The Hartford herald. [volume] (Hartford, Ky.) 1875-1926, 1875-03-03

1
had collected but few rare and insight;
cant documents, which may be summed
up in these two lines; "Rozel Abbey, in
Rozel township, was inhabited from time
immemorial by monks, who left it when
il fell in ruins" '''
/, . That is why 1 resolved to go without
further delay, and ask their secret Of these
mysterious ruins, and TO multiply, if need
be, the articles Of my pencil to make up
for the compulsory CONCESSION of my pen.
| left on Wednesday morning for the town
of Vitry, which is only two or three leagues
distant from the Abbey. ANorman coach,
compl cated with a Mormon coaehman,
logged me about all day, like an indolent
monarch, along the Mormon hedges =
When night came, had travelled twelve
miles and my coachman had taken twelve
meals The country is fine, though of a
character somewhat uniformly rustic
Under everlasting groves is displayed an
opulent and monotonous verdure, in the
thickness of which contented-looking oxen
ruminate. / can understand my coach
mans twelve meals; the idea of eating
must occur frequently and almost exclu>
sively to the imagination of any man who
spends his life in the midst of this rich ma
ture, the very grass of which gives an ap-
petite.
Toward evening, however, the aspect of
the landscape changed; weentered roll
ing prairie, quite low, marshy, bare as
Russian Steppe, and extending on both
sides of the road; the sound OF the wheels
on the causeway assumed hollow and
vibrating sorority; dark-colored reeds and
tall, unhealthy looking grass covered, as
far as the eye could reach, the blackish
surface of the marsh. / noticed in the
distance, through the deepening twilight,
and behind a cloud of rain, two or three
horsemen running at full speed, aud as if
demented, through these boundless spaces;
they disappeared at intervals in the de-
pressions of the meadows, and suddenly
came TO sight again, still galloping with
the same frenzy. could not imagine to-
wards what imaginary goal these eques>
ltrian phantoms were thus madly rushing.
| took good care not TO inquire: mystery
is sweet and sacred thing.
The next morning, / started for the Alb
hey, taking with me in my cabriolet tall
young peasant who had yellow hair, like
Ceres. He was a farm-boy who had lived
since bis birth within rod of my monu-
mept be had heard me in the morning
asking for information in the courtyard
of the inn, and had obligingly volunteered
10 show me the way to the rains, which
were the first thing he had seen on COM
ing into the world. had no need whats
ever of a guide; accepted, nevertheless,
the fellows offer, his otficious chattering
seeming 10 promise a well>sustained cons
versation, in the course of which / hoped
TO detect some interesting legend; but as
soon as he had taken his seat by my side
!, the rascal became dumb; MY questions
seemed even, j know not why, to inspire
him with a deep mistrust almost akin to
anger l had to deal with the genius of
the ruins, the faithful guardian of their
treasures. On the other hand, had the
qualification of taking him home in my
carriage; it was apparently all he wished,
and he had every reason to be satisfied
with my accommodating spirit.
After landing this agreeable companion
at his own door, it became necessary for
/ me to alight also; rocky path, or rather
q rude flight of stone steps, winding down
; the side of deep declivity, led me to the
I bottom of a narrow valley which spreads
. and stretches between a double chain oil
r high wooded hills. A small river flows
: lazily through it under the shade of alder
r bushes, dividing two strips of meadows az
/: fine and velyety as the lawns of park; il
: is crossed over an old bridge with single
: arch, which reflects in the placid water the
: outlines of its graceful ogiye. On the right
: the hills stand close together in the form
! of circus, and seem to join their YER
, dure-clad curves; on the LETT they spread
: out until they became merged in the deel
{ and sombre masses of vast forest The
= valley is thus closed on all sides, and of
e fers picture of which the calm, the fresh,
j ness, and the isolation penetrate the soul.
: The ruins of the Abbey stand with theil
= back against the forest What remains
d of the Abbey proper is not great deal
e At the entrance of the courtyard, a mon
e umental gateway; a wing of the building
D dating from the twelfth century, in which
i dwell the family of the miller of whom
: | am the guest; the chapter-hall, remark
= able for some elegant arches and few
6 remnants OF mural painting; finally, TIVE
d or three cells, one of which seems to hav,
/, been used for the purposes of correction
= if l may judge from the solidity of tn,
= door and the strength of the bolts. The
j. rest has been torn down, and may be founC
e in fragments among the cottages of tn
: neighborhood. The church, which hai
e almost the proportions of cathedral, il
IS finely preserved, and produces a marvel
# lous effect. The portal and the apis hav
4 alone disappeared; the whole interior ar
If chitecture, the covings, the tall columns
D, are intact and as if built yesterday. There
e it seems that an artist must have preside,
y over the work Of destruction: a masterl
IF stroke of the pick-ax has opened at t6
D. two extremities of the church, where stoo,
Ie the portal and where stood the altar, tw
1, gigantic bays, so that, from the threshold
% of the edifice, the eye plunges into the for
Of est beyond as through deep triumpha
,e arch. In this solitary spot the effect j
II unexpected and solemn. / was delighte
IN with it. "Monsieur," said to the miller
who, since my arrival, had been watchin
e, my every step from distance with tina
al fierce mistrust which is a popularity c
e, this part of the country, 81 have been re
is quested to examine and to sketch thes
= ruins. That work willrequire several days
~ could you not spare me daily trip fror
d, the town to the Abbey and back, by fur
IN nishing me with such accommodations a
r. you can, for a week or two?'
X The miller, thorough Norman, exam
lg ined me from head to foot without answer
ns ing, like a man who knows that silence
he of gold; he measured me, he gagged m,
es he weighed me, and finally, opening hi
- Aour-coated Inns he calla1 h;s w;fa Tb