Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1871-07-19
VOL. XI.

/ To-.
the crimes they were meant TO atone
for2 Well, for all that the atonements
prescribed by Brabma, Vishnu, silva
, Osiris, Jehovah, were all good, sacred
and effective. So load this he-goai
with our curse, and pitch him over
] order you; for at this moment [ an
Rillumined of the Spirit, and [ see will
my inspired vision relations between
the goat and mortal sins only I can
not give them words, so am 7 dazzleC
by the celestial light? "
Salomon did not stir L even though
| l detected a smile, at which my indig
nation waxed not.
"How," cried I, "when I point out
an easy and infalhble way to escape
the just penalty of your crime, you
hesitate, doubt; nay, you smrle D
No." said he; ''but [ am not used
to walking on the brink of precipices,
and I should be afraid of going over in
to the Holderloch with the goat.
'FAh, coward, you never showed
pluck but once in your life,-to get
done with it once for all Well, since
you refuse to accomplish the sacrifice |
enioin, [ viii do it myself. :"
And rose to my feet.
"Christian! Christian " he cried,
&c take care; you are not sure-footed
| just now.
'FNot sure-footed Do you dare to
say I'm tipsy because I have had a
dozen 'chopes, and three glasses Of
schnaps this morning? Book, son of
Belial, back
And going to within few feet above
the goat, with head raised and hands
outspread.
+" Hazazel cried [, with solemn
voice. go goat of sorrow and expia-
ton
A sacred, almost divine rage pos
sessed me. [ saw not the chasm. [
walked on the ledge like cat.
The goat, seeing me approach, look
ed steadily at me moment, and then
backed off
"Haln . cried I, it is useless to flee
thou shall not escape me, 0 thou ac-
cursed! I have thee
Christian, Christian, y groaned Sal
ONION, without intermission, g for
heavens sake don't risk your life so. J"
'Be quiet, faint-hearted; you are
unworthy of my devotio on to your well
fare But your f1iend Christian never
yields. Hazazel must perish.
| A little further Oh the ledge narrow
ed down to a point. The goat, having
| looked at me a second time, backed out
once more, but with some hesitation.
''Ah, thou art beginning to under
stand, " 7 said eyes, yes, when I get
thee ever there in the corner, down
thou goest.
In fact, having got quite to the end
where the ledge gave out, Hazazel seem
ed greatly at loss while drew nearer,
transported with sacred enthusiasm,
and laughing beforehand at the beautl-
full tumble he would have.
saw him four PAGES off, and was just
getting a firm grasp OF a holly bush,
planted IN the rock, to kick out.
Look, Salomon, look at the accurs-
ed beast y
But at this moment I caught a furi-
Gus blow in the stomach, = butt, which
but for my grasp on the holly, would
have sent me into the Holderloch.
The rascally goat, feeling concerned
had begun the attack.
| Fancy my astonishment. Before
could get my wits about me, up he went
on his hind legs, and came down on his
horns again, with hollow thud in The
pit of my stomach.
What position Never was a man
more taken by surprise. The world
seemed upside down, as if [ were in a
bad dream. The precipice with It's
| Jagged cliffs, began to dance beneath
me, and the trees and sky over my
head. At the same time I heard Salo
mons shrill cry, "Help help! while
| Hazazel's horns went on punching my
ribs.
Hereupon my presence OF mind for
sock me- The goat, with his long red
beard, and his horns beating a rhythmic
tattoo, now on my staggering legs,
seemed the very devil incarnate. My
g1asp relaxed-I let go. Fortunately
something = knew not what-kept me
upright and stopped my fall. 1t was
Yeri, the Holderloch shepherd, who,
from the plateau above, had hooked
me in the collar with his crook.
Thanks to this succor, instead Of
plunging into the abyss, [ sank down
on the ledge, while the terrible goat
]
FECome here; hold my crook fast, y
cried the shepherd. E'Tll go down for
him. Don't let gol
"Don't be afraid, aswered Solomon.
All this [ heard as IN dream-feel-
ing and motion were gone.
A few moments later, [ was stretch
ed on the summit Yeri, the shepherd,
six feet tall, and lusty as an oak, had
picked me up in his arms and landed
me on the moss.
As [ opened my eyes, I saw the giant
before me, his gray eyes buried deeE
under shaggy brows and what with his
yellow beard and the sheep-skin over
! his shoulders [ fancied [ had come tC
life in the age of Gidipus, at which
[ no little marveled.
"Well," " said the shepherd, in gut
tural tone s'that viii teach you not tC
curse my goat.
Just then I noticed Hazazel rubbing
himself against his masters leg, with
neck outstretched and an lrOnlcal leel
on his features while Solomon Elias,
standing behind me, was doing his
best not to laugh.
Little by little, my scattered ideas
fell into order. / sat up, though will
difficulty, for Hazazel had pounded m'
lame and sore
cit is you who saved me, said l t.
the shepherd.
eyes, my lad"
"Wel, you are a good fellow.
take back my curse from your goat
Here, take this"
And 1 handed him my purse, will
, about sixteen forms in it,
{ can right, said he: ''you can be
gan over again if you choose 1t vii
be fairer fight up here; down ther
the goat had all the chances. -
" Thank you, L have enough of that
Shake hands, my good fellow, [ shan
forget you. Elias, lets's be off "
So my comrade anG 1, arm in arm
went down the hill. The shepherd
resting on his crook, watched us from
!, afar, and the goat had gone back to hi
walk on the edge of the ravine.
The sky was brilliantly clear, and tn
air laden with the thousand odors of th
mountains, brought to our ear the dis
tant notes of the mountain horn an
the dull roar OF the torrent,