Prescott journal. [volume] (Prescott, Wis.) 1861-1871, 1871-06-07

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consciously turned in her fingers while
addressing TO God prayers mingled with
tears: at length, overcome with fatigue,
she fell asleep. Her sleep lasted the
whole night, and when she awoke, the
first rays of the sun were dancing joyous.
ly across the window. She uttered a
cry Of surprise as she glanced at the Ia
bic, for there on the sheet of parchment
was an admirable drawing representing
the facade of the cathedral as it appears
to-day. God had undoubtedly beard
the prayer of Erwin's daughter, and had
sent one Of HIS angels to trace for her the
marvellous design which must gain the
prize.
In fact, it sufficed but to present it to
the members of the council for them TO
decide unanimously that the young girl
alone was capable of completing the work
her father had commenced. AT her re-
quest, however, her brother was associ-
ated with her, and Bernard de Sunder
offered himself as an assistant; but Poly
dore, tormented with Jealousy, went
away in silence.
Jean and Sabine took up their abode
in the great court of the church, in order
to watch more closely the achievement of
their plans, endowed suddenly with an
unaccountable and supernatural gift, Sa-
hine seemed exempt from the laws of
time. Hardly were her ideas conceived
before they were miraculously wrought
out; her chisel multiplied ornaments
around Erwin's edifice, aud the rapid Gre
alton of so many masterpieces was mex
plicable. Sabine herself was apparently
unable to solve the mystery.
Meanwhile, the great figure destined
for the portal of the clock had received
the last touch. She had it placed in po-
sition, but this process occupied the entire
day, and il was necessary to wait till the
following morning to judge of the effect
produced by the statue. At early dawn
Sabine FASTENED with the crowd eager to
behold the new chef d'euvre. Horror
and desolation! During the night the
statue had been mutilated and the great
or part Of the decoration so recently
executed by Sabine shamefully marred.
An outcry of astonishment arose on all
sides; but this was soon succeeded by
dubious murmurs. What hand could
have impaired the labor of the young?
Was it the hand of man or demon I?
"The devil never destroys the works
of those whom he protects!' objected q
voice. And as they wondered, the same
voice recounted the strange expeditions
ness with which Sabine had dispatched
all this labor, her unexpected triumph in
the competition instituted by tue council,
her affectation of living in thought and
solitude. These suspicious, sown in the
in the multitude, speedily took root The
young girl had invollntarily imbittered
many hearts. both by her good fortune
and her beauty; and the report spread
that God refused the works of Erwin's
daughter, because they were the inspira-
ton of an evil spirit. Dismayed by this
accusation, Sabine withdrew to the little
studio where she was wont to prosecute
her task, and remained until evening in
prayers and tears.
Bernard do Sundor, after vainly at
tempting to console her, sought his own
retreat, opposite the tower; but the sor
row Of his betrothed greatly distressed
him, and banished all hopes of Sleep
He arose and leaned sadly on his window.
The night was dark; the wind roared
through the vast, deserted tower, and
great drops of rain beat violently against
the slabs Of stone, Bernard, wholly pre-
occupied, rested his head on bis hand.
Suddenly, hard, reiterated sound, like
that of hammer breaking stone, inter
rupted the stiffness of the night. The
young German raises his head. Before
him, on the highest scaffold, a shadow is
visible. The form cannot be distinguish
ed, but the movement and the noise made
it evident that the destruction began on
the previous night is being effected. Der
nard starts and bends forward, when an
other sound strikes upon his ear; it is the
more cautious and regular fall of the
mallet upon the sculptor's chisel. He
turns, and, at the other extremity of the
tower, he perceves white vision, which
dexterouslY repairs the outrages of the
hostile hand. From either side the re-
sponsive blows follow in quick alienation.
Here the dark shadow inadvertently des-
troys, there the white phantom steadily
restores. But all at once the latter stops;
il has heard the sound of the inimical
hammer; 1t springs up. as a ray of light
traverses the scaffolding, leaps over the
inter-columinations. gldes along the cor
nices, and arrives, like a thunderbolt, in
front of the sinister shadow. At this
moment the moon, emerging from a
cloud, casts pale CLEAN athwart the
indented stones, and Bernard recognizes
Sabine and Polydore!
Polydore, startled by the approach of
the white apparation, and seeing Erwin's
daughter with fixed eyes, quivering lips,
and angry brow, recois with a shrek,
and, losing his balance, falls dead on the
court. Bernard, terrified, asscends
swiftly, rushes toward the tower, and
reaches it in time to receive in his arms
the young girl, who is just awakening.
All was now explained. 1t was easily
understood how Sabine-thanks to SOM
nambulism, which made her sleep new
period of toil-had accomplished such
prodigies, aud how envious hatred had
endeavored to ruin all.
BERNARD married the maiden. now so