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

l
er mind, Master oss. Only promise me, on
the word of an honest man. that you'll not IN
| terfere any more with Annies free choice, and
YOU may depend on seeing the banner of our
emperor, whom may heaven longpres0e! wave
gloriously on the old pinnacle"
.sI will, my brave lad; L do promise, in the
presence of all these honest folks, that Annie
| shall be Foursp' said the sacristan, grasping
GabriePs hand with one of his, while he wiped
his eyes with the back of the other
Gone thing l have to ask you, said the
young man hat you will keep this matter a
i secret from Annie. Shed never consent; she'd
say was tempting Providence andwho knows
whether the thought of her displeasure might
not make my head turn giddy, just when
want it to be most firm and collected"
ssNo fear of her knowing it, for have sent
her on a visit to her aunt two or three miles in
the country"
'And why did you send her from home
| Master Joss?"
because the sight of her pale face and
weeping eyes troubled me; because [ was vexed
with her; because, to tell you the truth, [ was
vexed with myself. Gabriel, / was hard
hearted old fool; see it now. And I was
/ very near destroying the happiness of my only
remsining child; for my poor boy Arnold,
xo,,r Old friend and school-mate, Gabriel, has
been ,"o,r wears in foreign parts, and we know
,,ot ,rh.t has become of him. But now, please
God Coz Annie st lest will be happy, and you
shall marry her. my lad, as soon after the day
of the procession as you cend she please There's
my hand on ii"
There was not a happier m;,,n that EVENING
within the precincts of Vienna IAN 3apriei
the gardener, although he well anew that ne e
was attempting most perilous enteir DIE 1nu Wl
one as likely as not to result in his deatil. " !.
made all necessary arrangements in case OF tina J:
event, especially in reference to the comfort O.
an only sister who lived with him, and whom
he was careful to keep in ignorance OF his In
tended venture. This done, he resigned him
self to dream all night of tumbling from terrific
nights, and all day of his approaching happiness
Meanwhile, Ottkar swallowed his chagrin as he
best might and kept aloof from Master joss;
but he might have been seen holding frequent
and secret communications with man who as
sisted the sacristan in the care of the church.
The day of the young emperor's triumphal
entry arrived. He was not expected to reach
Vienna before evening; and at the appointed
hour the sacristan embraced Gabriel and Civ
ing him the banner of the House of Austria,
gorgeously embroidered said: "Now, my boy,
up in Gods name! Follow Lawrence; he'll
guide you safely to the top of the spire, and
afterward assist you in coming down."
Five hundred and ffty steps to the top of
the towerI Mere child's play-the young
gardener few up them with joyous step
Then came two hundred wooden stairs over
the cloek-tower and belfry; thenfve steep lad
ders up the narrow pinnacle. Courage! A
few more bold steps-half an hour of peril
the triumph, reward, the priests blessing, and
the joyful "Yesp' before the altar. All, how
heavy was the banner Ito drag upward
dark the strait, stony shaft! Hold, there is
trap-door- Lawrence, and assistant who
accompanied him, pushed Gabriel through
"That's it l' cried Lawrence "you'n see the
iron steps and the clamps to hold on by outside
only keep your head steady. When It's your
time to come down, hail us, and we'll throw
you rope-ladder With hooks. FAREWELL P'-
As he said these words, Gabriel had passed
through the trap-door, and with feet and hands
clinging to the slender iron projections, felt
himself hanging over tremendous precipice,
while the cold evening breeze ruf1ed his hair.
He had still, burdened as he was with the
banner to steady himself on part of the
spire sculptured in the similitude of rose,
and then, after two or three daring steps still
| higher, to bestride the very pinnacle, and wave
his gay gold flag. ''My God be merciful to
me !' sighed the poor lad, as glancing down
ward on the busy streets, lying so far beneath,
the whole extent of his danger flashed upon
him. He felt so lonely, SO utterly forsaken in
that desert of the upper air, and the cruel
wind strove with him, and struggled to wrest
the heavy banner from his hand. "Annie,
Annie, it's for theer' he murmured, and the
sound of that sweet name nerved him to endu-
rance. He wound his left arm firmly round
the iron bar which supported the golden star,
surmounted by crescent, that served as a
weathercock, and with the right waved the flag.
which tapped and rustled like the wing of
some mighty bird of prey. The sky-how
near it seemed-grew dark above his head, and
the lights and bonfres glanced upward from
the great city below. But the cries of rejoic-
ing came family on his ear, until one long-con-
tinued shout, mingled with the sound of drums
and trumpets, announced the approach of
Leopold. IT,
"Huzzal huzzal long live the emperor!
shouted Gabriel, and waved his banner proudly.
But the deepening twilight and the dizzy
height rendered him unseen and unheard by
the busy crowd below.
The deep voice of the cathedral clock tolled
the hour.
"Now my task is endedv' said Gabriel, draw
ing deep sigh of relief, and shivering in the
chilly breeze. "Now l have only to get down
and give the signal
More heedfuIIy and slowly than he had as
cended, he began his descent. Only once he
looked upward at the golden star and crescent,
now beginning to look colorless against the
dark sky.
"Hai - said he, "dosen't it look now as if
that heathenish Turk of crescent were nod
ding and wishing an evil good night?
Be quiet, Mohammed"
| A few courageous steps landed him once
more amid the petals of the gigantic sculpture
rose, which offered the best, indeed the only
coin of vantage for his feet to rest on.
He fnrled his banner tightly together, and
shouted: 'lHalloa, Lawrence! Albert here
throw me up the ladder and hooks
| No answer. "a.
More loudly and shrilly did Gabriel reiter-
ate the call 7
| Not a word, not a stir bel6w.
"Holy Virgin can they have forgotten me?
Or have they fallen asleep" ?" cried the poor
fellow aloud; and the signing wind seemed, to
answer like mocking Demon
mWhat shall do What will become of