The mountain Democrat., 1863-06-06
ing merely, conduct me to the magis.

trates.
A half hour afterwards il was annq-nc-
ed that faithful fellow citizen, German,
the Roofer, had undertaken to repair the
cross, and would commence at noon on
the morrow, and the magistrates begged
the citizens generally, not to annoy the
said German by their advice or counsels,
conjurations or sorceries, but to extend to
him all the aid and assistance he might
need
The news soon spread through the city,
awakening the curiosity Of the staIwart
citizens, and long before the appointed
hour the square before the church was
crowded.
Waves of another kind seemed to have
replaced those of the river. All sorts Of
cOnjectures were ventured upon as to
what could have prompted German to
this courageous and daring attempt; but
none guessed the true reason-Gcrmain's
love for FRANCHISE.
At last he was seen upon the very sum-
NIT Of the spire, and no one doubted his
complete success. A shout Of Joy and
encouraging admiration issued from every
breast.
The old father and FRANCHISE alone re.
mained oppressed and breathless, and
with fixed CLASSY eye, lost not motion of
the youth, but they felt instinctively that
the greatest danger was not yet passed.
German having drawn forth his tools,
was suspended securely from one Of the
branches Of the cross. At that height he
seemed like an eagle lowering above the
church.
His eye plunged into the square, and
measured without quiver the monstrous
abyss beneath him. His courage increas-
ed as he realized the almost certainty Of
his success.
In few seconds a light smoke envsl-
oped him, giving him the appearance Of
an aerial spirit. The iron became red hot,
and German, raising the ponderous ham
mer, struck rapidly upon it. As blow
upon blow was given, though the sound
was inaudible below, the cross regained
its natural position. and the excitement OF
the multitude became intense. The work
man heard the shouts which rose up.
wards to him, like the surging Of the
waves.
Alas he knew not that each blow of
his hammer struck upon the hearts Of his
aged father and the loved one by his side.
The noise Of the ringing iron which deaf
ened him was lost to the crowd, who al
most imagined that they saw the spirit of
Quintin Metsys returned to earth to leave
another colossal work.
At length the hammer fell for the last
time; the cross was in its original erect
position.
Nothing now narred the beauty of the
unmatched spire. The aged father and
youthful maiden regarded each with mex
pressible JOY, tears sprung to their eyes,
and entirely overcome, they threw them
selves into each others arms. The peo.
pie recognized them then, raised them
above their heads and bore them aloft in
triumph.
In the meantime Germain had peered
down anxiously upon the Place. in the
hope of recognizing the two so dear to his
heart. Sudderly he perceived them
That look was his last His foot struck
the brazier and slipped over the burning
Goals. He tottered moment, fell from
the spire and rebounded on the angular
stones; the cord about his waist which
was lashed to one Of the stays Of the cross,
supported him for q moment above the
awful abyss.
The people rushed shrieking to the mar
row staircase to succor hiW, but before
the most agile son of Antwerp could reach
the first stage, the cord was consumed,
and German fell, striking heavily the
lacewOrk, the points, rosettes and heads
Of monsters which decorate the tower
At each successive bound his body re.
ceived new wounds, until after horrible
mutilation and suffering he struck, fright
fully lacerated, turning like q wounded
eagle upon the pavements Of the Place.
When the corpse was lifted up two 9TH
ers we're fonnd cliDging to it-An aged
man and e young girl. The Awe.struck
and sorrOwful people placed them all in
the same grave, excavated on the spot
where he fell, and over it was laid blue
stone, inlaid with as many pieces of cop.
per as there could be found remnants OF
Germain's body.
Such is the event which that stone re-
calls to the aged citizen bent toward the
grave, and the young maiden yielding to
her love.dreams.
THERE are different opinions about