The mountain Democrat., 1863-06-06
THE ROOFER OF ANTWERP.

dral OF Antwerp, at the western side, al
the tower, and not far from the tomb OF
Quintin Metsys, the celebrated Flemish
blacksmith, may be seen blue stone A6eQt
three feet in length.
The passer.by, perhaps, would not per-
ceive it, we're it not for the strange and
peculiar appearance which distinguishes
it from the other stones of the pavement.
In it thousand points Of copper are in
laid, without any seeming regularity or
design, which, when the sun darts his last
rays upon the horizon Of Flanders, glitter
| with dazzling brilliancy.
For long time it has attracted the at
tention of travellers antiquarians have
invoked every dialect and every species of
written symbol to discover any remnant
Of inscription; their efforts have always
been vain, and they have never succeeded
in deciphering a single word amid this
maze Of copper points. And yet this stone
has its story.
To the aged citizen, bent toward the
grave, as he casts a sidelong glance at the
young maiden who, yielding to her love
dreams, touches it lightly with her lip, it
says more than the marble monuments on
which are carved, in golden letters, the
epitaphs Of the great. Its history is as
| follows:
The 22d of October, 1920, was a fete
day for the half Of Europe, and more par
ticularly for Flanders, one Of whose chill
dren had just mounted the throns.Of the
| Caesars.
1t was the coronation day Of Charles
Il tho Fifth rac than nftar I op-
don and Venke, the richest city Of EuROpa.
perhaps of the world. Therefore twas
| distinguished above all others Of Flanders
by the magnificence and wealth lavished
upon the celebration Of the day. Tri-
ulnphal arches spanned the wide streets,
garlands Of flowers decked the houses.
fine white sand covered the pavements.
and at intervals were placed large clulters
Of rare and fragrant exotics.
The ceremonies of the day commenced
with a solemn procession; the clergy, hab-
tied in their most costly and sumptuous
robes, and preceded by banners, bore the
richest sErines and most sacred relics
The magistrates, the people, the corpora
tons, and the various traders, bearing
lighted torches Of various colorS, closed
the march.
This sacred duty concluded, each one
yielded himself to unre>trained enjoyment;
groups were formed in the streets and
public places Immense butts of wine
and mead were placed opposite the city
and guild halls. A hundred thousand
workmen sang joyous hymns and gally
shouted
Long live our Marquis! Long live the
Emperor Charles!'
All the inhabitants Of the opuIcnt city,
however, were not happy amid the gen.
cral rejoicing. In a small room whose
windows looked upon the street, two men
were seated; their costumes and general
appearance indicated that, though not be-
longing to the opulrnt class, they were
not without an easy competence arising
from their labor. The younger seemed
about twenty years Of age He was mus
cular and vigorous. His features, though
pleasing, were sad and Of manly beauty,
and denoted o firm and decided char
acter.
The other, a hale, robust old man, en-.
deavorcd, somewhat vainly, to give his
face and tone hopeful expression be was
| lar from ltellng IN MS heart.
Truly, my son. said he, 4 scarcely
know thee! Our position has been more
itical than to-day, aud yDt.I sever saw
thee so cast down as now. Was I wrong
in regarding thee as a man of courage,
who could face misfortune without finch.
ing?
4 feel that am not to be overcome bv
any misfortune said the younger, but to
see FRANCHISE united to q man whom |
hate Still
But interrupted his companion, the
affair is not decided your fears may be
groundless.'
NO, no, my father! have lost all
hope; Master Ruloffs told me again yester-
day that he should give his daughter to
Master Bruggemans, if in a month l was
not a master roofer-and you know be
will keep his word
who knows, German, some happy
chance may not furnish money enough to
purchase the place
Never, my father, never can we earn
such a sum; relations and friends have re-
fused me; three years would not suffice to
earn it, and Master RuloffS will only grant
me a months delay
But FRANCHISE will supplicate her faith
er to allow you time, and she certainly
will succeed
Yes, my father, she will do all in her
power, but | am certain her prayers will
be unavaiiing. This very day she was to
make a last effort, and had she succeeded
she would have been here before now
Scarcely were the words uttered when
gentle rap was heard at the door. The
father opened It, and hope shone in the
eyes Of the youth, for he doubted not il
was the charming FRANCHISE, the bearer OF
joyful tidingS. A fair, slender girl, blue
eyed and Of delicate complexion, upon
whose cheeks traces Of tears were visible,
entered.
This was the maiden whom the young
man expected. but she seemed rather the
messenger Of sorrow than joy. German
sprang to meet her and said hurriedly,
Speak, FRANCHISE, speak, implore thee
Have thy tears softened thy fathers
hearty
'All hope is fed, replied the girl, gazing
with distracted air upon her lover. Her
tears slowly fell, German sobbing audi.
bly,, and the old man himself was too
much moved to utter single word of con-
ISOLATION.
Alas! yes, it is too true; my father
leaves me the choice either to wed this
man or take the veil at the Ursuline con-
vent
Germain spoke not, but anxiously wait.
ed her decision; all his hopes. his heart
were in the look he cast upon her. Fran.
coise understood it and continued
Il have chosen the cloister.'