The Ashland union. [volume] (Ashland, Ashland County, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1859-01-05

"No. no the sacristan could not find it in
his heart men born of woman could not do 1t.
They will come they mast come" lr.
But when they did not come, and the pitlless
darkness thickened around him, that he
could not see his hand, his death anguish grew
to the pitch of insanity. ~
'sGod p' he cried, 9sthe emperor will not suf-
fer such barbarity. Noble Leopold, help
One word from you woulds Save me-" But the
cold night-wind, blowing eminously around the
tower, seemed to answer ."Here alone am
emperor, and this is my sdbmain."
EsssW hile this was. passing two men stood con-
versing together at theSCfner of a dark street,
aloof from the rejoicing efowd
"Haven't managed it well 2" asked one.
eyes; he'll never reach the ground alive,
unless the sacristan-" aA
''Oh no, the old man Isl too busy with his
son, who come home UNEXPECTEDLY an hour ago.
He'll never think of the fool Gabriel until"
'Until it's too late How did you get rid of
Albert ?"
"By telling him that Master joss had un-
dertaken to 60 himself and fetch the gardener
down. The trap-door is fast, and no one with
in call. But / think, Master Ottkar, you and
l may as well keep out ofthe way till the fool
has dropped down, like asripe apple from the
stem"
And so the two villains took their way down
narrow street, and appeared no more that
night.
Meantime, a dark shadowy fiend sat on one
of the leaves of the SCULPTURE rose, and Missed
in Gabriels ear: "Renounce thy salvation,
and I Will bring thee down ia safety"
"May God preserve. me from such sin,
cried the poor lad, shuddering
cor only promise to give me your Annie, and
I'll save you
"Will you hold your tongue, you wicked
snirit7'
.zOr Just say that you will make me present
of ,.our- first born child, and I'll bear you away
as soft as if you were floating on down.
~Avaunt. Satan! I'll have nothing to do
with gentlemen who wear horns and tail!'
cried Gabriel man t1iiyy,
The clock tolled agSln, and the gardener
aroused bv the sound and vibration, perceived
that he had been asleep Yes, he had actually
slumbered, standing on th;itt fearful abyss.
Gam L really here ?'' he aske. hlnssei1, as
he awoke; cor is it all afrightful dreaio tn'ss
l have had while lyingin my bed?"
cold shudder passed through his frame,
followed by burning head, and he grasped
the pinnacle with a conyulsive tightness.
voice seemed to whisper in his ear:
"Fool. this is death, that unknown anguish
which no man shall escape. Anticipate the
moment and throw thysef down."
"Must /, then, def" murmured Gabriel,
while the cold sweat started from his brow.
''Must 1 die while life is so pleasant Oh,
Annie, aaAnniel pray fsme; the world is SO
beautiful, and sweet.
Then it seemed as if soft white wings loated
above and around him, while gentle voice
whispered
"Awake, awake. The night is fars spent, the
day is at hand Look up and be comforted"
Wrapped in the banner, whose weight helped
to preserve bis equilibrium, Gabriel still held
on with numb arm, and with a sensation al
most of Joy, watched the first dawn lighting up
the roofs of the city.
Far below, IN the sacristan's dwelling, the
old man sat, fondlyl clasping the hand of
handsome sunbuned youth, his leng-lost son
Arnold, who had sat by his side the livelong
night, recounting the adventures which had
befallen him in foreign lands, without either
father or son feeling the want ofsleep.
AT length Arnold said:
"I am longing to see Annie, father. I dare
say she has grown fine girl. How s5my
friend Gabriel, who used to be so fond Of her
when we were all children together?
The sacristan sprang from his seat
Gabriel Holy Virgin! had quite for
gotten him"
A rapid explanation followed Master Joss
and his son fastened toward the cathedral, and
met Albert on his way.
"Where is Gabrielle cried the sacristan
L
climbed through the trap-door."
''But who helped him DOWN."
'FWhy you yourself, of course" replied AL
bert, with a look of astonishment. 'Lawrence
told me, when he came down, that you had un-
dertaken to do it."
e'Oh the villains, the double-dyed scoundrels
Now I understand it all" groaned the old
man.
"Quickl Arnold, Albert! Come, for the
l. q Gal l. IL - H.
Arnold rushed toward the square, and his
keen eye, accustomed to look out at a great
distance at sea, discerned through the gray, un-
certain twilight something futtering on the
spire
s''Tis he 1t must be he, still lving!''
90 Godp' cried Master joss, where are my
keys? Oh that we may not be too late"
The keys were found in the old mans pock-
ct; and all three rushing through the cathe-
dral gate, darted up stairs, the sacrstan, in the
dread excitement of the moment, moving as
swiftly as his young companions.
Albert, knowing the trick of the trap-door,
went through it first.
s"Call out to him ladv, exclaimed Master
joss. --fr---..
A breathless pause
'I hear nothing stirring" said Albert, E'nor
can see anything from this I'll climb over
the rose"
Bravely did he surmount the perilous pro-
lection, and after few moments of intense
anxiety, be reappeared at the trap-door-
"There certainly is figure standing on the
rose, but 'tisn't Gabriel-'tis a ghost~
? ga ghost! you dreaming dunderhead,p'
shouted Arnold s'Let me up" and he began
to climb with the agility of cat.
Presently he called out: "Come on, come
on as far as you can. I have him, thank God
but quick, time is precious"
Speedily and deftly'they gave him aid and
at length halfnnconscious figure, still wrap
ped in the banner, was brought down in safety.
They bore him into the 'Adam and Eve,'
laid him warm bed, and poured by de-
grees little wine down his throat Under
this treatment he soon recovered his conscious
ness, and began to thank his deliverers. Sud