Warren sheaf. [volume] (Warren, Marshall County, Minn.) 1880-current, 1898-12-15

Etions he had had with Prince Bran
covan, taking care to magnify the;
princes patriotic expressions into
threats against his. suzerain. /, He also
told the sultan that vast stores of gold
had been accumulated by, the prince,
and that there was little, doubt but
that this was to be devoted to the rails
ing of an army when the time should
be ripe for the Wallachians to rebel;
| also that the prince was: CONDUCTING
| regular and secret correspondence with
some of the neigh boring states. The
unfortunate prince was speedily taken
prisoner, as well as his wife, their
beautiful daughter, his four sons, and
his nephew and Prime Minister Vacar-
escu. -.
+, 1t was just before Eastertide that the
prisoners were forcibly dragged to Con-
stantinople, and'cast, into the prison of
| the Seven Towers. This famous. prison
| is situated at the end of the land wall
of Constantinople, where it. meets the
Sea OF Marmora. Many and harrow
ing are the tales Of mystery and blood
shed associated with it's ancient walls.
This was the place to which Brancovan,
his sons;and nephew, were conducted,
and in which they were immured until
the following August. Brancovan and
Vacarescu were put to the most. ex-
cruciating torture in order to compel
them to confess where they had con-
cealed their accumulated riches,;3 for
the Turks had not found as much gold
as they expected, although they
searched for and destroyed every thin g
wherein they thought it. might have
been hidden. = ",p'@s:s:} ::
Brancovan had sent part of his: large
fortune to Venice, but he would not
reveal the fact, in spite Of all the ter
rible fortunes to which he was sub
jected, and which are described by one
of his secretaries as being So atroeious
as to make ones hair stand. on 6, end
simply to read the account. At length
the Turks understood that they had
nothing more to gain from the prince
and babe him prepare for immediate
death. On hearing this, Brancovan
summoned Missions to hispresence, ard
said to them: I - # \ 4
my children, our fortunes.are. lost,
our lives are about to be sacrificed but
we must not lose our precious souls!
Be brave, my beloved ones, fear not
death; you know what Christ suffered
for our sake, and what cruel death
he endured! I pray you remain stead
fast in your faith, finch not at all in
the face of the world" The four hand
he. f,,11x
their father, bareheaded, and listened
to his words. Each in turn kissed his
hand, and he looked with dimmed eyes
upon these his sons who were the pride
of his life, the hope of his house, and
whom he was now exhorting to die as
Christians should. When he came to
his youngest born. who was still q
child, his eyes overfowed with tears.
Soon footsteps were heard in the asl
joining room; Pasha entered, and
babe them all accompany him to the
presence of the sultan.
The aged prince soon stood before his
suzerain.
"Brancovan," said the latter, "is this
true which I hear of thee, that thou
wouldst throw off thy allegiance, and
declare the independence of thy princi
pality Say, is it true that thou hast
even dared to coin money from thy own
gold? Thou art fearless as if thou vert
thy own master! What hast thou to
plead in justification?
"Whether I have governed we'll or ILL.,
God above is the best judge; but If |
were once a power on the earth, sec
now to what ignominy I am reduced!"
replied the captive prince with dignity.
"Brancovan, measure thy words;
thou and thine are condemned to death;
not one of thy rebellious tribe shall es-.
cape his doom!"
your hands,"
The populace crowded to witness the
executions. Brancovan looked calmly
down on the multitude; amongst them
he recognized the princess, his wife,
and their daughter Roxandra, whom
the Turks in their refinement of savage
cruelty had compelled to witness the
terrible spectacle. The princes face
darkened as the Muezin-or Turkish
priest-advanced, and after making the
usual three salaams, thus addressed
him: -" . ~.
my master, we have an ancient Gus
tom here, to the effect that a con
demned prisoner may be pardoned if he
be willing to change his religion, and
embrace our holy Mahomedan faith"
Then the sultan called in a loud voice
''Brancovan, renounce thy dog-like
Christian belief, thou and thy sons, en-
brace that of our own, and then shall