Page:Life and surprising adventures of Frederick Baron Trenck.pdf/23

 of visiting my prison, when the officers were  going away, the poor little animal darted in,  up my legs, seated itself on my shoulder,  played a thousand tricks, to express its joy. one was astonished at this striking instance animal sensibility. The Major carried the mouse, and gave it to his wife, who had a light made for it, but the little animal refusing to , was a few days after found dead.

"In this seclusion the Baron remained nine years, when the King, probably tired of punishing, consented to his release. After which he retired to Vienna, where he was confined a short time at the instigation of those who enjoyed his property, under a false charge of madness, he found himself necessitated to withdraw his pecuniary claims; and, after the losses, only received the brevet rank of Major in the Austrian service."

No doubt the Revolution is France pointed out country as a place where he might finish his  in liberty and peace; What then must be the  astonishment at the tragical fate which  Baron at last met in that nation. It does not what part our hero took in politics; or upon  specific charges he was sentenced to the Guillotine, upon the downfall of Robesperre's. To us it remains a mystery, how a man Trenck's character, who had been the constant martyr of arbitrary power, could be deemed obnoxious to the cause of Liberty. Surely the most and rigid tribunal might have felt some symptoms of remorse is pronouncing sentence of death  the hoary head, that for sixty-eight years, had  incessantly with the wayward persecutions