The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1872-12-29

voice. ~ fee 1 have done thee wrong Par
don mo 4! for shall not speedily forgive myself
On! 90 ask from me something IN my PI hav,nS
wrongsd in thought ono who has been TO me
and mine SO generous in action"
III yor see me do aught that n Is eIlap fsr-
believe it springs from o desire to serve you. |
Believe we'll Of lara, and pray for her; she has
nought else to ask of you, Princess"
Chapter XIT-Ihe Death Combat.
It was some hours past midday, and the
shades of evening were descending upon the
earth, as the folds of the lefty and caPaclo9s
tent of Prince Swein " ere rolled back by cordS
of gold, displaying the interior OF the royal
tent, ut which were to BE- seen, seated at the
head of large crescent shaped banquetine ia
BILE, the Prince of Denmark aud the frlncess
Florine, and around them her attendant ladies',
and the chief knights Of the pripce's army.
Within the crescent-shaped table, which
stretched from side to side. and the outermost
edge of the tent, there was q wide epace unoc-
cupied, except by minstrels and mountebanks,
they came by turns to seek Tor applause
from the multitudes that thronged around, and
in addition to such applause, pecunlary re-
ward for their talents or their tricks, from
lords and ladies seated at the festive board.
The tent of Prince Swein was directly front.
hundred yards of it's very brink. As it lay thus
open to it's widest extent, everything that
passed in its interior was dscernible from the
walls of the ruined fertilization on the oppo.
site side. Between the front of the tent and
the borders of the ravine no gua-d was sta-
toned, as it was deemed to he inaccess!bie.
On this occasion, as on proceeding evening",
| the front of the tent was occupied by soldiers
| and camp followers who came to listen to the
music, or to be amused by the sports which
were intended to add to the pleasures OF the
banquet.
Bards presented themselves, who sung to
| willing listeners fragments Of old northern sa-
odin and Erea and OF " bagT
| and the merciless Valkyries, who loved the odor
| of dead bodies, and delighted in listening to
the shrieks of the wounded; of Hertha, and
Bertha, and Sunna, and Manni and these
| were succeeded by minstrels, who told In
rhyme what Turpin has compiled in Latin prose
of Charlemagne, and Roland, and Oliver and
how the upbelieving Saracens had been slain
by brave Christian knights; of the traitor Can
MO, and the sad conflict of Runcicevalles; and
cheers were mingled with tears, as the themes
touched upon, excited the admiration, or at
fected the feelings of the listeners.
The evening was wearing away, as many
others had previously done, in innocent recre-
alton and harmless merriment, in pastime not
unbecoming q Christian encanipment to ENJOY,
nor Christian Prince to preside over
In this manner were passing the hours of tho
was restored to her cousin, who now sat by
her side, and behind both, concealed in the
garb of mental attendant, was the watchful
cara.
On a sudden there were heard outsde the
tent loud shrieks of laughter from the multi
tude, with the cries" Back back! make
room for the new juggler! Oh! wonder OF
wonders make way for him! There he goes,
rolling. rolling into tho midst of Knights and !
ladies. prince and princess, oh! wonderful!
wonderful! and thrice wonderful"
And as these words were SO uttered, IN tnete
came, spinning round like a wheel, with
outstretched hands and legs, upon which be
turned as he went, man dresser hHe an
Arab. His head was covered with red cap,
kept on, as if it were tightly fastened by some
adhesive matter to the skull; the mans brown
was q tight-fitti1g white jerkin, fastened at
the waist BY o red sash, in which .were three
swords of various lengths, and two daggers, all
unsheathed, and all of glittering brightness,
which flashed across the eye by his ineessant
motions, but remained, in all the rapldlty OF
his turnings, immoveably within the close
fitting sash.
As soon as the Arab had reached tho centre
of the unoccupied space, he stopped suddenly.
He stood for an instant on his feet, and then
bounded abeut three feet from the ground, he
hands, and as he did so, with his legs kicking
high above him, and playing with them all
sorts Of antio tricks, he waiSsa n Mh;1:y
the whole audience within the tent as well as
the lockers on outside were roaring their ap-
plause, or bursting with laughter at the man
II ner in which the thin, agile legs were caperihS
in the air, there was one who did not smile, Dut
kept Watching the black dazzling eyes OF the
juggler, and who perceived that ne was taxing
particular notice of the situation OF each per-
| son at the table, and above all, had liked his
eye for full minute upon the smiling, uncon-
scious, transporting face of SVEN and she ne
who watched him seeing this, whispered in
the ear of Florine-" Do not pay attention to
whatever 1 do; but believe it is done to serve
4 you. Believe in me and pray for me; )" and
with these words lara disappeared from the
2 banquetiug hall of the tent.
, The juggler had passed and passed again the
interior Of the wide space reserved for acrobats
and mountebanks, delightipg all by the oddity
of his attitudes, when he again suddenly isnl
leapirig high in the air, came squattlng down
upon the ground; and after tnmbling head
over heels as if he were in pain, and injured by
the fall, he again sat still, and taking out some
balls, he began to cast them in the air, making
them perform all serts of changes, and again
provoking admiration and winning applause
by the dexterity Of his motions.
When his plav with the bal 8 had ceased, he
took up the three swords and daggers, dinginG
them in the air, catching them as tley fell, and
Mt last exciting almost as much horror as ad
miration, when he appeared to be standing il
the midst of death, by the shower of armed
| o1 ANITA " desc me