them how a Batthyany dies"
SIGN OF THE WHITE VEIL.
Presently he reflected and added: but.
mother. suppose the Emperor should change
his decision?" The Countess became pale.
She did not forsee such a suggestion. She
hesitated a moment and then said: 'I shall
be near the place Of execution. You know
the house of the Princess Ignatieff. which
faces the prison. 1 will be on the balcony.
You can look I'D and see me- / will wear
a long veil. If 1t is black you will remem-
Der that you are Hungarian and a Chris
tan, and If Ii is white Ii will be the proof,
my son, that the Emperor has not changed
his decision that you are pardoned and that
elapsed The iailer came to escort her TO to
the door. She kissed her son and muir
INJURED, It'll tomorrow"
The next day, the 10th of October. at
o'clock in the morning. was the time fixed
for the execution. The prisoners were
Two by tWo tbey we're bound and brourS
TO the place Of execution There was a
double spectacle. an that day, shooting
the favor Of falling under the guns Of the
soldiers We're Obliged at first to see their
comrades die on the gallows
W. NH yuar
kept for the last Pale and feeble through
the loss OF blood, dressed in black. wearing
a blue cap with a silver binding, he stood
with his back against the wall waiting for
the door of his prison to open: AT last the
door was opened; knowing that he could
of him, he slowly raised his eyes. The veil
was white!
Then. believing himself saved he adj
vanced with defiant air and flashing eyes.
The crowd at little distance, which be-
fore had remained silent and still, could not
restrain a shout of admiration seeing
the illustrious wounded man standing so
boldly and SO erect
The execution commenced Nagy-Sandor
was the first to mount, the scaffold. The
brave republican passed the rope around
his own neck and sternly looking into the
face of the hangman he shouted lin u voice
of thunder: "Hodie mihi, craS tibf' (to-day
Ii is my turn, tomorrow 1t will be thine)
Then he bounded off the scaffold and his
body swung at the end Of the rope.
BY the side of Batthyany the old DAM
janich became impatient He had to be
|,
because he was unable to walk on account
of his broken leg; and one after the other
he saw his comrades mount the scaffold.
This is strange" said he; IT, who was
always the first TO meet the enemy, am
now compelled to march behind the Others"
At last the turn of Ratthyany came.
Without tremor and with a naughty
mien the prisoner advanced to the place
of execution.
The officer brought up his men and shout
ed: Ready! Aimp'
At that moment Batthyany gazed with
serenity upon the mysterious veil on the
balcony, and Ii seemed to him that through
Ii he could see two splendid eyes that
gazed upon him with burning intensity.
The last moment had arrived
"Firer' shouted the officer.
There was a rolling defamation, and heav-
lily the body dropped to the ground.
At the same instant the figure on the
balcony suddenly tore away the white veil,
and as it fell IL revealed another. and that
was black.
Joking by Telephone.
Washington Post.