American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1876-09-23

n every mouth, and his glory seemed |
o be as firm as the foundations of his |
But he remained unmoved
BY all favors, and became only the more
gloomy in the midst of all the rejoicings
which resounded in his honor. He
grew visibly paler from his secret sor-
row, and when the time approached
with giant strides, when the consecra-
ton was to take place, a tormenting
anguish left him neither rest ror peace.
The citizens shook their heads mis-
trustfully, and pointed with expressive
gestures toward their foreheads, when
they saw the builder Fastening through
the streets like restless spirit. Singu-
lar and mysterious reports arose; at
first, insignificant and in jest, then,
gathering Importance as they passed
from mouth to mouth, were believed to
be true; and all fled from the gloomy
man, who avoided intercourse, and
seemed to be best pleased when left en-
tirely to himself.
These reports even reached the Arch
bishop, and, as he had been for long
time much troubled about the unsettled
state of the master, he took it upon
himself to question, him and admonish
him to repentance, If he was oppressed
by crime.
In accordance with this determine
ton, he summoned the builder into his
presence, and spoke very earnestly to
him about the welfare of his soul. The
kind words of the prelate touched the
heart of the deeply tortured man, and
with many tears, he communicated to
the listening priest the terrible secret
which had become too heavy for him
to bear. When he had ended, the Arch
bishop knelt down and prayed; the
master knelt also, but could not pray,
nothing but an agonized sob burst from
his breast, and sounded like an articu-
late laughter on his lips. zT
"You have sinned grievously, mas
ter" said the Archbishop, rising from
his knees, "not only in regard to the
salvation of your own soul, but of that
of another. Go home and try to pray.
1 will pray, also, that God may grant you
mercy and me knowledge how this ter
rible evil may be averted."
Pale and trembling, the builder went
slowly home, and tried to follow the
Archbishop,s advice. But it seemed as
if Heaven was closed against him, and
the power of hell turned his pious words
into words of defiance and scorn. He
threw the Holy Book, which he had tried
to read, with avid shrek into the cor
ner, beat his breast and forehead, and
finally sank insensible upon the floor
We can imagine the CONSERVATION Of
the citizens of Cologne, when they heard
that the first one who entered the church
would be lost forever. With horror,
they fled from the house of the builder
and even avoided mentioning his name
as if that would bring them into an un
pleasant contact with the evil one.
The part Of the cathedral which was
finished and ready for conservation
and even the ground upon which the
rest was to be built, was deserted and
desolate. In the ale-houses, the prin
cipal topic of conversation was the
desecrated building, while the Arch
bishop meditated how the terrible
shadow which rested on the work could
be blotted out.
Just ABOUT this time notorious thiei
awaited her doom in the Archbishop's
prison. No sooner did she hear of the
dilemma in which the prelate and the
citizens were placed, than she Offered
to be the first to enter the church. The
conditions upon which she would do SO
however, were that she was to be grant
ed liberty in case she succeeded ii
cheating the devil. The Archbishop
was informed of the offer of this motto
riously wicked, though beautiful an6
crafty woman, and, after consulting
earnestly with his ecclesiastical broth
rem, granted her permission.
On the day of conservation the who'll
clergy assembled, together with the no
biiity and the citizens, men, women
and children, 10 see the strange specta
Gle. After the boisterous multitude hat
waited long time, the doors of tn
town hall suddenly opened, and 81,
stout servants, who exchanged knowing
chances with each other, came out car
rying covered box. Bells commenced
to ring, and the multitude, who heart
that the DEVILS victim was in the box
crowded and pushed as far away from
it as possible. The procession finall,
commenced to move. The box was a
the head, then came monks with tn
holy water, then ministrant boys witt
censers, then the chapter of tn
cathedral, the deacons, and finally tn
Archbishop carrying the Host, sur
rounded by the mobiles, and the repre-
sentatives of the guilds, then came tn,
armed militia, followed by the vast mul
titude. s-r-- -W
The builder was entirely forgotten
After the procession reached the cathe
dral, the Archbishop preached aloud
i prayer for the dead, the choristers join
/ ing in the last strophe. After the prayer
two servants of the municipality, timid
ly, and as far as possible, pushed ope
the church doors, the box was opened
and woman hurried out of it, walkin
on her hands and feet, who, as soon a
she entered the church, was receive
with q terrible rumbling noise, an
mocking laughter by Satan, and, in tn
midst of horrible screams, her neck wa
wrung.