The herald and mail. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1873-188?, 1875-07-30
By HORSLEY & co,

| hfth traveller, who crossed on the op
posite side.
"Hasten thy steps, MagueIonne
Prince Herbert is dying of grief, for he
has been told his young wife has been
carried off on the journey, and that
they do not know what has become OF
her."
"Day of misery |" cried the poor
| girl, "let us separate, my brother, and
let us pray to God to conduct me to the
man to whom belong"
They saw her then pale and tremb-
| ling press on alone with her horse.
But the sky became darker than night
| the tempest broke loose with violence
! gloomy birds flew through the darkness,
skimming with their heavy wings
the soft checks of the young bride.
Her horse, overcome by terror, rose on
his feet. MaguelOnne let herself slide
to the ground, and continued the jour-
ney on foot the thickets caught her
dress in their thOrny arms, the stones
tore her shoes of velvet in shreds and
made her delicate feet bleed.
At this moment her hermit met her.
All father" said Maguelonue, "take
pity on my misfOrtunes. OF my three
brothers, the eldest is wounded, the
second is a captive, the third has gone
to help the other two. The duke of
Provence, my father, has perished in
the great river, and my mother has
been buried under the ruins of our
house and Prince Herbert is perhaps
dying at this moment, and has not God
said: "A woman shall leave father and
mother, go with her husband and leave
all to follow him p Tell me, man of
God, if have acted well?"
"ThOu art a noble and courageous
woman, Maguelonne.
Then, how miraculous the heavens
cleared away, the tempest subsided in
the distance, and while the rain poured
in drops from the leaves of the trees
the birds began to sing.
"Ten me, holy father, what does
this signify ?" Behold, the sun shines
again, the trees are quiet, and the birds
sing"
"This signifies that we approach the
domain of Prince Herbert, for Joy goes
before the woman whose husband waits
for her."
"But see, everywhere my feet rest
the earth is covered with verdure and
flowers"
"This is because thy feet will never
more be wounded with stones and
briers, my daughter"
"Tell me again, is it not a dream
1t seems to me that high and rugged
mountain decreases and lowers itself to
the level of the plain ?"
"Is it because the dwelling of thy
husband, the prince, will soon appear"
And so it was the palace of the
prince could now be seen but the front
looked somber, and the windows seemed
as though they had not been opened for
long while.
Glow gloomy the house looks
They will say, alas that no one is
living to inherit it"
"Life will only enter there when
thou dOst, Maguelonne, for it is a noble
and beautiful woman who is the life of
the house"
At these words the hermit disap-
peared, and Maguelonne having taken
a few steps further, touched the door of
the palace with the tip of her foot, the
door opened, and in nome 1t the
whole house seemed Illuminated the
most delicious music sounded through
the vast galleries, and Prince Herbert,
arrayed, hurried followed
by his retainers, to present his hand to
"Thou art most welcome here" said
he, "thou who art the life Of the
house 20
Then Maguelonne smiled and colored
in nrecognizing in her handsome husband
the hermit who came to her in the
forest. But that which was the greatest
surprise of all was to find in the large
hall the old duke, her mother and her
bcothers, who waited for her in festive
costume.
"Be blessed, dear child" said the
duke, "thou who hast preferred thy
husband to all others; thou shalt be a
noble lady and SHAFT command many
servants. For God is my witness, if
thou hadst failed in this trial the doors
of a convent would have shut thee in
forever"
Having thus spoken he embraced
MaguelOnne, and there were brilliant
festivities held on this occasion which
were heard of throughout all Christen-
dom.