The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1865-03-24
AIR, MD. FRIDAY MORNING, MARCH "a, 1865.

rejoicings Many brave warrior return
ell to his home, and tillel with pinns graft
tudc the gentle hearts that had so deeply
suffered during his absence, but Wenz.I
was still away.
A prey at length to all the tortures Of
suspense and doubt, Margaret began to
haunt the path by which the soldiers had
departed on the crusade, and strain her
eyes for some distant messenger of tldiugS
from her absent lover. Pilgrims came by;
she questioned them, but they knew moth
ing OF Weuzel At last his name was re.
cognized by one. Yes, he knew the brave
young warrior of Vienna; he had fought
CALAMITY, but had been taken prisoner by
inidels, and now lay piDing in their dun
geons, not to be redeemed but by ran
som CT one hundred pieces of gold. Mar
gares heard with feverish rapture. He
was still alive. He might be ransomed
lie would then return. She was not trou
Lied even by the largeness Of the required
sum. Her only anxiety was to lose no
time in working for it, Her skifu fin
gers were we'll accustomed to the diStaff.
She had piled it daily for the poor since
Wenzel departed it had soaced her lone.
lness to wo k for the n. But now it was
for him. How swiftly flew her fingers,
how little they seemed to accomplish -
Day by day she took her place on the
stone from which she last watched his de-
parture beyond the city walls, aud there,
from early morning to the last ray Of even
ing twilight, toiled increasingly, never
raising her eyes, but to bless the pilgrims
or the passers-by, who dropped, with
heartfelt sympathy, little offering nto
the spinning maden's store. Day by day
her work grew rapidly, and her treasure
fast accumulated In vain her former
companions chided her folly in attempt
ing an impossible task In vain they told
her that Wenzel was probably already
dead, or ha forgotten his betrothed, for
the wealth aud beauty of some dlmsel il
foreign land. Indignantly she spurned
the accusation from her heart, aud constant
tn her trust in his fidelity, spike not, but
piled her distaf still more rapidly. But
the Iruii form and tender heart failed and
tainted under 50 much toll aud anx,etv-
1t had already bee Ime Il painful eff,rt tn
or ep with nut the city walls, and though
her fingers rested not, they trembIed ov
their work. When behold, one day,
while the sun was lingering in the western
horizon, and the vespar bell IF St. Steph
en- 5 broke the stiffness of the h 'ur, pit
grim, in shepherds dress, comes feebly,
as with long travel, towards the spot
where the maiden still pursued her weary
tas4. S ne raised her head at the sound Of
footsteps coming from the East. 1t may
be that he brings ti1ings Of Wsnzl -
Their looks met, and she started from her
seat. 1t is he, the I,ng-lost, the tender
ly beloved friend, for whom she had 50
patiently toied and suffered He had
either escaped, or by some exchange of
prs ners, regaine his liberty, Slffi Sc it,
he was once mbre by her side, as flithful
as her constant love deserved
The return Of WenzeI brought back
lightness to the sep of Mlrgaret, and IA
j,yous flush upon her jaded cheek.
Their nuptials were celebrated with Joy
and thankfulness, and their w,dded life
was Dlest by Him, to whom they had
alone looked for comfort under all their
former sorrows. But, alas it was of
brief duration. Margaret had but rallied
for little season. Within two years she
sank gently away, like flower that dies
before its time if some sudden shower
beats too heavily upon it, and Wenzel
laid her in the tomb with bitterness of
grief proportioned to the attachment which
had bound their hearts lovingly together
The gold she had so hardly earned had
been kept as an evidence of her uuweary-
ing and steadf.st affection, but when she
was M more, he b ought it forth, and
with it raised pious memorial of his be
loved Margaret, cross above the spot
where they had part d and met. And
thus arose the Spianiay Ma"len's Gross.