The Somerset reporter., 1901-07-18

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 1t 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 1t 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 go one whom they held In their
claws. They had a man to be hanged,
pretty little man. man over whose
hanging they licked their lips, and
here how people pretended that he
was taken out of their graspl 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 i'm
mediate. to any condemned man whom
a woman declared in public to desire
in lawful wedlock. Who ever had
heard Of an equal subterfuge?
But. ah, traditional or written, the
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 to
learn whether or not so unreasonable
| a usage had ever at any period had
power by law. which inquest finally es-
tablished 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 indeclsive
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 agl-
| tated over a controversy which had
at stake the life of man made In the
image Of God. Suddenly that dgnitary
| 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
his own good pleasure.
The monarch judciously 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 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
| espouse gentle and well favored maid
EN- after the approved fashion instead
of the cold and grlmacng death and
| to be indebted to his wife for that
| which ordinarily men owe to their
mothers only-that is to say. his life.
A similar occurrence took place a
short time afterward unexpectedly at
| the city of Rouen. AS a certain thief,
native of Hautvllliers, was conduct
| ed 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 homely hag,
shook his head and pursued his way to
the gallows. observing to the execu-
| tioner;
'The wench l don't want herw
And In a moment he was welded to
| the gallows.-Chicago Tribune.