Evening star., 1903-07-06
AN ESCAPE FROM PRISON.
Achievement Of the Prince
,fof Adventures.

Aemarkable Acht0vome0t OF tne 1I1ASS
1of Adventures.
From the Edinburgh Scotsman.
A fine type Of attractive rogues was
Jacques Casanova di Seingalt. styled the
Prince Of Adventures. the gentlemanly
scapegrace who for over half century
ranged at full VIII over Europe deoonnaiF
free lance. taking to himself most unfair
proportion Of this worlds goods. interview
ing popes and sovereigns on equal terms.
cheating men and bstraying women.
A proud rogue. too. was Casanova: vita
an entire lack OF honor In his dealings with
others. he coupled q striking amount OF
amour proprs," and his affairs OF honor
may be counted In their tens. Besades Ms
moro casual iniQuities. Casanova managed
to fall foul Of the authorities BY his dab
bling In black magic and having incau-
tiously boastsd Of certain interviews with
tho Almighty. was incarcerated by the In
quisition. out Of the way OF further mis-
chief.
But liberty was to Casanova a. the breath
OF life. Get out no mustl The cell in which
he found himself confined was small. secure
and closely guarded. Pen and ink. knife
and fork were forbidden luxuries. and the
captive's sole recreation was to walk IN
narrow corridor where old lumber had ac-
cumulated.
Here he discovered one day a small block
of marble which he secured. Later an iron
bolt came into his hands by accident, ana
with these crude tools worked together ne
managed to make quite Respectable
weapon file, hammer and ak in One But
how to use it? His own cell was tmpreg-
nable from within; he must have collusion
from without.
In an adjacent cell was imprisoned
monk, one Father Balbi, with whom Casa
nova was allowed to exchange books and
whom long Imprisonment had rendered less
closely guarded. With mulberry Juice and
q sharpened fingernail Casanova wrote in
structions in books to this accomplfce, who
was to make his way to the roof and open
from the leads q hole into the ceiling OF
Casanova's cell The ingenious rogue sup
piled the plot and the tool; Father Balbi
was to do the work.
The improvised weapon Of deliverance
was secretly conveyed by the gaoler to Bal
h in the following way: He persuaded the
gaoler, good-natured fellow. to buy him
an extra large Bible. intending to cut away
the pages and hide the tool in 1t; but to his
distress he found that 1t was too long and
stuck out two inches at either end. To con-
quer this difficulty Casanova turned cook:
he obtained quantity Of macaroni and
prepared with butter a tempting Michael
mas dish. almost running over. Placing the
dish on the Bible. which it quite hid. with
the bolt half concealed between it's covers,
Casanova requested the gaoler to carry 1t
with his compliments to Balbi.
The man obeyed. unsuspecting. and re-
turned to report that not drop of the but
ter was split. In few days Casanova
heard the delightful sound Of his faithful
friend working stealthily but steadily over
head. the noise coming nearer as lead roof
ing beams and jOists gave way to the file.
AS the last days work was being done
Balbi had even made a tiny hole Of COM
munication in the ceiling-an awful acct-
dent occurred. spy Of the inqusition
came to share Casanova's cell and captivity
"a fellow who was not to be trusted or re-
lied upon for moment
With daring almost incredible Casanova
speedily frightened the newcomer out of
his wits by certain awful incantations tell
ing him that his entry had disturbed the
Divine presence. He bade him engage in
prayer and cover his eyes, for at a certain
hour the Blessed Virgin would appear in
the roof to set the chosen free and the un-
prepared would assuredly perish at the
sight.
The stranger was at first incredulous but
when the sound of muffied hammerin1 COM
menced overhead he believed the tale and
prayed with might and main. To cut a long
story short. Casanova got safely away and
cut clear Of Italy. to continue his exciting
career in another state. Though his Inn
pr1sonment was doubtless richly merfted.
we cannot but think his Industry and inRe.
nuity deserved to be rewarded with sue
ceSs