The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1875-12-08

as vet, WITHOUT hu eAccptlOn on IN
: side of their oppressors; and to AM
one of whom they would have deem
/! ed it madness to apply in the hope o
} sympathy and succor. They started
aud gszed upon him, some ready t
rush upon him in the thought that b
was leagued with their foemen, wh,
had bemmed them round about, AM
, that he had come to bid them surren
der or perish-others in mute amaze
He spoke: t
"Men of Appenzell,1 he said
. these are the self same words which
faithful history records the noble
hearted Rudolph to have spoken
"The Dukes army is again in motion
and even now, perhaps violating oul
sacred frontier. Ye all know mt
who and whence am! Stript OF my
Inheritance | have nothing but the
sword Of Werdenberg and my incor-
ruptible faith; these offer you with
a heart warm as your cause. VII
you receive me as free fellow citi'
ZeD?"
| One glance at the high earnestness
! OF his look, had been an assurance Of
bis faith 10 very strangers; but these
knew that the word of Rudolph had
never been broken.
"We will we will cried all, in
one glad echoing shout, on which
Rudolph threw down his casque,
stripped himself of his armor, and
insignia of his nobility, and arraying
himself in the humble dress of a
mountain shepherd exclaimed
| Now / am free indeed! and wear
ing the garb of freemen, henceforth
| will WELD only the sword of free.
dom and live or die in its cause," A
second stunning acclaim greeted this
glorious avowal, On the spot be was
elected their general and to him was
committed the conduct of the war.
Linda had been sent into the fast
nesses of the interior, under the es-
cort of the horsemen, and be devoted
himself at once to the great work.
Fortiications were thrown up along
the frontier; troops were enrolled and
banded; fresh league was entered
into with st. Gall, and all was ready
for the invaders.
Hope was high-as unfaltering re-
solve for Rudolph of Werdenberg
was their general, and their war cry
was Freedom and Appenzell y
The freedom fight approached. One
body of the Austrians crossed the
boundary on q drizzly day in June,
and began the ascent Of the Andell-
stoss.
They made slow, laborious pro-
gress, for the grass was short, and
the path was rendered slippery by
the rain. The remembrance of the
most dreadful arms of the shepherd
warroirs in days gone by-days of
victory to the unframed men of the
mountains-the trees that grew upon,
ana the ROCKS that formed part of the
overtoppling crags-was also upon
their souls and impaired silence of
strange fear, as they slowly mounted
the steep; those war trained meD,
who. on the open plain, were brave
to the last ia victory or defeat. But
here was untried unknown action;
here was foe who could fight as
well on the mountain side as in the
open plain, and who came, too, with
a burst like the thunder stroke.
So was it now; once we'll upon the
steep, and down came huge masses
of rock and logs of timber into their
midst, crushing in horrid destruction,
and inspiring the terror, which dan
ger so unavoidable by any effort
unseen, as it was-eould not save
but create. Yet the troops marched
Oh, over the bodies of the slain. But
when they had attained half the as
cent, Rudolph gave the signal to
charge. Freedom and Appenzell!"
shouted four hundred voices, and
with the shout the Appenzellers rush,
ed forth, barefooted-for so they
could tread firmly the slippery ground
and fell upon the disordered ranks.
Rudolph-barefooted too, and with
manly voice and vigorous action,
when the fight was thickest-urged
his fellows on The Austrians threw
aside their bows, for the rain had re-
laxed and rendered the strings use-
less, and with sword and spear fought
bravely to maintain their ground
They were moved down in dreadful
havoc; but their numbers were con-
stantly increased, and the places of
those who fell Immediately supplied
by the thousands in the rear. Thus
they were but kept at bay. and yield
ed not an inch But Rudolph of Wer-
denbere had planned the fight and
now at the critical moment, . fresh
body Of Appendices. unseen as yet,
came rushing from the wood, and
made as il to fall upon the enemy's
rear and cut off its retreat. Then
the terror was complete-ihen the
panic struck Austrians turned, every
man for himself, and fled adown the
steep. For six horFs they were pur-
sued along the Rhienthal, like a
frightened 6erd, and when they were
left to rally at last, their bravest
were not Of lhem-for they were
sleeping on bloody pillows on the
steeps Of the Au-den-stoss and along
the reeking valley.
Thus for one body of the vaunt-
ing foe. The sky is clearer for APP
pencil.
In the meantime, the other divis
ion Of the Austrians. with whom was
the Duke in person, spread desola-
ZION through all the country as it adj
vaneed. ravaging and burning, and
surrounded, in their martial and i'm
posing array, the ramoarts Of st.
Gall.
The town, however. was too well
manned and fortified to be taken
without longer siege, and severer
struggle than the Duke cared to waste
upon it; SO his intention was chang
ed, and he proceeded, in his antici-
pated triumph o. vengeance, towards
Arbon.
But its Inhabitants, formed into
numerous bands, fell upon sis ad-
vanced guard % every side with