Star of the Kanawha Valley. [volume] (Buffalo, Va. [W. Va.]) 1855-1856, 1855-07-25

as with one voice, "The gods are
with usn' With invincible courage
forward rushed the host; the heighth
was carried by storm, and Adalbero,
with sudden shuddering, saw the en-
envy flying through the field.
| The conquerer returned home in
triumph; and in all parts of deliv-
erred Saxony, came wives and chill
Dire forth, and, with outstretched
arms, greeted their husbands and
fathers. Butt Adalbero> knew what
awaited him; and every smile of an
afectionate wife, and every shout of
a blooming child, pierced, as with
poisoned dart, his anguished heart.
At last they came before the magnif.
icent castle. He was not able to
look up, as the be- utiful Similde met
him at the gate, with her daughter in
her hand, while the little one always
leaped and cried, Father, father! be-
loved father!' j..
Adalbero looked round on his peo-
pie, in order to- strengthen himself;
even the re he met quivering eye-lids
and bitter tears; for among his war
riors, many had heard his horrible
vow. He dismissed them to their
families, feeling W hat happy men, he,
the most unhappy, was sending to
their homes, then rode into the cas-.
tie, and sending the domestics away, ;.
on variou prete noes, sprung from
his horse, closed the gates with thun-
dering sound, secured them careful
ly, and pressed his beloved wife and
child to his heart, shedding over them
a torrent of tears. y. Il
'''What is the matter, husbandS'
said the astonished Similde.
'Why do you weep father?" STAN
mered the little one. -. ."
~.'We will first prepare an offering
TO the gods" replied Adalbero; ''and
then L shall relate everything to you.
Come to me soon, to the hearth"
81 will kindle the flame, and fetch,
in the meantime, the implements for
sacrifice, said the sweet Similde and
the little one cried out clapping her
hands: .....
Il also will help, also will be
there" and skippe ed away with her
mother. ,>,> y. ....
Those words, 81 also will help; /
also will be there; the hero repeated,
as dissolved in grief, he stood by the
flaming pile, with his drawn sword in
his trembling han id. He lamented,
aloud over the joyful, innocent child,
land the graceful obedient wife, who
brought the pitcher, perfuming-pan
land taper, used in. necrifices. Then
Hit passed through ms mind that this
ljvowcould not be v lid; for suchsorrow
could not find a place in the heart of
Imam. But the answer was given in
dreadful peals of thunder down from
1.-The heavens. =:
81 kno w." s aid he, signing heavily,
your thunder has assisted US, and
now your thunder calls on your de-
voted believer for the performanceof
his VOW : J.. -.
SimiIde be gan to tremble as the
frightful truth burst 'upon her; and,
with soft tears, she said, "Ah! hast
thou made a vow? All! husband! |
see no victim!-shall human blood
/ Adalbe 70 c overed his eyes with
both hands and sobbed so terribly that
it echoed through the hall, and the
little oneterritied, chung to the moth
er. -. r, /. / - -,
Similde knew we'll of such vows, in
ancient times. She looked entreat-
ingly to her lord, and said, "remove
| the child.T
'tBoth, both!-I must!" then MUIR
murod Adalbero; and Similde, with.
a violent ehortforcing backher tears,
said to the little one, "quick, child,
and bind this handkerchiefover thine
eyes; thy father has brought pres
ent for thee, and will now give it
thee" f.: IL =, 49,.
"My fatherlook not as ifhe would
give me a present, H." sighed the child.
"Thou shalt see; thou shalt see,
presently said Similde, hurriedy;
and as she placed the bandage over
the eyes of the child, she could no
longer restrain her tears, but theyfel
SO softly that the little one knew 1t
not. +. .
/ The afTactionnte mother now tore
the drapery from her snow white bo-
som, and kneeling before tho sacrifi-
Ger, beckoned that she might be the
the first victim, "' j
"Quick, only quick" whispered
she softly to the lingerer; "else will
the poor child be so terrified" =
Adalbero raise a the dreadful steel
then roared the thunder, and fash
ed the tightening through the build
ing ;. Speechless shrank the three to
the earth. # \ + ~ :
As the eyening5breeze rushed thro'
the broken windows, the little one
raised her head, from which the ban
dage had fallen, and said, "mother,
what present has my father brought
me?" The sweet voice awakened
both parents. All lived, and moth
| ing was destroyed but Adalbero's