The Portland daily press., 1872-12-06


n. Z. saesr q the day that he should demand
u am Colonel, staff, and am Commissioned
with the execution of His Majesty's decree
Tor the destruction of the four Swedish
cities"
"FoI the present you are and will remain
the prisoner of the commandant of Greies-
wald. Your sword, colonel.'' -"
Seeing that remonstrance was useless
Stan handed ms sword to the young officer,
who an hour before had waited on him and
received his orders at the inn, The corn-
mandant then ordered him to be conducted to
the nearest guardhouse, and, before he rode
Iurther, gave the necessary directions for the
burial OF the Danish captain.
Inc sun already sank again in the west.
and from the sea there came cold. piercing
wind, but the trembling hundreds who had
crowded together on the market-place of
Ahklam seemed to take no note of the change
IN the temperature. They had come together
carry IN the morning for mutual consolation,
while they awaited their cruel fate For the
whole day the venerable pastor, Heydemann,
had been employed in speaking words Of
consolation and comfort to such of his trem-
Ding flock as seemed most depressed,
But who OF them ALL on this sad day, re-
llnquished more cherished hopes than did he
For himself, he could have borne their hard
lot without murmur; for him poverty and
misery had no terrors. Bnt at his side stood
his Maria, his only and dearly beloved daugh-
ter, whom he had hoped soon to marry to
the son OF his old friend, Rudow, handsome
and thriving young merchant. And now!
Before they were another day older, they
would all be beggars,; and the happiness of
the young people destroyed, perhaps forever.
This it was that made the good old mans
heart heavy, that prevented the words of
consolation he spoke to others from finding
an echo in his own bosom. A glance at his
anxious daughter, whose eyes We're fixed in
tently on the distant landscape, well-nigh
robbed him OF the little fortitude he had
left.
The youthful Carl Rudow had that morn
ing quietly left the city, taking the road to
Greifswald, that he might meet the terrible
Staff. He was cultivated young man. of
pleasing address, and endowed. with a per
| suaSive eloquence. His errand was to move,
If possible, the hard heart of the Russian.
The tradesmen of the city were ready to pay
large sum of money to have their town and
effects spared, or even for a respite ofa few
days. And now the young mans return was
awaited with painful anxiety, for the charac-
ter of the brutal Staff was SO well known that
scarcely hope was entertained of the sue
cess OF the generous young mans mission.
Hour after hour had passed-neither did
young Rudow return, nor did the redoubta-
BILE Colonel arrive as he had announced to
the people of Anklam he would do. 1t was
midday. Every hour the inebriated Russian
soldiers became more impatient to begin their
hellish work and less respectful of the rights
of the citizens who crowded closer and closer
around the older and more influential of their
number, ignorant whether this DELAY was the
harbinger of good or evil.
Evening approached, and vet no one
arrived from the direction of Greifswald.
The Russians becoming more lawless in their
impatience, began to plumber some of the
shops, and to drive the owners into the
streets.
While these scenes were being enacted, the
venerable Heydemann continued in the mar
ket-place, surrounded by his parishioners,
with his old friend Rudow on one side, and
his daughter on the other
1.-The sun is nearly down." said the pastor.
And where can Carl be? What can keep
him so long?' asked the donbly-anxious
Maria. @
Does this delay of the barbarous Staff
bode evil or good? Has the clernency of the
Car been extended, perhaps, to these un-
fortunate thousands? Heaven grant that it
may be sop said theapastor
Il see little ground for hope" replied the
merchant Rudow. staff delights in cruelty.
10 add to our misfortunes, he will surprise
us in the night, as heidi Wolgast Il it not
hard to believe in the justice of heaven, when
we see 80 many innocent people suffer at the
hands OF their unfeeling. but more powerful
neighbors ?'' -
The pastor was about to reproach his
neighbor mildly for his want of true Chris
tian humility, when Maria suddenly cried
out: a ~ -
There's Carl! See, there he comee! Oh!
thank Heaven that he has returnedr'
In moment the young man made his ways
through the crowd to where the pastor,
Maria, and his father stood
Where have you been so long, my son ?''
asked the pastor, reaching the young man his
hand, while Maria, in her Joy, threw herself
into his arms.
Sin Greifswald," replied Carl, nearly over
come with fatigue.
"And you return alone ?'' asked his father.
''Then you succeeded in persuading the bar
barous Staff?''
mo, l have not seen him."
And still he has not yet arrived here"
said the elder Rudow.
Nor will he to-day
Then the Imperial clemency has not been
extended to 'us?''
mo, our destruction seems to be certain
we are to share the same 6te az unfortunate
Wolgast, many of whose inhabitants saw on
the road, destitute and nearly famished, not
knowing what to do or which way to 20. [
sa" many sight that made my heart
bleed"
Carl went on to relate how he continued to
go forward until, not meeting Staff he had
arrived at Greifswald, where he had learned
all that had transpired between Staff and
Garrison, and concluded by assuring his listen
ers that for that night, at least, they could
sleep in peace.
The young man had scarcely finished his
was heard OH the pavement of the market