Lewisburg chronicle. [volume] (Lewisburg, Pa.) 1850-1859, 1858-03-19

dismissed, and Stein loosened his drum,
an operation which again attracted
crowd of idle boys around him, to admire
and envy him the possession of such de
lightfully loud and noisy thing. Like
Schellc, Stein loved to talk but he was
better tempered, though greater rhodo-
moutader than the bath-mastcr
''lf our drilling" he said to the chill
drcn, "is on account of the Hussites, it is
all labor in vain, as long as one succeeds
iu getting possession of their magic drum"
/ "a magic drum, Have the HussitCs
magic drum y inquired the astonished
children.
"Yes, magic drum" replied Stein
gravely. "Whilst | was serving in the
army of the Saxon duke, surnamed the
Warlike, we were attacked by the I!us-
sites, near Aussig, and heard the magic
drum at 4 distance. The moment it
sounded, and all my comrades ftlt our
selves turned, as it were, to stone, whilst
they were inspired by it with Irresistible
fury. We became incapable of defending
ourselves, and were seized with such an
extraordinary panic in our legs, that We
could not stand upon them, but fed in
confusion until We were quite out Of hear
ing Of the magic drum, and out of sight
of our enemies. And so | got my dis
charge; for what can the most reckless
courage do when enchantmcnts are oppos.
cd to it 2"
"The IIussites must be horrible men :"
said = little girl, shuddering.
"Men p answered Stein vehemently,
"say rather lions, tigers, leopards."
"W That do the IIussites look like p as.
ked one Of his vnn'hfu, iis.onors.
"They are like shaggy wolves and
bears" replied Stein; "for they wear
their boards so long, that they reach half
way down to their knees, and their hair is
like lions name Their teeth resemble
the tusks Of wild boar, and their huge
head is like an overgrown pumpkin stuck
between their broad shoulders; and they
have long crooked nails on their hideous
hands like eagles talons."'
The children shuddered at this descrip-
tion, and the little girls especially looked
at each other in silent horror
"Do not be afraid" said Erwin, en-
couragingly, "our town has high strong
walls, wido mont, and bravo citizens,
who would soon drive back the Hussitcs,
if they took the fancy to climb the ram-
parts"
cay said Stein, laughing, "with
your father to lead them. lie would take
up with hundred IIussites to his own
share. He is already half a one in his
heart ~
-"We shall see," returned Erwin, en-
phatically, "who in Naumburg has the
stoutest heart. You will some day have
to bog fathers pardon for your jokes"
"With great pleasure !" sneered Stem,
as he threw his drum over his shoulder
and walked off.
'The martyrdom of John Huss, in tine ff-
teenth century, will ever remain ono of tho
great blots upon the party by whom that cru
el sentence was carried INTO effect. pre-
cursor OF Luther IN his great work, HuSS, as
II IS well known, was, for his evangelical
sentiments, exposed to Il violent death, while
his followers were subjected to equally unjust
treatment. That some of these should as IN
tma,cd by the German author of the nara
tive, have taken up arms IN their defence,
and while bearing the arms Of their master
have departed largely from his spirit, would
not surprise any one who remembers the
fierce conflicts that sprung out ni H. Eetyi-
nation IN ua-.--g e"untrieS; for persecution
has ,scn driven wise men mad. Allowance
IN such cases also must be made for times
when there was Little diffusion of the word of
God, art few of those correctIves to false
views that are possessed in the present day.
The account of the HusSitcs, given 10 the
children bv Stein, is no doubt an accurate re-
fection of the caricaiurci and exaggerated
reports with which their enemies viewed
them. while the character of Wolf, as detailed
in the subsequent narrative, probably Tcprc-
Sents with equal falthtulncss many Of those
hidden reformers before the Reformation,
who existed IN the midst Of much general
darkness and error, and who. IN spite Of the
corruptionS by which they were surrounded,
brought forth the fruits and graccs of lIving
Christianity.
-------~~--~~-->---.-- ----.-----.--
gs5-The following resolution, offered to
the Lancaster Democratic Convention
buchanan county, was 1cjecicd:
ResolUed, That it is clearly tho senti-
ment of this Convention that the Invcsti-
eating Committee, recently appointed in
Congress, under the resolution of Mr. Ilar-
ris, of Illinois, should be afforded every
facility for successfully conducting their
Investigations, and that any and every at
tempt to nullify and defeat the objects for
which said Committee was created, meets
the unqualified disapprobation of this Con
vcntion.
Buchanan's party do not want any in
vestigation they know they are wrong,
but hope to blind and hoodwink the peo-
pie.