Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1901-08-01

the Son and the Holy Ghost, I adjure
you! Save my life, claim me in mar
riage."
Tie 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 ncighbGrs, she approached the glib
let without the police daring TO pre-
vent her.
"Oh. Loyse," repeated the prisoner
ardently. Il am innocent. ! swear 1t
by my eternal salvation. Demand me
in marriage, and you will have saved
my life.'
She did not know one word to say,
she had 50 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 cXecutionor did not cut the rope,
but he let it drop, undecided as to what
was most cXpedicnt for him to do, and
as the crowd continued to below and
even become threatening the officer Of
the provostShip. Judging it an oppor-
tune time for Il 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
Icving the man from that moment to
be saved.
But the Stealthy cats did not 50 cas-
lily let 90 one whom they held in their
claws. They had a man to be hanged,
pretty little man. n 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 prcteXts, in the name Of some ri
dfculous custom. some Illegal pretenSe
which granted grace. full. free ard i'm
mediate. to any condemned man whom
a woman declared in public to desire
in lawful wcdlock. Who ever had
heard Of an equal Subterfugo?
But. all. traditional or written, IT,
law is the law, and the case in Ques-
ton had TO be elucidatcd. Unwillingly
rather than willingly they opened an
inquest upon the matter in hand to
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 ArtOS than in Picardy.
In consideration Of these indecisive
conclusions the enemies of Dullart urg-
ed the magistrates to override the law,
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 a controversy which had
at stake the life of Il 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
It's 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 clemcncy 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 it well understood,
that the solicitor of his love hold him
duly to his engagement.
so it came to pass that the good Josse
had the rare and marvellous fortune to
cspouse Il gentle and well favored maid
en- after the approved fashion instead
of the cold and grimacing death and
to be indebted to his wife for that
which ordinarily men owe to their
mothers Only-that is to say, his life.
\ similar occurrence took place a
short time aftcrward unexpectedly at
the city of Roucn. As a certain thief,
native of IIautvilliers, 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. aStOniShcd, considered
moment: then, rcmarking that the
aforesaid person was Il homely hag,
shook his head and pursued his way to
the gallows, observing to the eXccu-
toner:
"The wench, don't want her.
And IN a moment he was welded to
the gallOWS-C Chicago Tribune.