THE GOLDSMITH OF PADUA.

Manawatu Herald, Volume III, Issue III, 1 October 1891, Page 4

THE GOLDSMITH OF PADUA.

(Continued.)

during the night, that Jeronimo's wife mighl I s sent for to her, as she had something very heavy at her heart 10 communicate tc her. Jeronimo's wife accordingly came very c;rly on the following morning. The unhappy woman, alter having summoned up the small remnant of her strength, and requested jeroninio's wi'e to hear what sh« had to say, but not to interrupt her till she had concluded, thus addressed her : — " Youi husband is innocent, mine was guilty. Fly 'o the magistrates, iniunn them of this, ana save my husband's soul from adding to hi ; other crimes the Ruilt of innocent blood. Thy husband ." She was about tc proceed, but death arrested her words. Jeronimo's wife, thinking that her husband was now effectually saved, flew to the president of the magistracy, and demanded immediate admission, and related the confession she had just received. The president shook his head. " Where is the woman that made the confession ?" " She is dead." "Then where is the party accused instead of Jeronimo?" "He is dead likewise." "Have you any witnesses of the conversation of the dying woman?" "None; she requested every one to leave the chamber, that she might communicate to me alone." "Then the confession, good woman, can avail you nothing; the law must have its course." Jeronimo's wife could make no reply; she was carried senseless out of the court, and the president, from a due sense of humanity, ordered her to be taken to the house of one of his officers, and kept there till after the execution of her husband.

The finishing of this catastrophe was now at hand. Already the great bell of the city was tolling. The hour at length arrived, and Teronimo was led forth. He was desired to add anything which he had to say, without loss of time. He satisfied himself with the declaration of his innocence, and was recommending his soul to his Maker, then knelt down to receive the destined blow; but scarcely was he on his knees before the whole crowd was thrown into motion, by some of the marshals of justice rushing forward and exclaiming to stop the execution. The marshal at length made his way to the scaffold, and delivered a paper with which he was charged, to the presiding officer. The officer, upon reading it, immediately stayed the further progress of the execution, and Jeronimo. was led back to his prison. "What is all this?" exclaimed the crowd. 1 Have the friends of Jeronimo at length raised a sum of money which our just judges have required of them ; and is his punishment thus bought oft ?" Happy inhabitants of Padua, where to be rich is to be able to commit any crime with impunity." It is time, however, to inform the reader of the true cause. Jeronimo was scarcely 'ed to execution when the confessor of the ,)rison demanded access to the president. !.nd immediately laid before him theconiession of a prisoner who had died under a !ever the preceding night. The wretched aialefactor hereupon acknowledged that he was one of a party of coiners, who had :arried on the trade of making false money o a very great extent; that Jeronimo's rlerk was at the head of the gang ; that all .he false money was delivered to this clerk, » ho immediately exchanged it for good from lis master's coffers, to all of which he had private keys, and in which coffers, on the apprehension of Jeronimo.he had deposited the instruments of coining, lest they should se found in his own possession. The confession terminated with enumerating such r>i the gang as were yet living, and pointing ->m (heir places of asylum and concealment. The execution of Jeronimo, as has been ."elated, was in its actual operation. The rirst step of the president, therefore, was to harry one of the officers to stop its progress, and in the same moment to send oft two or three detachments of the city guard to seize :he accused parties before they should learn from public report the death of their comrade. The guards executed their purpose successfully ; the malefactors were all taken and wrought to the tribunal thesameevening. The result was, that one of them became evidence igainst his comrades, and thus confirmed :he truth of the confession, and the inno:ence of Jeronimo.

The president, in order to make all possible atonement, ordered a public meeting of all the citizens of Padua to be summoned an the following day. Jeronimo was then produced, upon which the president, descending from his tribunal, took him by the hand, and led him up to a seat by the side :>f him, on the bench of justice ; the crier then proclaimed silence. Upon which the president rose, and read the confession of [he malefactor who died in the prison, and the transactions of the others ; concluding the whole by declaring the innocence of feronimo, and restoring him to his credit, nis fortune, and the good opinion of his r ellow-citizens.

Thus ended the misfortunes of a man who had provoked the chastisement of Heaven oy his vanity and self-glory. The course ot Providence is uniform in all ages of the world ; when blessings are condemned, they are withdrawn — when the man unduly elevates himself, the moment of his humiliation s at hand.