The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1906-11-21
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all villages. 1t is the year 141S, and
two men, the father Of the other,
are trotting briskly along the road.
Shall we be in time" asked the
son.
Yes; it is not till two O'clock" re-
piled the father. "and it is only 4
quarter-past twelve by the sun"
II am curious to see it,
II believe you"
$50 he is to be hanged in the
armor he has s%tolen?o"
YES"
What put it into his head to steal
a suit of armor?"
The idea wasn't the difficult thing
to set hold Of"
NO, it was the armor," interrupt
ed the son, who wished to have his
part in this sorry jest.
WAS the arnor handsome?"
so Gorgeous, they say-all inlaid
with gold"
And they caught him as he was
carrying it off,"
YES; you understand that this
:armor did not let itself be carried
OF without making a noise; it did
not wish to leave it's legitimate own
ers. The people il the chateau were
awakened, the nan was arrested, and
the Lord OF La Piroche has sentenced
him to be hanged clad in the armor."
why this clause in the ~sentence?"
Because the Lord de Ia Piroche
is not only a brave captain, but a
man Of sense and intellect, who
wishes to extract from this just SEN
tence an example for others and 4
profit for himself. You know what
ever has touched a man who has
been hanged becomes a talisman for
the possessor. The Lord de la Pr
roche has, therefore, ordered that
the criminal shah be clothed in the
armor, that he may take it back when
he is dead, and thus have a talisman
in the approaching wars"
"That's very curious"
Il believe you"
Let US make haste. I am eager
t. see this poor fellow hanged"
1--WE have plenty Of time. Don't
leI;s tire our nags."
A great crowd witnessed the exc
cution, which came of punctually.
The thief was hanged in the armor
he had stolen, with the vizor of the
helmet down, and his hands tied be-
hind him.
The next morning, at daybreak,
two guards came out Of the chateau
de la Piroche to take down the body
of the culprit, from which they were
they found something they were far
from expecting-the gallows and
rope were there, but the criminal was
gone.
The two guards rubbed their eyes,
thinking they must be dreaming.
But the fact was palpable enough.
No body, no armor. And what vas
extraordinary al that the rope was
neither broken nor cut. but just as
it was before the robber was sus
pended by it. The two guards went
to tell the news to the Lord de Ia
Piroche. The Lord de la Piroche
promised a reward Of ten gold crowns
to him who should produce the cul-
prit clad as he was when he died.
Houses were searched, but nothing
was discovered. La Piroche was
about to accept the result and put up
with his loss, when, n morning on
waking, he heard q great noise in the
square where the execution had taken
place. He was getting ready to in
vestigate the cause Of it when his
chaplain entered the room.
my lord" he said. "do you know
what has %happened?"
mo, but I'm going to inquire"
II can tell YOU"
"What is it?"
"a miracle"
Really"
"The man that was ham -"
"Well?"
"He is there"
"Where?"
eat the gallows."
with his armor?"
with his armor."
That's right, for it belongs to me.
And is he dead?"
"Quite dead-only-"
"Only WHAT"
"Did he have spurs on when he
was hanged?"
"No."
well, he wears them now. And
instead OF having his helret on he
has deposited it at the, foot of the
gallows, and is bar eheaded.
LET us go and see at once, master
chaplain"
The Lord de la Piroche fastened
to the square, which was full of curl
Gus spectators. The neck of the
criminal had been replaced in the
slip moose, the body was at the end
Of the rope, and the armor on the
body. The people declared it a mira
Gle. The body vas taken down and
stripped, then hanged again, and the
crows went to work on it so busily
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