Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1828-05-17
THE SEXTON OF COLOGNE

~. nr;mr oS her youth aud beauty, fell sick and
died. They had lived very happily toge'her'
.no. throughout her fatal illness, the doatng
husband scarcely quilted her bedside ior an
instant. During the latter period oil her SICK
ness, she did not suffer greatly, but the ian'ihS
6,s prew more and more frequent; and oil in>
or as,ng duration, ill at length they became IN
cessarl, and she finally sunk under them.
is well known tia COLOGNE is city which,
as far as respects rylisi IN, may compare rselt
with Rome; On which account 1t was called,
ever IN the middle ages Roma German'ca, and
sometimes the Sacred City. Ii seemed as IL, IN
arer'mes, it wished 10 compensate by pie'y the
misfortune of having been the birth> place oil
the abomnable Agrippins. For many years
morning else was seen but priests. students, ana
nrndican, moaks; while the bells were ringing
ard tplliug from rnorning till night. Even now
you may count in il as many churches ana
cloisters as the year has days.
rhe nrinci,al church is he Cathedral Of ST.
Peer, one of he handsomest buildings IN all
GERMANY, though still not SO complete IS 1t
wa, probably intended by the arc infect. The
choir alone is arched. The Chief al ar is sin
ole block of black marble, brought al 'ng the
Rhine to Cologne from Namui upon the Mas.
In the sacristy an ivory rod is shown, said 10
have belonged to the apostle Peter; and IN
chanel stand, gilded cnffin, with The n.mes OF
The holy rhr.c Kings Inscribed. Their SEALS
are visible through an openiug,-two belng
white as belonging TO Caspar and Balteasar, the
third black, for Melcboir. Ii IS easy 10 DC
understood that these remarkable relics, rem
dered sacred By time make deep impres sion
on the i'm gina, ION OF the catholics; and thai
the three skulls, with their jewels aud silver
setting, are convincing proofs Of commences
TO religious feelings, though glance at hlsio-
~ is sufficient 10 snow their spuriousness.
Il was in this church h. that Adelaide was bu-
red with great sp'endour In me t spirsSo l! q
iL@,- ..i>.-i L. - &c
than real. taste,--more devotion and comb
dence than unbrlieyiug fear,-she was dressed
as a bride in lowered silk, motley garland
upon her head and her pale fingers covered
With costly rings; in which-state she was con
viewed 10 the yaul Of a little chapel, directly
under the choir, in coffin with glass windows.
Many OF her foreta,hcrs we've already resting
here, all embalmed, and with their mummy
forms, offering a strange contrast 10 the silver
and gold with which they were decorated, and
teaching, IN q peculiar fashion, the difference
between the perishable and The imperishahle.
The custom of embaiming was, in 'he present
instance, given up; the place was full; and when
Adelaide was buried, it was settled that no one
else should be laid here for the future.
With heavy heart had Adolph followed his
bells, of two hundred and twenty bundled
weight. lifted up their deep voices, and spread
the sounds Of mourning through the wide city,
while the monks, carrying tapers, and scatter
ing incense, sang requiems from their huge
Nellum iolios, which were spread upon the
music desks in the choir. But the service was
now over: the dead lay alone with the dead; the
immense clock, which is only wound up once
year, and shows the course Of the planets, as
well as the hours of the day, was The only thing
tharhad sound o. motion, in the whole cathe-
dral Its monotonous ticking seemed 10 mock
the silent grave.
II was stormy November evening, when
PETER Bolt, the Sexton Of ST. PEERS, was res
turning home after this splendid funeral. The
poor man, who had been married four years,
had one child, daughter, which his wife
brought him in the second year Of their mar
rage and was again expecting her confinement.
II was therefore, with heavy heart, that he
had Left the church for his cottage, which lay
damn and cold on the banks OF river, and
which at this dull season, looked more gloomy
tbansyer AT the door he was met by the lit
lie Maria, who called out with great delight,
"You must not GO up stairs, father; the srOrk
has been bere, and brought Maria a little bro
ther!"-a piece Of Information more expected
than agreeable, and which was soon at'er Con-
hrmed by the appearance oil MS sls'er.ih-iaw,
with healthy infant in her arms.-fiis wife,
however, had suffered much, ard was in slate
that required assistance far beyond his means
10 supply In this distress he bethough, him.
self Of the Jew, Isaac, who had lately advanced
him trifie on his old silver watch; but now
unfortunately, he had nothing more to pledge,
and was forced to ground all his hopes on the
Jews compositions very unsafe anchorage.
With doubtful steps he sought the house Of the
miser, and told his tale amidst tears and signs;
to all OF which Isaac listened with great pa
tience-so much so, indeed, that Boil, began to
fa,ter himself with n favorable answer to his
petition. But he was disappointed; the Jew,
having heard him out, coolly replied, shat lie
could lend no monies on child--it was no
good pledge
With bitter execretions on the usurer's hard
heartsdpess, poor Bolt rushed from his door;
when, 10 asgravats his situation, the trst snow