The south-western. [volume] (Shreveport, La.) 1852-1870, 1855-10-24

| hyseL: IlaNe not kept my soul from talnt
of sin? And what is my reward? Ellen is lost
to me. Prayers will not give her back, else
could | pray-aye, to the bad fend himself
and promise to be his, so she would be mne!''
Scarce had the distressed youth uttered these
wild words, when sound of shrill laughter
near startled him, and looking round, he saw a
figure which he had no difficulty in recognizing
by the wellknown horns and cloven foot. Il
am here" cried he in hoarse tones, s'at your
service, and ready to do your bidding, asking
only small service in return"
"What is that?" Wilbald mustered courage
to say, though he trembled all over.
you are, as happen to know" said the
fend 'san excellent smith I have piece of
work for you. Follow me, will take you to a
spot where lies buried one of my subjects. You
must make me an iron railing round his grave
! and, in reward, | will give you your BRIDE
eff you have nothing more to ask, am
content" replied the young man.
This is all, but it is harder task than you
imagine. You have but one hour to work. AT
twelve you must begin, and the railing mus
be completed by the time the clock strikes on
If it is done, you are free, if not, you being 70
me forever.'
Willibad paused an instant, but flood of
| wild thoughts came rushing brain, and the pas
sionate desire to snath Ellen from his rival
overcame all his prudence. He pledged him
self to the unhallowed contract, and followed
the iend, who hobbled on till he stood by a
new made grave. "To your work, my lad, !"
he cried and vanished.
| At the same instant Willibald saw fire
spring out of the ground beside him, and
! IL III &c
the tools of his trade. The clock on the church
tower struck twelve, and starting, he betook
himself to work. So diligently did he apply
himself, that work grew rapidly under his
hand, the railing was almost finished. A sin
gle screw only was wanting to complete it,when
the dull sound of the clock was heard striking
one, and Willibald fell to the ground insensible.
When his sense returned it was morning,
the sun was shining brightly, and he thought
all that had passed wild dream. But sight
of the railing nearly finished around the grave
and rusty bar of iron lying on the ground,
convinced him of its reality. There was, how
ever no trace of the fire, and the tools had
disappeared.
Full of shameand repentance, Wlllibald has
tened to the church, to pray more earnestly
than he had ever prayed before, for the pardon
of his dreadful sin. His heart was lighter after
| the prayer, but he could not 60 home to work
that day, and sadly he walked toward dame
Martha's cottage.
Ellen came to meet him, as before, and shed
tears as she threw her arms round his neck.
"This time," she said, ''they are tears of
Joy. When you left us SO suddenly yesterday
| also came from the house, and into this little
garden, where might weep undisturbed. l
sat there long, Wilibald, long after dusk, when
as leaned my head on the table yonder, think
ing hopelessly of you, female figure approach
ed me. She resembled my dead mother, but
she smiled very sweetly, Willibald, and said,
''Weep not, my child, but pray-pray for your
lover, he is in very great Danger She van.
shed before I could thank her, but I remem
bered her words and prayed for you, Willibald
all night long,
The young man shuddered, but raised bis
eyes upward in thankfulness. -.
''Early this morning" continued the damsel,
''came Herr Werner, [ went out to meet him,
and told him would die rather than become
his wife. He was much vexed, but without
another word, mounted his horse and rode away
followed by his servant My grandam was an
cry, but my conscience told me did right, and
now that you return to me in safety, Williba]d,
l am sure that have the blessing of heaven
And the young smith felt the same assurance
when few days after, his box of treasure was
restored 10 him by his masters daughter, who
in fit of jealousy or love of mischief had
stolen it from him. Dame Martha could no
longer withhold her consent, but, before Will
bald dared to claim Ellen as his bride, he con-
fessed his great sin to the priest, and submit
ted to the penance enjoined upon him, and this
of course saved him.
| The lovers were married and lived happily
remembering their past troubles only as war
ming against discomfort and d want of submis-
sion to Providence t'IfI had been suffered to
perish then,'' would Wiibald say, ''my want
of faith would have deserved such doom''
10 this day the poor people Of Augsburg learn
the same lesson, for to this day the iron railing
with its one screw wanting, is an object of Won
der and curiosity. Many skillfu wormen have
essayed to furnish screw that will fit, but the
current saying is, that mo thread will ever be
| made for it, unless by the fend himself" and
we incline to the same opinion.
= -~~~-O~~~-~~~~~~-~-
The records of the country abound in evi-
dence, that the present love of foreigners,
avowed by the demo ocracy, is mere pretense.
Their charge of prescription against the Amer
lean party for openly acting upon the princi-
ciple that Americans shall rule America, is
designed solely to dupe the ignorant rather
than to express sincere adherence of the doc
tr'ne. Otherwise they are convicted by the
record with most shameless inconsistency.
We have before us a copy of Princes digest
of the laws of Georgia, in which we find some
convincing argument going to show that the
democratic party of that State, in 1885,
prescribed foreigners with vengeance In
an act of the Legislature of Georgia, passed
Dec. 3lst, 1888, to incorporate railroad from
Augusta to Eaton, Madison and Athens, we
find on page 81, section xvii, that No foreign
er, either directly or indirectly, shall own stock
in said railroad or bank, and if any foreigner
shall own stock. in any wise, the same shall be
forfeited to the State The charter allowed
banking privileges to the railroad company
but rigidly excluded foreigners from it, as will
be seen. Now, let us turn to page 334, to the
act Incorporating the Central railroad and canal
company of Georgia, and we will find section
yxyii, reads thus: -r