Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1901-08-01

rage"
The girl stood there trembling with
emotion among her companions. Hear
ing herself thus addressed by name by
the prisoner she became convulsed
with agitation; almost unconsciously,
half moved by pity, half melted by
her neighbors. she approached the glib
bet without the police daring to pre-
vent her,
"Oh. Loyse," repeated the prisoner
ardently. I am innocent | swear it
by my eternal salvation, Demand me
In marriage, and you will have saved
my lifer'
She did not know one word to say,
she had SO lost her senses, but she ex-
tended her hand, which the poor devil
seized with avidity. Seeing this. the
people in all direction began to roar:
"A marriage, a marriage! She has
claimed him! Cut the cord. hangman;
cut it, cut it.'
The executioner did not cut the rope.
but he let il drop. undecided as TO what
was most eXpedient for him TO do, and
as the crowd continued TO below and
even become threatening the officer of
the provostship, judging ii an oppor-
tune time for delay. led the condemn
ed man back into his cell in order TO
submit his peculiar case TO the law.
And the people dispersed content. be-
lieving the man from that moment TO
be saved.
But the stealthy cats did not so cas-
lily let 90 one whom they held in their
claws. They had man TO be hanged.
a pretty little man, a man over whose
hanging they licked their lips. and
here how people pretended that he
was taken out of their grasp! And
| why. ask you? Under the most fool
! ish of preteXts. in the name of some ri
diculous custom. some Illegal pretense
! which granted grace. full free and inn
| mediate. to any condemned man whom
a woman declared in public to desire
! in lawful wedlock. Who ever had
j heard of an equal subterfuge?
But, ali, traditional or written, the
I law is the law, and the case in ques-
! tion had to be elucidated. Unwillingly
! rather than willingly they opened an
inquest upon the matter in hand 10
learn whether or not so unreasonable
a usage had ever at any period had
power by law. which inquest finally es-
! tabl.shed that no similar case had been
presented since the time of the con-
/ quest in Calais, but that previous to
/ that date there had been many such
cases. more particularly in Flanders
and in Artois than in Picardy.
In consideration of these indecisive
! conclusions the enemies of Dullart urg-
/ ed the magistrates to override the law,
1 and the magistrates did not demur. 1t
was the governor who placed an OBJ
stacle before them in view of public
/ opinion, which had become greatly agi-
tated over controversy which had
al stake the life of a man made in the
image of God. Suddenly that dignitary
called to mind the example of prudence
offered of yore to the world by that
worthy magistrate Pontius PLATE in
/ order that he might avoid thrusting
his own finger between the tree and
its bark In place of announcing his
fears in public he appealed to his mas
ter, King Edward, the fourth of that
name to decide the matter according to
his own good pleasure.
The monarch judiciously estimated
+ that one man more or less upon the gal
lows was of small value in enhancing
his glory and bespoke clemency for the
case under consideration. He ordained
then that the old usages should be con-
formed with and that full pardon be
awarded the condemned man, under
the condition, be il well understood.
that the solicitor Of his love hold him
duly 10 his engagement.
So it came to pass that the good Josse
had the rare and marvellous fortune 10
+ espouse a gentle and well favored maid
en- after the approved fashion instead
of the cold and grimac;ng death and
to he indebted to his wife for that
which ordinarily men owe 10 their
mothers only-that is TO say. his life
A similar occurrence took place a
short time afterward Unexpectedly ct
the city of Rouen. As a certain thief.
a native of Hautvilliers. was conduct
cd TO his fate. loud old woman step
ped out Of the crowd below and declar-
ed that she desired him in marriage.
The prisoner. astonished, considered a
moment: then, remarking that the
aforesaid person was a homely bag
shook his head and pursued his way 70
the gallows, observing TO the eXecu-
toner:
"The wench. ! don't wan her.
And in moment he was welded to
the gallows.-Chicago Tribune.
Fled TO the wolves.
For sheer melodrama the English