The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-07-09
Continued from Tuesday,
 TX. Mercy From on High.

In the afternoon the imposing services are continued. Manasseh escorts Blanca into wide corridor. over which a can opy looms up to Heaven The middle of this is occupied by an estrade to which steps lead, and which is shaded by a canopy made of gold-brocaded cloth. Ac~ has committed capital offense is to be pardoned on this day; cardinal, before the assembled people. bestows absolution upon him; the pope chooses the cardinal who is to fulfll this mission, and the car- dinal selects the criminal.
 At this time an assassin was chosen who, from political fanaticism, had tried to asssssinate priest while he was cele- brafing mass. Everybody knew that to- day this criminal would be pardoned. and Manasseh had called the attention of the Princess to this fact. But it was not un- til the cardinal stepped forward from between the curtains of the canopy that the people learned to whom the ceremony had been entrusted. When the cardinal advanced to the platform, the Princess felt that her companion shuddered. She looked up at him in astonishment.
 He Is the person whom the criminal tried to kill" whispered Manasseh. The victim himself had come to pardon the criminal
 Still pale from the loss of blood which the badly aimed dagger-stab had caused; still trembling with the weakness which seizes the cowardly body at the approach of, death. the prelate took his seat under the canopy and beckoned the prisoner to come forth Clothed in a heavy cloak, with a rope around his neck. he was brought through vestry door into the hall. With him were his wife and three little children. He had turned his back to Blanca and Manasseh, and as long as he was kneefing before the cardinal to make his confession they could not look into his face-they saw only the face of the prelate as in gentle tones he whis- pered consoling words to the kneeling one; he then laid his trembling hands up-, on the prisoners head and blessed him, took the rope from his neck and wound tt around his own arm. Finally, he em- braced the assassin and granted him ab- solution.
 the pardoned one also rose, turned around and descended the steps. As he did so. his face could be seen.
 1t was a face which, once seen. could
 The two sides of the broad, high fore head near the temples projected promi- nently, and from the top Of the black head tuft of gray hair appeared. The dark. heavy eyebrows curved over the edges like snakes. The protruding lips were surrounded by crisp mustache and beard, and the bone of the Roman nose seemed to have been broken. The appear ance of this man produced a shudder. His oldest boy. seeing his father step from the platform, clung anxiously to his mother; only the baby, whom she car ried. stretched out It's little arms toward
 
 with daring steps through the military lines which open before him. and turns not even to his wife and children. Blanca will long be haunted by this hideous figure.
 This closes the celebration of the day. The murderer is set free, while the Re- deemer suffers on Golgotha. The bells are silent.
 Manasseh, while conducting the Princess home, asked her:
 Are you not tiredT'
 sI have gained new strength" answered Blanca, pressing Manasseh's hand warm- iy. Nobody else was present. The pop ulace had torn away her lawyer and her female friend, and she thought: "I will never let you leave me-"
 Manaseh understood her. and thought: "Poor woman--how many treasures must you loose: millions of worldly goods and holy treasures of the heart in order to gain a fallen, down-trodden leaf, waited by the wind, and upon which my name Is written. Cast me off and keep your Fiches.''
 her until her friends came home, during which time he explained to her the deep meaning of the ceremonies they had yis- tted, and of which great number of the spectators had not the least concep- tion. Thus was intensified in her heart the rapture of the days devotion, so that she felt conscious of her salvation. He. the heather, well understood the holy mysteries.
 But when the Princess believed that in the exalted regions of religion they had found paradise where their souls could meet. Manasseh, with the words, This Is all glorious poesy." sank again to the level of the commonplace, leaving the Princess alone on her blissful heights.