Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1854-03-30

look up, as the beautiful Similde me
him at the gate, with her daughter il
her hand, while the little one alway
leaped and cried, "Fsther, fatherl be
loved fatherl'
Adalbero looked round on his people
in order to strengthen himself; ever
there he met quivering eye-lids and bit
ter tears; for among his warriors, many
had heard his horrible vow. He dis
missed them to their families, feeling
what happy men, he, the most unhap,
py, was sending to their homes, ther
rode into the castle, and sending the do
mestics away, under various pretences,
sprung from his horse, closed the gates
with laundering sound, secured them
carefully, and pressed his beloved wife
and child to his heart, shedding over
them a torrent of tears.
"What is the matter, husband?" said
the astonished Similde.
"Why do you weep, father?" stam-
mered the little one.
1--WE will first prepare an offering to
the gods" replied Adalbero; land then
l shall relate every thing to you. Come
to me soon, to the hearth
81 will kindle the flame, and fetch, in
the meantime, the implements for sacri-
fice," said the sweet Similde; and the
little one cried out, clapping her hands:
81 also will help; l also will be there"
and skipped away with her mother.
These words, Il also will help; | also
will be there" the hero repeated, as dis
solved in grief, he stood by the flaming
pile, with his drawn sword in his trem-
bling hand. He lamented aloud over
the joyful, innocent child, and the grace
full obedient wife, who brought the
pitcher, perfuming pan and taper, used
in sacrifices. Then it passed through
his mind that his vow could not be
valid; for such sorrow could not find a
place in the heart of man. But the
answer was given in dreadful peals of
thunder down from the heavens.
81 know" said he, signing heavily,
''your thunder has assisted us, and now
your thunder calls on your devoted be-
lever for the performance of his vow "
Similde began to tremble as the fright
full truth burst upon her; and, with soft
tears, she said, ''Ah! hast thou made a
VOW? All! husband! L see no victim!
shall human blood!- -"
Adalbero covered his eyes with both
his hands, and sobbed so terribly that it
echoed through the hall, and the little
one terrified, clung to the mother.
Similde knew well of such vows, in
ancient times. She looked entrestingly
to her lord, and said, ''remove the
child"
''Both, both!-I mustl" then muir
INJURED Adalbero; and Similde, with a
violent effort, forcing back her tears,
said to the little one, "quick, child, and
bind this handkerchief on thine eyes;
thy father has brought a present for
thee, and will now give it thee"
my father looks not as if he would
give me present." sighed the child.
Thou shalt see; thou shalt see, pres
entity" said Similde, hurriedly; and as
she placed the bandage over the eyes of
the child, she could no longer restrain
her tears, but they fell SO softly that the
little one knew it not.
The affectionate mother now tore the
drapery from her snow white bosom,
and kneeling before the sacrifcer, beck
ened that she might be the first victim.
"Quick, only quick" whispered she
softly to the lingerer; "else will the poor
child be so terrified"
Adalbero raised the dreadful steel
then roared the thunder, and flashed
the lightning through the building
Speechless shrank the three to the earth.
As the evening breeze rushed through
the broken windows, the little one raised
her head, from which the bandage had
fallen, and said, 'mother, what present
has my father brought me?" The
sweet voice awakened both the parents
All lived, and nothing was destroyed but
Adalbero's sword, which was melted by
the avenging flash from Heaven.
"The gods have spokenl" cried the
pardoned father; and, with a gush of
love, the three delivered
ones wept in each others arms.
Far distant, over the southern noun
tains, roared the tempest, where many
years afterward st. Boniface converted
unbelievers to the true faith.