Ashtabula telegraph. (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1874-1880, 1876-06-09


bridge without staring "August" u
the face, or regarding him in III,
rear. He, it was, who founded the
chief. of the renowned art collec
tions of Saxony's capitalize Pic
ture Gallery, the Green Vault anc
the Museums. All visitors to th,
Historical Museum viii remembel
the broken horseshoe, snapped il
two by the Royal grasp, and the ire
mendous helmet, said to have beer
worn by the Saxon Sampson.
All students of German history
will be only too familiar with BIZ
name and his deeds, and no reaiel
of Carlyle's Life of Frederick tbs
Great, can ever forget that writer.
graphic description of the charaetel
Of stAugust, the Physically Strong,
bis $50 irregular children, and tht
big hammock he baked the biggest
that was ever baked-at the camp
Muehlberg.
Augustus was the tallest and the
strongest, as well as the widest and
most handsome, man of his time
At the age of II he was skilled II
all manly and martial exercises; nc
leap was too wild for him; he was
equally ready for a bout with a fen.
cing-master and wrestling-matcf
with a blacksmith; he could crush 5
goblet in his grasp, break horse
shoe in his hand, stop mad bulliT
his full career, and suspend a fully
accoutred trumpeter at arms length
Augustus, whilst still a young
man, succeeded his brother, in 1894
in the Electorate of Saxony. Am
bilious of military renown, he Joined
the Imperial army with a cotingeni
of Saxon troops, received the su
preme command of the combined
Christian forces, and then led then
against the Turks on the lower Dan
ube. The world believed that an
other Samson had arisen, and thai
the inhdel hosts would be smitter
hip and thigh, as were the Philis
tines of old by the strong man Of
Zorah. But in two campaigns The
Elector was worsted by the Crane
Vizier, aud, after the disastrous bat
tie of Olaska, the young Prince
felt himself constrained to surrend
Z er his command to Eugene of Savoy
I 1t was during one Of his visits tC
Vienna, ct this period of his life
that the Elector of Saxony discov
cred the nearest way to Purgatory
He was the guest of Joseph, tn,
Emperor's eldest son, a prince wht
enjoyed the honorary title of Kins
of the Romans, and with whom bt
had contracted an intimate friend
ship. One night, Augustus, as wa
rather his habit, had retired to bee
at late, or, more properly, at al
early honr, and just closed his eye
in sleep, when he received a mos
urgent summons from his royal anC
imperial friend to go with him imme
diately. He went, and was aston
ished to find his Romish Majesty
whom he had left the previous even
ing, apparently in the enjoyment o.
excellent health-lying prone upoI
his couch, with closed eyes anG
eountenance of death-Iike pallor
teeth chattering convulsively, big
gouts of perspiration standing OF
his brow; and when he attempted
to speak, broken and scarcely dis
tinguishable words alone fell from
his trembling lips.
"Good heavens!" cried the Elect
or, "what ails your Majesty p"
GA most horrible thing has hap
pened, and 1 must soon die; but
what most concerns me, my noble
guest, is, that for you, even worse
fate is reserved; not death only
which is the common lot of all-but
eternal woe. Sit down and lister
to my tale !' Augustus took seat
and his Romish Majesty continued
s'This night have beheld the
most awful apparition ever beheld
of mortal eyes. had slept, perhaps
two hours, when, suddenly awaking
1 heard a sound of footsteps. Think
ing some improper person had OBJ
tanned access. to the room, / ex.
tended my hand for the purpose Of
r.
ringing for my People-when-wher
i heard the rafting of chains, and
there stood at the foot of my bed 8
tall and ghostIy figure, clad ii
mouldy and grave-stained garments
The spectre in a terrible voice ad
dressed me thus:
a'Joseph! Josephi Romish King,
/ am an unhappy soul, condemned
for space to burn in Purgato rial
fires. Sent by thy guardian angel,
/ come to warn thee from the i'm
pending ruin to which Thy friendship
with the Elector of Saxony is ex-
posing thee. Forswear at once this
fatal friendship, or prepare for sud
den death and the tortures of the
damnedi,
aIIerewith the chains again rat
tied horribly, and I became speech
less with fear.
"sThou answerest not! Is thy
salvationi OF no moment to thee ?
resumed the phantom. sTwo DAYS
are granted thee for reflection; on
the third night from this | return
for my answer
"With these words, my frightful
v1sitant disappeared, and ! was
found half.dead with fear. For my!
self cared but little, but for, you,
my dear cousin, I am deeply con-
eerned. Only by returning to the
bosom Of the true Church, can you
be saved. Let me entreat you@
q 1sWas your Majesty fully awake
when thisahappened ?"
'sAs fully awake as you are now. =
"Then l should like to know" re-
the Prince, chow a ghost
can carry chains about and clank
them, or what the chains can be in
tended for. Is a spirit to be bound
in chains ? Somebody has evidently
played your Majesty a trick, with
the intent to injure me-"