The Kalispell bee. [volume] (Kalispell, Mont.) 1900-192?, 1902-08-15

1AAAAEs NGAAAN JIG " LllC Wei lOI WAFER.
1t was only a question of hanging on
where l was or of swimming around
the wall for four or FIVE hours like a
cat in barrel This last undertaking
appeared to me as the merest trifie, for
the reason that am a most expert and
powerful swimmer and am never SO
muck at home as when | am battling
with the crystal element. | was get
ting rather chilly, too, and needed ex-
ercise to warm me up. therefore start
ed out, keeping close to the walls, and
when | had gone around ten times in
one direction l turned and went ten
times around in the other In making
the circle l swan about thirty feet. 1t
was a quarter past II when l COM
menced and o'clock in the morning
when | ended
The reason l stopped was that it was
already daylight and that an old cur
mudgeon had Just looked over the cop
ing and hailed me.
Say there" he shouted, thou pro.
fame and unwashed knave, knowest
thou not that tits forbid to battle with
in the public wells? Sirrah, come out
of there at once and go with me
straightaway before the magistrate"
Would that l could" said l.
He looked at me for some moments
before it dawned upon him that he had
commanded an impossibility. He then
spoke to some persons who were with
him, and they let down a bucket by
means of a great beam or lever hung
pivotwise upon a post which stood not
far from the coping. l stepped into the
bucket and was at once and without
much exertion on their part lifted to
the surface Of the earth. I shook the
water from my beforetime gorgeous
raiment, and as l took in its sodden
and bedraggled state it seemed to me
that 1 looked like nothing so much as
drowned rat.
When | landed upon terra firma,
found myself surrounded by half doz-
en- stout fellows corsleted and bearing
bills and pixies, so that escape was out
of the question. 1t was company of
the watch, and the old duffer who had
accoste6 ne was the captain of it. Two
of them presently took me by the arms
as though | were a most dangerous
criminal and at the command of their
officer we Immediately set out for the
bargello, which, as | afterward found,
was the prison of the city and also the
palace of the podesta or chief magis-
trate. l went along with them willing
ly enough, for the reason that | took
the offense with which | was charged
to be a light one and imagined that |
would be let off by the magistrate upon
the payment of a trining fine. When
we We're come to the bargello, it was q
o'clock in the morning. and | was i'm
mediately conducted into the donjon.
1t was not until 10 o'clock that | was
summoned before the magistrate in the
hall of justice of the bargello.
"What is the charge against this
knaveY' beloved the magistrate, re-
garding ne with tremendous scowl.
"Most worshipful podesta," answered
the captain, "he is charged with hay
| ing feloniously robbed the palace OF
| the noble Duke Castruccio during the
! banquet of yesterday of five COLDER
ewers, six silver platters and eight
golden goblets. When the rogue was
comprehended, he had them not with
him, but, by our Lady think that he
| knoweth right well where to come by
| them"
"Have We searched him?" demanded
the magistrate.
The idea of this old wiseacre having
a suspicion that l might carry con.
cealed about my person such quantity
Of tableware was so ridiculous that |
burst into a roar of laughter.
"Gadzooks! shouted he. shall we
be bearded thus within our very
| court? Away with the scofiing repro.
bate to the donjon! l will myself ac
| quaint the duke of the affair, and what
with the rack and the thumbscrews il
will go hard, but we will get his con
fession and have him burned by even
tide
When ] was once more in my dark
and narrow cell l began to think that
| the matter was much more serious
than had at first supposed. In about
half an hour my reveries were inter.
rupted by the turning of the key in
the lock. l expected to see at least q
turnkey with cup of cold poison, but
instead, the door revolving upon its
hinges, | Deheld friar standing upon
the threshold. He handed me a volu-
minous black robe and a square, pyra.
midal hood. such as he himself wore
He then spoke in sepulchral voice:
''Invest thyself straightway, fail
prince, in these priestly garments and
follow me-"
l clothed myself quickly in the
monks garb. at the same time wonder
ing how it was that he knew me for
the prince. then followed my ghostly
guide along a narrow and crooked pas
sage and up stairway, which knew
was not the one l had taken before
We now traversed two or three cham
bers and went along a gallery or cor
ridor until we arrived at door. open