Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1857-02-13
THE BLACKSMITH OF RAGEN
BACH.
A TRUE INCIDENT.

In the Principality of Hohcnlohe
now part Of the kingdom of Wirtem-
berg, is a village called Ragenbach
where about twenty years ago the fol-
lowing heroic event took place:
One afternoon in the carly autumn,
in the taycrn-room of Ragenbach, sev.
eral men and women having assembled
from the village, sat at their ease. The
smith formed one of the merry compa-
ny, a strong vigorous man, with resolute
c untenancc and daring mein, but also
with such a good Eaturcd smile on his
! lips, that every one who saw him admir-
ed him. His arms were like bars of
IRON, and his fists like forge hammers.
SO that few could equal him in strength
Of body.
The smith sat near the door chatting
with one of his neishbors, when all at
once the door opened and dog came
staggering into the room. a great power
ful beast, with ferocious. fightful as
pect his head WAS hgnging down and
his eyes bloodshot, his lead colored
tongue hanging half out of his mouth,
AMI his tail dropped between his legs.
Thus the fcrocious beast entered the
room. out of which there was no escape
but by one door. Scarcely had the
smith neighbor, who was bar keeper
of the place, seen the animal, when he
became deadly pale, sprang up and cx-
claimed with a Mortified voice
Good heavens. the dog is mad"
Then rose an outcry. The room was
full Of men and women. and the foam
ing beast stood before the only entrance ::
no one could leave without passing him
He snapped sayascly right and left; no
one could pass him without b,ing bitten.
This increased the horrible confusion.-
All Sprang up and shrank from the dog
with agon;z.ng countenanccs. Who
should deliver them from him p: The
smith also stood among them, and as he
saw the anguish o! the people 1t flashed
across his mind how many of his happy
and coatentel neighbors would be made
miserable by mad dog, and he formed
resolution. the Ike of which is scarce
" to be found in the history Of the hu-
lnan race for high-mindcdnas5 and noble
ness. Certainly his brown check palcd
little, but his eyes sparklcd, aud an cl-
evatcd resolution shoDc from the smooth
brow Of the simple minded man.
Back all - hundred he with his
deep strong voice. Let no one stir.
for no one can ,anquish the beast but
T. One victim must fall in order to
save all, and | Will be that victim: Twill
hold the brute, and whilst do so make
your escape The smith had scarcely
spoken these words, whom the dog start
cd toward the skricking people. Put
he went not far. with Gods help
cried the smith, and he rushed upon the
ioaming beast, seized him with an iron
grasp, and dashed him to the floor. A
terrible struggle followed The dog bit
iurioHs!y On every side in a frightful
man. His long teeth tore the arms and
thighs Of the heroic smith. but he would
not let him loose. Regardless alike of
the excessive pain and the horrible death
which must ensuc, he hcla down with
an iron grasp the swapping. bowling
brute till all had escaped till all. all
were rescued and in safety. He then
flung the half stransled beast from him
against the wall, and dripping with blood
and venomous foam, he left the room.
locking the door after him. Some per-
sons then shot the dog through the win
dows.
Weeping and lamenting. the people
surrounding him who had saved their
lives at the expe Use OF his own. "Bc
quiet, do not weep for me- y he said one
must die in order to save the others. -
Do not thank mc-I have only perform
ed my duty. When am dead think OF
me WITH love, and now pray for me that
God will not let me suffer long or too
mu h. | will take care that no further
mischief shall occur through me, for ]
must certainly become mad lie went
straight to his workshop, and selected a
strong chain, the heaviest and frmcst oi
his whole stock. lie then with his
own hands, welded it to his own
limbs and around the anvil so firmly
that no power on earth could break t.
There" said he, "it's done" after hav-
ing silently and solmenly completed the
work. "Now you are secured and | am
inoffensive. SO long as live bring me
my food. The rest | leave to God in;o
his hands commend my spirit" Moth
ing could save the brave smith, neither
tears, lcman'ations nor prayers. Mad
ness seized him. and after nine DAYS he
died. lie died but his memory will live
from generation to geno1aton, and be
venerated to the end of time. Search
history through, and you will find no
action more glorious and sublime than
the deed of this simple minded man, the
smith Of Ragenbach.
A CoNTRABAND JokE.-Said Brown,
the trader, to a customer, can .quain-
tance of mine smucgled a lot Of otter OF
rose, the other day, IN belt about his
person.
"llow did he escape detection By the
Al