The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1850-1873, 1870-01-07

who would be the man who dared turn q
back"
Slowly glimmef Of light came in the
east, which deepened and spread till the
morning sunshine streamed upon the
mans face. He smiled, and shook himself,
and then awoke with start, and look
of uttermost sorrow, as memory returned,
and he realized that the moment of part
ing was very near.
There was sound of steps and sup
pressed voices in the street, which in
creased momently; soon there was q
crowd of eager women passing and repass-
ing the door, and whispered consultations
with Elspeth, who, with her strong. viz
orous face and figure, stood like . toTar 81
strength amongst them all. She ut the
fire and prepared the breakfast quietly for
the last time, lied on little Frida's hood
and her own, slung the bundle she had
been preparing to her waist, and then.
turning to her husband, said, in strange,
firm voice:
81 am ready; let us 60"
Like man in dream, he followed her,
silently; only as they crossed the thresh-
old, he took her hand and said:
I'VE have been very happy here, wife;
Heaven keep and bless thee" and kissed
her cheek.
For a moment her heart failed her, and
she turned and chung to him-for mo-
ment only, and then she set her teeth hard,
and walked steadily forward. The gate OF
the town was open; in the plain below
you could see the great Conrad's army
drawn up in proud array, their tents
glistening in the morning light. In the
town the burghers crowded round the
walls and thronged the gates, as the sad
and silent procession of women and little
children advanced towards it.
When Elspeth reached the Warder's
tower, she stopped and placed the hand of
| the little daughter in Heinrich's, bidding
him to see to the child; then in a clear,
loud voice, she cried
women of Weinsbergl 1 have read the
edict; it is true and sure and the Hohen-
staufen has pledged his honor to keep faith
with us. The women shall depart in safety,
and may carry with them the great
est of their treasures So be it, Conrad
and thus we women of Weinsberg answer
your proclamation )" then suddenly fling
band, she raised him on her back, crying
to the neighbor at his side,
LEND hand, there, Jacob, and place
him firmly end thou, husband, hold fast
and fear nothing. I'll carry thee to the
tent of Conrad himself"
And so from the beleaguered town, in
quaint but solemn procession, moved men
and women, two and two. Many were the
slips, and hard the task to be accomplished,
but with unfaltering steps the brave Els
peth marched at their head, with her chill
dren beside her, and her husbands long
legs dangling helplessly by her apron on
she went, stern and silent, with her face
well set towards the plain only as she
passed the great Hohenstaufen himself as
he stood before his tent, she paused to say ::
Pardon, good Conrad, that cannot make
thee fitting obeisance, but my treasure is
fairly heavy, and have much ado to carry
him; 80 | wish thee good even, and many
thanks for thy courtesy"
"Potz tausendl Bonner and Blitz |!
Hammer and tongs and three dozen ten
penny tintacks!" cried Conrad, using the
favorite explosives of his time, that l, the
great Hohenstaufen, should live to be out
witted by a woman"