Sugar planter. [volume] (West Baton Rouge [i.e. Port Allen, West Baton Rouge Parish, La.]) 1856-1925, 1856-05-24
The Legend Of Argls.

One of the most curIors and pathetic
legends of Walachia tells Of the tounda
ton Of the great metropolitan church OF
Argis.
In the middle Of the fifteenth century,
the Prince OF Ninroc, warning against
the Turks, WAS on the eve Of fighting q
great battle. and went to the ie' e'mltage
Of "a pious anchorite, before whom he
made VOW that, ii victorious he woni1
hui!h on that every spot the most s.'en-
did temple that ever sought the rays Of
the sun. Consequently, it is supposed,
lis triumph Was complete. iie Ott">
mans were dispersed and he had noth-
ing t, d" hnt TO accomplish his promise.
Princes are usually faithful IN these
kinds OF undertaking. Nagne had much
wealth at his command. and knew of an
able architect named Mannli. To him
he entrusted the task Of constructing the
temple, bidding him collect The best
Greek, Arab, and Byzsntin" wot klnen.
That solitary region was according Y soon
peopled with strangers. The forests te>
gan TO retire, the tlanks Of the mountains
were torn open and the bears that look
ed in while passing down the long g'ades
on the ragged RUNS, became convinced
that their occupation in that party OF the
world was gone forever.
Mauu. ha,l set about his task with enr
thusiasn. There were day gangs, night
gangs SO that the walls rose as # ty
magic.
Already tie topmost pinnacle began
to appear to the distant traveller over the
surrounding trees, when suddenly the
etlifce suxk into the earth, and spread
it in ruin. Manoi attributed this dlsas>
ter to some defect in his pia:i, or to the
great haste with which i! was carried out
and began again with more caution.-
But. no fonn,r had the building reached
the former elevation, than down iS came
again. Not one stone remained upon
another. Manoii had confidence i'll his
own talent, and was therefore convinced
that some invisible power was de:ermn
ed to cross his purposes. He wou'1
have been inclined to give up the work
altogether, but Niagoe had become fur
ious. AS usual in building enterprises,
the expenses of the first construction ex-
cev.leh the estimate by at least half
10 effect the second the prince was otlig.
ed to sell the diamonds Of his wife HIS
VOW was costing him dear, but he dared
not break it. The simpler course was to
swear by his beard t''a; ManoI should
be lc,*p,a,ed and all his workmen
hanged, il the church was not finished
by y given time. =.
Cnder these circumstances. Mano''
went to consult the aged anchorIte who
had witnessed Prince Niagoe's vow, and
asked him what was to be done. "Bu''d
again." WAS the reply, "and when the
last stone is about to be placed, come to
me, and bv that time I may have found
an expedent.' Manoli accordingly, for
the third time, labored, and for third time
brought the church near perfection
Then he paused and went to the anchor
ite. who received him with a glare OF
,orror such as he had never seen before,
burrie,lly interrupted his pious sa'uta'.on
and said in a strange, unearth'y voice.
swatch to morrow from the pinnacle,
and th. first woman thou beholdest ap
preaching the east, cause her to be taken
when she reaches the place OF work, with
whatever she may have in her arms, and
walled up within one Of the pillars ct the
church. Thus only will success crown
effort"
M9noli was humane man and his
heart sl,rank within him at hearing this
order. But his own life, with that o1
many others were at stake, and he went
awav from the cell sadly, determined tc
obey what1e conceived to be a divine
command. lie was awakened next
morning bv the singing Of the "orkmen
and climbed up Immediately to the ap
pointed place, when, shading his eyes
from ,he low sun with hand, he ANXIOUS
ly looked forth. Song time passed
but still no female form appeared
At length slight figure was seen ap,
preaching down a glade, in the midst o o.
= light mist kindled into gold by the still
sIanting rays of the sun. Manol' wa:
about to rejoice, when suddenly he re
coenized in the devoted victim his o~r
vouno wife Uca,-his wife OF two sum