The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1875-01-17

father SECS me! Thought be; and his breath
came moro freely, his muscles acquired new
strength, and his spirit rose with o loftier con,
tempt of death. The golden knight warned
him repeatedly mot to expose himself 80 reok.
lesaly; but these varnings sounded in Adolf's
ears like the sweesess praise. and made him
only more rash and daring. It was fortunate
for him that stronger arm than his own
shielded his life, and that one was by his aldo
who had vowed. in true paternal love, to pro-
tect him to the utmost Of his power.
A single banner alone now remained stand
log In all the French host; the royal standard
still waved it's gittering folds, its silver lilies,
and all the sparkling Jewels with which the
arms Of France were embroidered. Guy point
cd with his hand to the place where it stood,
and cried to the golden knight, 'Yonder stands
our prizep
They redoubled their efforts to break throug h
the French host, but without avail, until Adolf
van Nieuwland, finding favorable spot,
pierced alone the masses of the enemy, and
fought his way to the great standard. What
hostile hand, what enyious spirit, impelled the
youthful warrior thus to certain and untimely
death Had they known what hot and bitter
tears were shed for him at that moment, how
fervently and with how many repetitions his
name came before God on the wings of o maid
ems prayers, they could not have thus ruth
leesly consigned him to destruction For the
royal banner was circled round by band of
noble and valiant knights, who had sworn by
their troth and by their honor that they would
die rather than suffer it to be taken from their
keeping. And what could Adolf do against
the flower of French ohivalryf Words of
scornful haunting greeted him, countless swords
waved above his head; and, Notwithstanding
his marvellous intrepidity, he could NO longer
defend himself. Already his blood streamed
from beneath his helm, and his eyes were
olouded by the mists of death. Feeling tn at
his last moment was come, he cried, "Matilda I
Matilda farewellw and gathering up his re-
naming strength, he threw himself, with the
energy of despair, upon the swords of his foes,
forced his way through them to the standard,
and wrenched it from the standard-bearer; but
it was torn from him in an instant by number
less hands, his strength forsook him, he fell
forward on his horse, and the whelming sea of
foes closed over him.
The golden knight saw in o moment the dan
ger of Adolf; he thought of the hopeless an
guish of the wretched Matilda were her be-
loved to die. by the hand of the enemy and
turning to his men, he cried, with a voice
which rose like thunder-clsp above the crash
of battle:
"Forward, men Of Flandersp
Like the raging sea, which chafss against its
embankment with fury irresistable-like that
sea whom, under some overmsstering wave, the
impediment to It's mad career has been svept
away, and IL rolls Its foaning pillows over the
plain, tearing up the trees by their roots, and
dashing whole villages to the ground-sc
sprang forward the herd of Flemish lions at
tho cry Of the unknown knight
The French wero burning wish too fierce 3
courage for the Fiemings to hope to overthrow
them by one impetuous onset; but tho clubs
and halberds fell thick and fast as hail upon
them. Long and desperate was the struggle
men and horses were mingled together in indie
soribable confusion but coon the French
knights were so hemmed in that they could
not move, and they were driven slowly from
their position. The axe of the golden knigh,
had cleared his way to the standard, and he
was closely followed by Guy and Arnold var
Oudenarde, with o few of the bravest Elem
ings. He looked anxiously in the direction o.
the banner for the green plume of Adolf var
Nieuwland; but it was not to be seen, and he
thought he perceived it further on amongst
the Flemings. The forty chosen knights who
stood ranged around the standard now rushed
upon the golden knight; but he welded his
axe with suoh effect that not sword touched
BIN. His frst blow crushed the head of Aliu
de Bretagne, his second broke the ribs of Rich.
ard de Falaise, and all around the Flemings
emulated his valor. The bearer of the standard
capture; but Robert with one blow thrust
aside three or four of his foes. and pursued
him into the midst of q group of Frenchmer
at some distance from the spot where the con
Hict was raging, and succeeded at length in
graspipg the prize. A whole troop of knights
now assaulted him to retake the banner; but
the golden knight, placing his spear in its rest
dashed impetuously amongst his pursuers
And thus he won his way back to the Flemish
army, whore he held aloft the captured stand.
ard, and cried, " FLANDERS the Lion | the VIC
tory is ours y
He was answered by an universal shout OF