The record-union., 1896-11-04

sition at court who hated one another
cordially because they were rivals for
the hand Of the same fair lady. The
favored lover, whom we will call the
Marquis, suddenly disappeared. A
good deal of anxiety was felt at court,
for the missing man was very gener-
ally liked. Now the Marquis had a
magnificent staghound, who had al
ways manifested great devotion to his
master. General attention was drawn
to this animal by his extraordinary
conduct after the disappearance. He no
sooner saw the courtier who had been
ms masters rival than he flew at his
throat and would have torn him in
pieces but for the interference OF by
ISLANDERS. The dog was dragged away
with great difficulty and kept chained
for some time. He was so gentle with
his keepers that they concluded, after
a few days, to let him loose. The dog
11nding himself at liberty Immediately
sought out the courtier, and would have
attacked him as on the former occa-
sion, but that gentleman saw him COM
ing and rushing to his room, shut him
self in.
This persistent ennlity on the dogs
part aroused suspicion against the rival
or the Marquis. 1t was hinted that the
latter had been the victim of foul play.
The august countenance frowned; the
court ladies whispered together and
drew haughtily aside as the suspected
man passed by. The gentlemen of the
royal household looked coldly upon
him; he found himself alone at the
hunt, unpledged and avoided at the
feast. This state of things could not
be endured, SO he petitioned the King
that the matter might be put to trial by
combat between the staghound and
himself. Charles granted his request,
and the combat took place. The gen.
tleman was armed, and the dog had
only such weapons as nature had given
him. Nevertheless, the animal de-
feated his ntagonist and would have
killed him, but the King ordered his
gentlemen to interfere. AS the cOur-
tier lay dying from the wounds inflicted
by the noble but ferocious dog, he was
overtaken by remorse, and confessed
that he was in truth the murderer Of
his rival.
DOGS AS DEFENDANTS.
From the twelfth to the seventeenth
century dogs shared with their masters
certain very questionable privilege;
that Is, they were liable to be seriously
tried in courts of law for high crimes
and mlsdemeanors, and if their counsel
was not clever lawyer, hanged, to
boot. This last. result occurred on sew
eral occasions. For instance, in 1711
dog was tried and executed near
Chichester for the murder of a hare.
Homes Every Day Book contains
burlesque description of this event,
written by one of the Judges of the
Admiralty Court of Jamaica.
The indictment read, the prisoner was
tcld to hold up his paw to the bar.
He did not comply, so it was held up
for him by the Constable. Then quoth
his honor, the Judge: Prisoner, how
accused refused to answer.
'Ha! the prisoner is sullen,' said the
Judge. Apply the thumbscrew."
The Constable accordingly put one of
Porter's paws under pressure, but a Sc
we're bite was the only result obtained
1t was then suggested that to put the
o1IcW Oil llhS NOS ldli, lllOuSn iiOl
quite so regular, would be equally legal
This course was found more satisfac-
tory, for Porter at once expressed him.
self to the effect bow" which was
admitted, for though speaking in a for
eign language, it was considered he had
done his best. He was found guilty, and
his sentence read: Thou hast been
found guilty of a most horrible and
<4,
cense from the lord of the manor been
guilty of shedding innocent blood. In
SO doing thou hast broken the peace of
the realm and set at naught the stat
utes Of thy country" etc. He was
! hanged and his disconsolate master
erected to his memory a tombstone
bearing this epitaph:
| Here lie the remains of honest
Porter;
| Who, after an innocent and
wen-Spent life
was dragged hither,
Tried FOR a crime he never
| committed,
Found guilty without evidence,
Hanged without mercy
To give to future ages
| An example
That the spirit of Turkish
despotism, tyranny and oppression
after glutting itself with the
conquest or liberty
Has stopped at length to
/ wreak its bloody vengeance
on British dogs.
! 1t has been held an indictable offense
| in American courts to say Of a human
being that he had a dogged nature. We
who walk erect on the face of the earth
may be in every respect but one far
above our humble friend, but in unset
| fish devotion We cannot compete with
him. a man may doubt his nearest and
! dearest; his wife, his children may turn
| from him, but he instinctively knows
| that his dog, If permitted, will die at
| his feet-Marie Goldsmith West.
The Power of English Ministers
| The position in which the marriage
/ Il e