Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1898-04-01
WHEN POSITION FAILS.
by Clinton Ross.
copyright, 1897, by Clinton Ross. ]

III 1 ~ OuI representatives declared
in the enthusiasm of the moment the
paradox, "all men born free and
equal. Twas a neat enough statement
for paper, but some in America believed
it not. Was there an equal for General
Washington? Did we not cringe u bit
to rank when French marquis-albeit
a tail, red haired boy-came among us?
y title caught even then many a good
appointment, and l doubt much some
times if Alexander Of New Jersey would
have been so much esteemed if he had
not had claim to the Scottish earldom
Of Stirling. l am sure many inefficient
foreign adventures lead service with
us because they had titles Two of these
gentlemen proved conclusively great
natural abilities-one, of course, NJ.
Lafayette, who, boy of 20, came so
cleverly out of the affair of Barren
Hill, and the other, Casimir Pulaski,
the Pole whom saw fall with Il wound
in the thigh during the charge on Sa-
vannah. Taken on the brig Wasp, he
died as she was putting to sea, esteemed
good friend, gallant captain.
1t was only the night before that he
told me the truth of that affair ut War
saw which led to his service in America.
He was not, the Count Pulaski assured
me, himself a partner in this matter,
although he was indeed 4 member of
that confederation of boyars sworn to
fight for Polish freedom to the very
end. But circumstantial evidence led
to his Punishment, as it had to that of
so many others. Despairing of Poland
and eager for a career, he came to
America
Yet, although my friend was not
himself in this affair, the story he told
of it appears to me new. The picture
of the king and his assassin walking
side by side reasoning together of the
rainy night in the wood of Bilany has
had more than passing effect. The story
proves that our revolt against king
was not the first. All, history is full Of
these Misunderstanding John, Charles
Stuart, Stanislaus of Poland, Louis
XVI, George III, by proxy in America,
and many another account!
Now, this is the account of the affair,
as l remember it, that began in the
street of the Capuchins, Warsaw:
The king had been to his summer
palace that day of Sept. 3, 1771, and his
coach was returning along the street of
the Capuchins; how it was 8 O'Clock
of a rainy night as the leader of the
king S guard of some II dragons was
astounded when suddenly man leaped
before his horse with the loud COM
mand, "Haltp' The lieutenant strug-
gled to bring his saber down on the fell
lows head His horse careened, stop
ping indeed the whole company and the
coach, whence the kings head suddenly
projected.
At the moment a shot from window
of supposedly deserted house grazed
the kings face, instantly killing the
servant who was with him in the coach.
The king is assassinated!' The cry
was raised from guards and passers.
"His majesty is dead!'
Stanislaus, who ever was considerate
of his interiors, shouted at this:
1T is Felix, the heyduc, who is shot!
Quick, catch the assassinP'
Suddenly down the street came the
sounds of horses and cries:
Down with Stanislaus, the creature
of the Russiansw
At the same instant men rushed out
of the house whence the shot into the
coach had come, swearing, shouting
and firing. One of the kings guards
cried:
"A plot An ambushl There are
thousandp'
Instantly the panic became general.
The lieutenant of the guards, who had
succeeded in running through the fellow
at his bride rein, now found himself
confronted by the horsemen. Turning,
he led the flight, and the king was left
almost alone in his coach hugging the
dead body of his poor servant and OBJ
hvious to everything else. The horses
of the coach, rearing and plunging, re-
quired all the attention Of the postll-
ions, who themselves were frightened
out of whatever wit they may have had
By this time the leader of the attack
ing horsemon was dismounted by the
coach deer.
"Out, Stanislausp' he cried. "You
are to come with me-.
The king, perceiving this to be Count
kolinski, cried out to him:
"Kolinski, traitor, am your KING
For an instant Kolinski hesitated'
The sight of the king, placed as he was
with the dead servant in his arms, anc
yet still the king, with that dignity
stanislaus always possessed-that scene
shown dimly by the lantern OF the
coach-shook for a moment the con-
spirator's resolution.
But the others were behind him. DIES
perate and knowing that if the issue o.
the adventure were not successful deatf
was certain.
Pull him outp
Then Stanislaus looked up from thu
dead heyduc in his lap, the dark, hand
Fome man he always was, now with NJ
fear, but with a mastering anger at thu
indignity.
"You shall hang for thisP
All, they knew that danger too well
They could not hesitate if pity for
moment had weakened their purpose
Roughly they dragged the king iron